1997 CHEVROLET ASTRO wheel

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Compact Spare Tire
Although the compact spare tire was fully inflated when
your vehicle was new, it can lose air after a time. Check
the inflation pressure regularly. It should be
60 psi
(420 kPa).
After installing the compact spare
on your vehicle, you
should stop as soon as possible and make sure your
spare tire is correctly inflated. The compact spare is
made
to perform well at speeds up to 65 mph
(105 kdh) for distances up to 3,000 miles (5 000 km),
so you can finish your trip and have your full-size tire
repaired
or replaced where you want. Of course, it’s best
to replace your spare with a full-size tire as soon as
you
can. Your spare will last longer and be in good shape in
case
you need it again.
NOTICE:
When the compact spare is installed, don’t take
your vehicle through an automatic car wash with
guide rails. The compact spare can get caught on
the rails. That can damage the tire and wheel,
and maybe other parts
of your vehicle.
Don’t use your compact spare on other vehicles.
And don’t mix your compact spare tire or wheel with
other wheels or tires. They won’t
fit. Keep your spare
tire and its wheel together.
NOTICE:
Tire chains won’t fit your compact spare. Using
them can damage your vehicle and can damage
the chains too. Don’t use tire chains on your
compact spare.
5-35

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice
or Snow
What you don’t want to do when your vehicle is stuck is
to spin your wheels too fast. The method known as
“rocking” can help
you get out when you’re stuck, but
you must use caution.
1 NOTICE:
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your
vehicle
as well as the tires. If you spin the wheels
too fast while shifting your transmission back
and forth, you can destroy your transmission.
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they can
explode, and
you or others could be injured. And,
the transmission or other parts
of the vehicle can
overheat. That could cause an engine
compartment fire or other damage. When you’re
stuck, spin the wheels as little as possible. Don’t
spin the wheels above
35 mph (55 kmh) as shown
on the speedometer. For information about using tire
chains on your vehicle,
see “Tire Chains”
in the Index.
Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. Then shift back
and forth between REVERSE
(R) and a forward gear,
spinning the wheels
as little as possible. Release the
accelerator pedal while
you shift, and press lightly on
the accelerator pedal when the transmission is in gear. If
that doesn’t get you out after a few tries, you may need
to be towed out. If you do need to be towed out, see
“Towing Your Vehicle”
in the Index.
5-36

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your vehicle. This section begins with service and fuel information,
and
then it shows how to check important fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical information about your
vehicle, and
a part devoted to its appearance care.
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6-36 Service
Fuel Fuels
in Foreign Countries
Filling Your Tank
Checking Things Under the Hood
Engine Oil
Engine Cover
Air Cleaner
Automatic Transmission Fluid
All-Wheel Drive Rear Axle
Engine Coolant
Radiator Pressure Cap
Thermostat Power Steering Fluid
Windshield Washer Fluid
Brakes Battery
Bulb Replacement Halogen Bulbs 6-42
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6-68 Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
Tires Appearance Care
Cleaning
the Inside of Your Vehicle
Cleaning Glass Surfaces
Cleaning the Outside
of the Windshield,
Backglass and Wiper Blades
Cleaning the Outside
of Your Vehicle
Cleaning Tires Finish Damage Underbody Maintenance
Chemical Paint Spotting
Appearance Care Materials Chart
Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN)
Service Parts Identification Label
Electrical System Replacement Bulbs
Capacities and Specifications
Air Conditioning Refrigerants
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
6-1

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine How to Add Fluid
Refer to the Mainterl‘ance Schedule to determine what
kind of transmission fluid to use. See “Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants”
in the Index.
Add fluid
only after checking the transmission fluid HOT.
(A COLD check is used only as a reference.) If the fluid
level is low, add only enough of the proper fluid
to bring
the level up
to the HOT area for a hot check. It doesn’t
take.much fluid, generally less than
one pint (0.5 L).
Don P overjill.
I NOTICE:
-
After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as
described under “How to Check.”
When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back in all the way; then flip the handle
down
to lock the dipstick in place.
All-Wheel Drive
If you have an all-wheel-drive vehicle, be sure to
perform
the lubricant checks described in this section.
However,
they have two additional systems that
need lubrication.
Transfer Case
We recommend you use only fluid labeled
DEXRON@-111, because fluid with that label is
made especially for your automatic transmission.
Damage caused by fluid other than
DEXRON-I11
is not covered by your new vehicle warranty. When to Check Lubricant
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine
how
often to check the lubricant. See “Periodic Maintenance
Inspections’’
in the Index.
6-23

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and
evenly torque wheel nuts in the
proper sequence
to GM specifications.
Your rear drum brakes don’t have wear indicators, but
if
you ever hear a rear brake rubbing noise, have the rear
brake linings inspected. Also,
the rear brake drums
should be removed and inspected each time the tires are
removed for rotation or changing. When
you have the
front brakes replaced, have the rear brakes inspected, too.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
See “Brake System Inspection’’ in Section
7 of this
manual under Part
C “Periodic Maintenance
Inspections.”
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase
in pedal
travel. This could be a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you make a brake stop, your disc brakes
adjust for wear.
If your brake pedal goes down farther than normal, your
rear drum brakes may need adjustment. Adjust them by
backing up and firmly applying the brakes a few times.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a modern vehicle is complex.
Its many parts have to be
of top quality and work well
together if the vehicle is to have really good braking.
Your vehicle was designed and tested with top-quality
GM brake parts. When
you replace parts of your braking
system
-- for example, when your brake linings wear
down and you have to have new ones put
in -- be sure
you get new approved GM replacement parts. If you
don’t, your brakes may
no longer work properly. For
example,
if someone puts in brake linings that are wrong
for your vehicle,
the balance between your front and
rear brakes can change
-- for the worse. The braking
performance you’ve come to expect can change
in many
other ways
if someone puts in the wrong replacement
brake parts.
6-35

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
( 10 000 to 1 3 000 km). Any time you notice unusual
wear, rotate your tires as soon as possible and check
wheel alignment. Also check for damaged tires or
wheels. See “When It’s Time for New Tires’’ and
“Wheel Replacement” later in this section for
more information.
The purpose
of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear
for all tires on the vehicle. The first
rotation is the most important. See “Scheduled
Maintenance Services”
in the Index for scheduled
rotation intervals. When rotating your tires, always
use the
correct rotation
pattern shown here.
Don’t include the compact spare tire in your
tire rotation.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear inflation pressures
as shown on the
Certificatioflire label. Make certain that all wheel nuts
are properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque” in
the Index.
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to which
it is fastened, can make wheel nuts become loose
after
a time. The wheel could come off and cause
an accident. When you change
a wheel, remove
any rust or dirt from places where the wheel
attaches to the vehicle. In an emergency,
you can
use a cloth
or a paper towel to do this; but be
sure to use
a scraper or wire brush later, if you
need to, to get all the rust or dirt off. (See
“Changing
a Flat Tire” in the Index.)
~ 6-45

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 1 /r CAUTION:
Mixing tires could cause you to lose control while
driving. If you mix tires of different sizes or types
(radial and bias-belted tires), the vehicle
may not
handle properly, and you could have
a crash.
Using tires of different sizes may also cause
damage to your vehicle. Be sure to use the
same size and type tires on
all wheels.
It’s all right to drive with your compact spare, though.
It was developed for use on your vehicle.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
The following information relates to the system
developed
by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance. (This
applies only to vehicles sold in
the United States.) The
grades are molded
on the sidewalls of most passenger car
tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading system
does
not apply to deep tread, winter-type snow tires,
space-saver
or temporary use spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters
of 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm),
or to some limited-production tires.
While the tires available
on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these
grades, they must also conform to Federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions
on a specified government test course. For
example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and a half
(1 1/2) times as well on the government course as a tire
graded
100. The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use, however, and
may depart significantly from the norm due to variations
in driving habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Traction -- A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are A, €3, and
C, and they represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces
of asphalt and concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire is based
on braking (straightahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction.
Temperature -- A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation of
heat and
its ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire failure.
The grade
C corresponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must meet under the
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109.
Grades B and A represent higher levels of performance
on
the laboratory test wheel than the minimum
required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly inflated and not overloaded.
Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced
carefully at the factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
Scheduled wheel alignment and wheel balancing are not
needed. However, if you notice unusual tire wear or
your vehicle pulling one way or the other, the alignment
may need to be reset. If you notice your vehicle
vibrating when driving
on a smooth road, your wheels
may need to be rebalanced.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked, or badly rusted
or corroded. If wheel nuts keep coming loose, the wheel,
wheel bolts and wheel nuts should be replaced. If the
wheel leaks air, replace
it (except some aluminum
wheels, which can sometimes be repaired). See your
GM dealer if any
of these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of wheel you need.
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