1997 CHEVROLET CAVALIER flat tire

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire
1. Using the wheel wrench,
remove the plastic nut
caps (if equipped).
2. On some models, a cover plate must be removed to
find the wheel nuts. Carefully use the wedge end of
the wheel wrench
to pry it off.
nuts. Don't remove them yet.
3. Then use the wheel wrench to loosen all the wheel

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 18 (46cm) 18 (46cm)
Near each wheel well is a notch in the frame which
the jack head fits in. The front notch is
9 inches
(23 cm) back from the front wheel well. The rear
notch is
8 inches (20cm) forward from the rear wheel
well.
If your vehicle has flared side moldings, both
front and rear notches are
18 inches (46 cm) from
the wheel wells.
Position the jack and raise the jack head until it fits
firmly into the notch in the vehicle’s frame nearest
the flat tire. Put the compact spare tire near
you.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 6. If you have a wheel cover, use your fingers to
carefully pull the wheel cover from the wheel. Then
remove the flat tire.
7. Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel bolts,
mounting surfaces
and
spare wheel.
Rust or dirt on the wheel, or on the parts to
which it
is fastened, can make the 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 the 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.
5-29

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 10. Tighten the wheel nuts
firmly in a criss-cross sequence, as shown.
Incorrect wheel nuts or improperly tightened
wheel nuts can cause the wheel to become loose
and even come
off. This could lead to an accident.
Be sure to use the correct wheel nuts.
If you have
to replace them, be sure to get new
GM original
equipment wheel nuts.
Stop somewhere
as soon as you can and have the
nuts tightened with
a torque wrench to 100 lb-ft
(140 N-m).
~~
NOTICE:
Improperly tightened wheel nuts can lead to
brake pulsation and rotor damage. To avoid
expensive brake repairs, evenly tighten the wheel
nuts in the proper sequence and to the proper
torque specification.
Don’t try to put
a wheel cover on your compact spare
tire.
It won’t fit. Store the wheel cover and wheel nut
caps in the trunk until you have the flat tire repaired or replaced.
NOTICE:
Wheel covers won’t fit on your compact spare. If
you try to put a wheel cover on your compact
spare,
you could damage the cover or the spare.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Storing the Flat Tire and Tools
i
i Storing a jack, a tire or other equipment in the
passenger compartment
of the vehicle could
I cause injury. In a sudden stop or collision, loose
equipment could strike someone. Store all these
in the proper place.
I
I- H
L
A. Wrench
B. Jack C. Flat Road Tire
D. Adapter
E. Extension
F. Wing Bolt
G. Cover
H. Nut
Store the flat tire in the compact spare tire compartment
and secure the adapter, extension (aluminum wheel
only) and wing bolt. Store the jack and wheel wrench in
the foam tray.
5-32

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 the. Check
the inflation pressure regularly. It should be
60 psi
(420 Pa).
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
km/h) 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.
5-34

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Underinflated tires pose the same danger as
overloaded tires. The resulting accident
could cause serious injury. Check
all tires
frequently to maintain the recommended
pressure. Tire pressure should be checked
when your tires are cold.
cut, punctured or broken by
a sudden
impact
-- such as when you hit a pothole.
Keep tires at the recommended pressure.
Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If your
tread is
badly worn, or if your tires have
been damaged, replace them.
0 Overinflated tires are more likely to be
Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label, which is on the
rear edge of the driver’s door, shows the correct
inflation pressures
for your tires when they’re cold.
“Cold” means your vehicle has been sitting for at least
three hours or driven
no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
NOTICE:
Don’t let anyone tell you that underinflation or
overinflation is
all right. It’s not. If your tires
don’t have enough air (underinflation), you can
get the following:
0 Too much flexing
0 Too much heat
0 Tire overloading
Bad wear
0 Bad handling
0 Bad fuel economy.
If your tires have too much
you can get the following:
0 Unusual wear
Bad handling
0 Rough ride air
(overinfl
0 Needless damage from road hazards. ati
6-41

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more.
Don’t forget your compact spare tire. It should be at
60 psi (420 Pa).
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure.
You can’t tell if your tires are properly inflated
simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they’re underinflated.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on the valve stems.
They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt
and moisture.
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
(10
000 to 13 000 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.
n
*
I1
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 Tire-Loading
Information label. Make certain that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened. See “Wheel
Nut Torque” in
the Index.