1997 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO flat tire

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 9. Tighten the wheel nuts
firmly in a crisscross
sequence as shown.
r
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 Ib-ft
(140 Nom).
~ 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.
10. Don’t try to put a wheel cover on your compact
spare tire.
It won’t fit. Store the wheel cover
in the trunk until you have the flat tire repaired
or replaced.
I 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.
1
5-32

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Storing the Flat Tire and Tools
1
I A CAUTION: I
Storing a jack, a tire or other equipment in the
passenger compartment
of the vehicle could
cause injury. In a sudden stop or collision, loose
equipment could strike someone. Store all these
in the proper place.
After you’ve put the compact spare tire on your vehicle
you’ll need to store the flat tire in your trunk. Use the
following procedure to secure the flat tire in the trunk.
Put the flat tire in the trunk
so the side that faces out
when it is on the vehicle is facing down. The full-size
tire will
not fit down into the well. Place it so the front is
in the well and the rear
is out of the well. Put the bolt through
one of the wheel nut holes, install
the retainer over the bolt, then install the wing
nut. Put
the spacer and
nut next to the tire in the well. Store the
cover
as far forward as possible.
The compact spare is for temporary use only. Replace
the compact spare tire with a full-size tire as
soon as you
can. See “Compact Spare”
in the Index. See the storage
instructions label to replace your compact spare into
your trunk properly.
When you install the wheel cover on the full size tire,
tighten the nut caps
to 5 lb-ft (7 N-m).

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 Wa).
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.

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.
Overinflated tires are more likely to be 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.
Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label, which is on the
inside
of the trunk lid 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:
Too much flexing
Too much heat
Tire overloading
Bad wear
Bad handling
Bad fuel economy.
If your tires have too much air (overinflation),
you can get the following:
0 Unusual wear
0 Bad handling
0 Rough ride
0 Needless damage from road hazards.
6-38

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 kPa).
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 OOO 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.
When rotating your
tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
Don’t include the compact spare tire in your
tire rotation.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
I
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
Whanging a Flat Tire” in the Index.) When
It’s Time
for New Tires
One way to tell when it’s
time for new tires is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which will
appear when your tires have
only 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) or
less of tread remaining.
You need a new tire if any of the following statements
are true:
You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
You can see cord or fabric showing through the
tire’s rubber.
6-40

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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
Chevrolet dealer
if any of these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of wheel you need.
6-43

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Each new wheel should have the same load-carrying
capacity, diameter, width, offset and be mounted the
same way
as the one it replaces.
If you need to replace any of your wheels, wheel bolts
or wheel nuts, replace them only with new GM original
equipment parts. This way, you will be sure to have the
right wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts for your
Chevrolet model.
A CAUTION:
Using the wrong replacement wheels, wheel bolts
or wheel nuts on your vehicle can be dangerous,
It could affect the braking and handling of your
vehicle, make your tires lose air and make you
lose control. You could have a collision in which
you or others could be injured. Always use the
correct wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts for
replacement.
NOTICE:
The wrong wheel can also cause problems with
bearing life, brake cooling, speedometer or
odometer calibration, headlamp aim, bumper
height, vehicle ground clearance and tire or tire
chain clearance to the body and chassis.
See “Changing a Flat Tire” in the Index for
more information.
Used Replacement Wheels
h, CAU ION:
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle is
dangerous. You can’t know how it’s been used or
how far it’s been driven. It could fail suddenly
and cause an accident.
If you have to replace a
wheel, use a new GM original equipment wheel.