1997 GMC SIERRA tires

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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.
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
(or with
a manual transmission, between FIRST (1) or
SECOND (2) and REVERSE(R)), 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.
Or, you can use your recovery hooks if your vehicle has
them.
If you do need to be towed out, see ”Towing Your
Vehicle”
in the Index.
Using the Recovery Hooks
Your vehicle may be equipped with recovery hooks. The
recovery hooks are provided at
the front of your vehicle.
You may need
to use them if you’re stuck off-road
and need
to be pulled to some place where you can
continue driving.
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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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6-32 Service
Fuel (Gasoline Engine)
Fuels
in Foreign Countries - - Gasoline
Engines
Filling Your Tank
Checking Things Under the Hood
Noise Control System
Engine Oil (Gasoline Engine)
Air Cleaner Filter (Gasoline Engines)
Automatic Transmission Fluid
Manual Transmission Fluid
Hydraulic Clutch
Rear Axle
Four-wheel Drive
Engine Coolant Radiator Pressure Cap (Gasoline Engine)
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6-78 Power Steering Fluid
Windshield Washer Fluid
Brakes
Battery
Bulb Replacement
Windshield Wiper Blade
R
Tires
Appearance Care .eplacement
Cleaning the Inside
of Your Vehicle
Cleaning
the Outside of Your Vehicle
Appearance Care Materials
Chart
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
Electrical System Replacement Bulbs
Capacities and Specifications
Air Conditioning Specifications
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Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly applied.
This does not mean something is wrong with your brakes.
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.
If you have rear drum brakes, they 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 brake pads 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.
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Tires
Your new vehicle comes with high-quality tires made by
a leading tire manufacturer.
If you ever have questions
about your tire warranty and where to obtain service, see
your
GM Warranty booklet for details.
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A CAUTION:
Poorly maintained and improperly used tires
are dangerous.
0 Overloading your tires can cause
overheating
as a result of too much friction.
You could have an air-out and a serious
accident. See “Loading Your Vehicle” in
the Index.
CAUTION: (Continued)
0 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.
0 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
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Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The Certificationmire label, which is on the rear edge of
the driver’s door, or on the incomplete vehicle document
in the cab, 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).
You can operate some vehicles at reduced inflation
pressures only when you’ll be carrying reduced loads.
On those vehicles, the minimum cold inflation pressures
for
a typical reduced load are printed on the Improved
Ride Tire Pressure label located on the driver’s door.
Weigh the vehicle to find the load on each tire and see
the label for the minimum cold inflation pressures for
that load.
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
0 Tire overloading
Bad wear
Bad handling
Bad fuel economy.
If your tires have too much air (overinflation),
you can get the following:
Unusual wear
Bad handling
Rough ride
Needless damage from road hazards.
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When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more. Also, check the
tire pressure of the spare tire.
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. If your vehicle has dual rear wheels, also
see “Dual Tire Operation” later in this section. 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.
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If your vehicle has single rear wheels, always use one of
the correct rotation patterns shown here when rotating
your tires.
If your vehicle has front tires with different load ranges
or tread designs (such as all season vs. odoff road)
than
the rear tires, don’t rotate your tires front to rear.
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If your vehicle has dual rear
wheels and the load range
or tread design for your
front tires is different from
your rear tires, always use
the correct rotation pattern
shown here
when rotating
your tires.
If your vehicle has dual rear wheels and the load range
and tread design for your front tires is the same as your
rear tires, always use one of the correct rotation patterns
shown here when rotating your tires. The dual tires are rotated as
a pair, and the inside rear
tires become the outside rear tires.
When you install dual wheels, be sure the vent holes
in
the inner and outer wheels on each side are lined up.
After the tires have been rotated,
adjust the front and
rear inflation pressures as shown on the
Certificatiomire label. Make certain that all wheel nuts
are properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque” in
the Index.
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When It’s Time for New Tires
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.)
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.
Some commercial truck
tires may not have
treadwear indicators.
You need a new tire if any of the following statements
are true:
0 You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
0 You can see cord or fabric showing through the
0 The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
tire’s rubber.
enough
to show cord
or fabric.
0 The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
0 The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that
can’t be repaired well because
of the size or location
of the damage.
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