1998 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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
0 Bad wear
Bad handling
0 Bad fuel economy.
NOTICE: (Continued) NOTICE: (Continued)
If your tires
have too much air (overinflation).
you can get the following:
Unusual wear
Bad handling
0 Rough ride
0 Needless damage from road hazards.
When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more.
How to Check
With the Tire Pressure Monitor, you can check tire
inflation pressures while driving. After you’ve reached a
speed
of 15 mph (24 kmh) or more, press and release the
GAGES button on the Driver Information Center (DIC)
until the front tire pressures are displayed. Then, press
and release the GAGES button for the rear tire
pressures.
If the display doesn’t show tire pressure, or if
the SERVICE TIRE
MON SYS message appears, see
your dealer for service.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Tire Rotation
The tires on your Corvette are directional and are
different sizes front to rear. Due to this, your tires should
not be rotated. Each tire and wheel should be used only
in the position it is in.
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:
0 You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
0 You can see cord or fabric showing through the
tire’s rubber.
0 The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
enough to show cord or fabric.
The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that
can’t be repaired well because of the size or location
of the damage.
Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Tire-Loading Information label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when it was new had
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification (TPC Spec)
number on each tire’s sidewall. When you get new tires,
get ones with that same TPC Spec number. That way
your vehicle will continue to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating,
traction, ride and other things during normal service on
your vehicle. If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC number will be followed by an
“MS”
(for mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not having a
TPC Spec number, make sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial) as your original tires.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine /i CAUTION:
Mixing tires could cause you to lose control while
driving.
If you mix tires of different sizes (other
than those originally installed on your vehicle) or
types (radial and bias-belted tires), the vehicle
may not handle properly, and you could have
a
crash. Using tires of different sizes (other than
those originally installed on your vehicle) may
also cause damage to your vehicle. Be sure to use
the correct size and type tires on all four wheels.
If you feel that winter tires are needed, see “Extended
Mobility Tires” in the Index.
A CAUTION:
If you use bias-ply tires on your vehicle, the
~ wheel rim flanges could develop cracks after
many miles of driving.
A tire and/or wheel could
1 fail suddenly, causing a crash. Use only radial-ply
~ tires with the wheels on your vehicle.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
Traction -- A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are A, B, 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 (straight ahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction.
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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
dealer if any of these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of wheel you need.
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 Corvette model.
6-48,

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
I 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
clearance to the body and chassis.
A CAUTION:
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 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.
I A CAUTION:
I
Never use oil or grease on studs or nuts. If you
do, the nuts might come loose. Your wheel could
fall off, causing a serious accident.
6-49

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I~~rrect 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.
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. Used Replacement Wheels
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.
Using the Wheel Lock Key
The wheel lock key sits in a small depression in
the
trunk rail directly under the left-hand rear
compartment cover.
Your vehicle’s wheel lock key has a unique registration
number. The registration number is printed on a card
included in your lock nut package.
Also, on this card, is
lost key replacement information. This number is not
recorded by
GM or your dealer, so be sure not to lose
this card.
You will need the information if you ever lose
your wheel lock key.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If you or someone else is going to remove the wheels on
your vehicle, make sure that the special wheel nut socket
and wheel lock key
are being used.
NOTICE:
Your wheels could be damaged if the wheel nut
socket
is not used to remove your vehicle’s wheels.
The wheel nut socket can be used with an air wrench or
a torque wrench. The wheel lock key can be used with a
torque wrench, but not with an air or impact wrench.
I NOTICE:
Your wheel lock key or lock nuts could be
damaged if an
air or impact wrench is used with
this key.
Tire Chains
NOTICE:
Don’t use tire chains. They can damage your
vehicle because there’s not enough clearance.
Use another type of traction device only
if its
manufacturer recommends it for use on your
vehicle and tire size combination and road
conditions. Follow that manufacturer’s
instructions.
To help avoid damage to your
vehicle, drive slowly, readjust or remove the
device
if it’s contacting your vehicle, and don’t
spin your wheels.
If you do find traction devices that will fit, install
them on the rear tires.
6-51