1998 CHEVROLET EXPRESS brakes

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable.
1 .) Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system and
transmission. These parts can work
hard on
mountain roads.
0 Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of the
slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.
If you don’t shift down, your brakes could get so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have poor braking or even none going down a hill.
You could crash.
Shift down to let your engine
assist your brakes on
a steep downhill slope. Coasting downhill
in NEUTRAL (N) or
with the
ignition
off is dangerous. Your brakes will have to
do
all the work of slowing down. They could get so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have poor braking or even none going down
a hill.
You could crash. Always have your engine running
1 and your vehicle in gear when you go downhill.
0
0
0
0
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down
to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine and transmission, and you can climb the
hill better.
Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads in hills or mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut
across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay in your own lane.
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could be
something in your lane, like a stalled car or an accident.
You may see highway signs
on mountains that warn of
special problems. Examples
are long grades, passing or
no-passing zones, a falling rocks area or
winding
roads. Be alert to these and take appropriate action.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine What’s the worst time for this? “Wet ice.” Very cold
snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But wet
ice can be even more trouble because it
may offer the
least traction of all. You can get wet ice when it’s about
freezing
(32°F; OOC) and freezing rain begins to fall.
Try to avoid driving on wet ice until salt
and sand crews
can get there. Whatever
the condition
-- smooth ice, packed, blowing
or loose snow -- drive with caution.
Accelerate gently. Try not to break the fragile traction.
If
you accelerate too fast, the drive wheels will spin and
polish the surface under the tires even more.
Your anti-lock brakes improve your vehicle’s stability
when you make a hard stop on a slippery road. Even
though you
have an anti-lock braking system, you’ll
want to begin stopping sooner
than you would on dry
pavement. See “Anti-Lock” in the Index.
Allow greater following distance on any
slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine
until you
hit a spot that’s covered with ice. On an
otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear in
shaded areas where the
sun can’t reach: around
clumps of trees, behind buildings or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface
of a curve or an overpass may
remain
icy when the surrounding roads are clear. If
you see a patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you
are on it. Try not to brake while you’re actually on
the ice, and avoid sudden steering maneuvers.
4-24

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Things you put inside your vehicle can strike
and injure people in a sudden stop or turn, or
in a crash.
0 Put things in the cargo area of your vehicle.
0 Never stack heavier things, like suitcases,
Try
to spread the weight evenly.
inside the vehicle
so that some of them are
above the tops of the seats.
0 Don’t leave an unsecured child restraint in
your vehicle.
0 When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure
it whenever you can.
Towing a Trailer
,- CAUTION:
If you don’t use the correct equipment and drive
properly, you can lose control when you pull
a
trailer. For example, if the trailer is too heavy,
the brakes may not work well
-- or even at all.
You and your passengers could be seriously
injured. Pull
a trailer only if you have followed
all the steps in this section. Ask your dealer for
advice and information about towing
a trailer
with your vehicle.
4-28

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Safety Chains
Driving with a Trailer
You should always attach chains between your vehicle
and your trailer. Cross the safety chains under the tongue
of the trailer
so that the tongue will not drop to the road
if it becomes separated from the hitch. Instructions
about safety chains may be provided by the hitch
manufacturer or by the trailer manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer’s recommendation for attaching safety
chains and do not attach them to the bumper. Always
leave just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig.
And, never allow safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
If your trailer weighs more than 1,000 lbs. (450 kg)
loaded, then
it needs its own brakes -- and they must be
adequate. Be sure to read and follow the instructions for
the trailer brakes
so you’ll be able to install, adjust and
maintain them properly.
If you have a rearmost window open and you
pull
a trailer with your vehicle, carbon monoxide
(CO) could come into your vehicle. You can’t see
or smell CO.
It can cause unconsciousness or
death. (See “Engine Exhaust” in the Index.)
To
maximize your safety when towing a trailer:
0
0
0
Have your exhaust system inspected for
leaks, and make necessary repairs before
starting on your trip.
Keep the rearmost windows closed.
If exhaust does come into your vehicle
through a window in the rear or another
opening, drive with your front, main
heating or cooling system on and with the
fan on any speed. This will bring fresh,
outside air into your vehicle.
Do not use
MAX A/C because it only recirculates the
air inside your vehicle. (See “Comfort
Controls’’ in the Index.)
I
4-33

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting
out for the open road, you’ll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the added weight
of the
trailer. And always keep in mind that the vehicle
you are
driving is now a good deal longer and
not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before
you start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment.
If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure
the brakes are working. This lets
you check your
electrical connection
at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer brakes
are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you
would when driving your vehicle without a trailer. This
can help you avoid situations that require heavy braking
and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re a good deal
longer, you’ll need
to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return
to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move
the trailer to the left, just move that hand
to the left. To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if
possible, have someone guide you.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Making Turns
NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could
cause the trailer to come in contact with the vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than normal.
Do this so your trailer won’t strike soft shoulders,
curbs, road signs, trees or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well in advance.
lhrn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have extra
wiring and a heavy-duty turn signal flasher (included in
the optional trailering package).
The arrows on your instrument panel will flash
whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly
hooked up, the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other
drivers you’re about to turn, change lanes or stop. When
towing
a trailer, the arrows on your instrument
panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs
on the trailer
are burned out. Thus,
you may think drivers behind
you are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s
important to check occasionally
to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift
down, you might have
to use your brakes so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed
to around 45 mph (70 kdh) to reduce the
possibility of engine and transmission overheating.
When towing at high altitude
on steep uphill grades,
consider the following: Engine coolant will boil at a lower
temperature than
at normal altitudes. If you turn your
engine
off immediately after towing at high altitude on
steep uphill grades, your vehicle may show signs similar
to
engine overheating. To avoid this, let the engine run while
parked (preferably
on level ground) with the automatic
transmission in PARK
(P) for a few minutes before tumine
the engine off. If you do get the overheat warning, see
“Engine Overheating”
in the Index.
4-35

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached, on a hill. If something goes wrong, your
rig
could start to move. People can be injured, and both
your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
But
if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to do it:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK (P) yet. Then turn your wheels into the curb if
facing downhill or into traffic if facing uphill.
Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes
until the chocks absorb the load.
Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake and then shift to PARK
(P).
Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking
on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
0 Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transmission fluid (don’t
overfill), engine oil, axle lubricant, belt, cooling system
and brake adjustment. Each of these is covered in this
manual, and
the Index will help you find them quickly.
If you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to review these
sections before you start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch
nuts and bolts
are tight.
4-36

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Trailer Wiring Harness
The light-duty trailer wiring harness is a six-wire
harness assembly. The optional heavy-duty trailer
wiring package is an eight-wire harness assembly. The
harness is stored under the vehicle, along the driver’s
side rear corner of the frame rail. The heavy-duty trailer
wiring harness has a 30-amp feed wire. Both harnesses
come without connectors and should be wired by a
qualified electrical technician. The technician can use
the following color code chart when connecting the
wiring harness to your trailer.
Dark Blue: Use for electric trailer brakes (eight-wire
harness only)
Orange: Trailer accessory (eight-wire harness only)
0 Light Green: Back-up lamps
0 Brown: Parking lamps
Yellow: Left stoplamp and turn signal
0 Dark Green: Right stoplamp and turn signal
0 White (heavy gage): Ground wire
White (light gage): Center high-mounted stoplamp
Securely attach the harness to the trailer, then tape or
strap
it to your vehicle’s frame rail. Be sure you leave it
loose enough
so the wiring doesn’t bend or break, but
not
so loose that it drags on the ground. Store the
harness in its original place. Wrap the harness together
and tie it neatly
so it won’t be damaged.