1998 CHEVROLET TRACKER brakes

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine A CAUTION:
I
Shifting the transfer case to NEUTRAL (N) can
cause your vehicle to roll even if the transmission
is in
PARK (P) (or, if you have the manual
transmission, even
if you’re in gear). This is
because the NEUTRAL
(N) position on the
transfer case overrides the transmission. You or
someone else could be injured. If you are going to
leave your vehicle, set the parking brake and
shift the transmission to PARK
(P) (or, put your
manual transmission in FIRST
(1)). But do not
shift the transfer case to the NEUTRAL
(N)
position. Leave the transfer case in the 2H, 4H or
4L position.
Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you downhill, you’ll want to
consider a number of things:
0 How steep is the downhill? Will I be able to maintain
vehicle control?
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0
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What’s the surface like? Smooth? Rough? Slippery?
Hard-packed dirt? Gravel?
Are there hidden surface obstacles? Ruts?
Logs? Boulders?
What’s at the bottom of the hill?
Is there a hidden
creek bank
or even a river bottom with large rocks?
If you decide you can
go down a hill safely, then try to
keep your vehicle headed straight down, and use a low gear. This way, engine drag can help your brakes and
they won’t have to do all the work. Descend slowly,
keeping your vehicle under control at all times.
Heavy braking when going down
a hill can cause
your brakes to overheat and fade. This could
cause loss
of control and a serious accident.
Apply the brakes lightly when descending
a
hill and use a low gear to keep vehicle speed
under control.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine @ Are there some things I should not do when
driving down a hill?
A: Yes! These are important because if you ignore
0
0
0
them you could lose control and have a
serious accident.
When driving downhill, avoid turns that take you
across the incline of the hill.
A hill that’s not too
steep to drive down may be too steep to drive across.
You could roll over if you don’t drive straight down.
Never go downhill with the transmission in
NEUTRAL (N), or with the clutch pedal depressed
in a manual shift. This is called “free-wheeling.”
Your brakes will have to do all the work and could
overheat and fade.
Unless you have anti-lock: Avoid braking
so hard
that you lock the wheels when going downhill. If
your wheels are locked, you can’t steer your vehicle.
If your wheels lock up during downhill braking, you
may feel the vehicle starting to slide sideways.
To
regain your direction, just ease off the brakes and
steer to keep the front of the vehicle pointing
straight downhill.
&.’ Am I likely to stall when going downhill?
A: It’s much more likely to happen going uphill. But if
it happens going downhill, here’s what to do.
Stop your vehicle by applying the regular brakes.
Shift to PARK (P) (or to NEUTRAL (N) with the
Apply the parking brake.
manual transmission) and, while still braking, restart
the engine.
and drive straight down.
0 Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake,
If the engine won’t start, get out and get help,
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driving in Water
Light rain causes no special off-road driving problems. But heavy rain can mean flash flooding, and flood
waters demand extreme caution.
Find out how deep the water is before you drive through
it.
If it’s deep enough to cover your wheel hubs, axles or
exhaust pipe, don’t try it
-- you probably won’t get
through. Also, water that deep can damage your axle
and other vehicle parts.
If the water isn’t too deep, then drive through it slowly.
At fast speeds, water splashes on your ignition system
and your vehicle can stall. Stalling can also occur if you
get your tailpipe under water. And, as long as your
tailpipe is under water, you’ll never be able
to start your
engine. When you
go through water, remember that
when your brakes get wet, it may take you longer
to stop.
A CAUTION:
Driving through rushing water can be dangerous.
Deep water can sweep your vehicle downstream
and you and your passengers could drown.
If it’s
only shallow water, it can still wash
away the
ground from under your tires, and you could lose
traction and roll the vehicle over. Don’t drive
through rushing water.
See “Driving Through Water” in the Index
for more
information on driving through water,
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine lb
CAC 'ION:
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Wet brakes can cause accidents. They won't work
as well in a quick stop and may cause pulling to
one side. You could lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle
of water or
a car wash, apply your brake pedal lightly until
your brakes work normally.
Driving too fast through large water puddles or even going through some car washes can cause problems,
too.
The water may affect your brakes. Try to avoid puddles.
But if you can't, try to slow down before you hit them.
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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. (See “Off-Road Driving” in the Index for information
about driving off-road.)
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 and your vehicle in gear
when
you go downhill.
L
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.
0 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.
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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.
Unless you have the anti-lock braking system, you’ll
want
to brake very gently, too. (If you do have anti-lock,
see “Anti-Lock‘’ in the Index. This system improves
your vehicle’s stability when you make
a hard stop on a
slippery road.) Whether you have the anti-lock braking
system
or not, you’ll want to begin stopping sooner than
you would on dry pavement. Without anti-lock brakes,
if you feel your vehicle begin
to slide, let up on the
brakes a little. Push the brake pedal down steadily to get the most traction you can.
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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Towing a Trailer
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.
NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your
vehicle and result in costly repairs not covered
by
your warranty. To pull a trailer correctly, follow
the advice in this part, and see your dealer for
important information about towing a trailer
with your vehicle. Your
vehicle can tow a trailer. To identify what the
vehicle trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you
should read the information in “Weight of the Trailer’,
that appears later in this section. But trailering is
different than just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in handling, durability and
fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering takes correct
equipment, and it has to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this section. In it
are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your safety and that of
your passengers.
So please read this section carefully
before you pull a trailer.
Load-pulling components sucn as me engine,
transmission, wheel assemblies and tires
are forced to
work harder against the drag
of the added weight. The
engine
is required to operate at relatively higher speeds
and under greater loads, generating extra heat. What’s
more, the trailer adds considerably to wind resistance,
increasing the pulling requirements.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Trailer Brakes Driving with a Trailer
If your trailer weighs more than 1,000 Ibs. (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.
0 Don’t tap into your vehicle’s brake system if the
trailer’s brake system will use more than
0.02 cubic
inch
(0.3 cc) of fluid from your vehicle’s master
cylinder. If
it does, both systems won’t work well.
You could even lose your brakes.
(20 650 kPa) of pressure? If not, the trailer brake
system must not be used with your vehicle.
Will the trailer brake parts take 3,000 psi
If everything checks out this far, then make the brake
fluid tap at the
port on the master cylinder that sends
fluid to the rear brakes. But don’t use copper tubing
for this.
If you do, it will bend and finally break off.
Use steel brake tubing. 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.
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