1998 CHEVROLET TRACKER brake

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine lbrn Signals When Towing a nailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have extra
wiring (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 km/h) to reduce the
possibility of engine and transmission overheating.
If
you are towing a trailer and you have a manual
transmission with
FIFTH (5) gear, you may prefer not to
use FIFTH
(5). Just drive in FOURTH (4) (or, as you
need to, a lower gear).
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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. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK
(P) yet, or into gear for a manual
transmission.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake, and then shift to
PARK (P), or REVERSE (R)
for
a manual transmission.
5. If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, be sure
the transfer case is in a drive gear
-- not in
NEUTRAL (N).
-
I_
A CAUl =ON:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly
set. Your vehicle can roll.
If you have left the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others could be
injured.
To be sure your vehicle won’t move, even
when you’re
on fairly level ground, use the steps
that follow.
If you have four-wheel drive and your transfer
case is in
NEUTRAL (N), your vehicle will be free
to roll, even if your shift lever is in PARK (P). So,
be sure the transfer case is in a drive gear -- not
in
NEUTRAL (N).
6. Release the regular brakes.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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;
0 Shift into a gear; and
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, belts, 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition
key turned to OFF. The steering wheel should be
clamped
in a straight-ahead position, with a clamping
device designed for towing service.
Do not use the
vehicle’s steering column lock for this. The transmission
and transfer case, if
you have one, should be in
NEUTRAL (N) and the parking brake released.
Don’t have your vehicle towed on the drive wheels
unless you must.
If the vehicle must be towed on the
drive wheels, be sure to follow any speed and distance
restrictions later in this section, or
your transmission
will be damaged. If these limitations must be exceeded,
then the drive wheels have to be supported on a dolly.
Front Towing
A towing dolly must be used under the drive wheels
when towing from the front.
Attach J-hook chains on both sides to the rear of lower
control arms inboard
of the spring.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Rear Towing
If your vehicle has four-wheel drive, don’t have it towed
on the front wheels unless you must. If
a vehicle with
four-wheel drive must be towed on the front wheels,, set
your manual, freewheeling hubs to FREE or unlock your
automatic freewheeling hubs, and set your transfer case
to two-wheel drive.
If your vehicle must be towed on
the front wheels, don’t
go more than 55 mph (90 kmh).
A towing dolly must be used under the front wheels
when towing
from the real:
Attach J-hooks around the axle tube.
I NOTICE:
Take care not to damage the brake pipes on the
axle
tubes.
Position the sling crossbar under and forward of the
rear bumper.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If a Tire Goes Flat
8. Then replace the pressure cap. At any time during
this procedure if coolant begins to flow out of the
filler neck, reinstall the pressure cap. Be sure the
arrows on the pressure cap line up like this. It’s unusual
for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving,
especially if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a few\

tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop well out
of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you’d use in a
skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake to a stop
-- well off the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to
use your
jacking equipment
to change a flat tire safely.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your hazard
warning flashers.
A CAUTION:
Changing a tire can cause an injury. The vehicle
can slip
off the jack and roll over you or other
people.
You and they could be badly injured.
Find
a level place to change your tire. To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put an automatic transmission shift lever in
PARK
(P) or shift a manual transmission to
FIRST
(1) or REVERSE (R).
3. If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle,
be sure the transfer case
is in a drive
gear
-- not in NEUTRAL (N).
4. 'hrn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won't move,
you can put blocks at the front and rear
of the
tire farthest
away from the one being changed.
CAUTION: (Continued) That
would be the tire
on the other side of the
vehicle,
at the opposite end.
The following steps will tell
you how to use the jack and
change a tire.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 9. Tighten the wheel nuts
firmly in a crisscross
sequence as shown.
- a CAUTION:
NOTICE:
I'
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.
I
-- I-
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
60 lb-ft (80 Nom).
a CAUTION:
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.
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