2002 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO Owners Manual

5-25 Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
The equipment you'll need is in the trunk.
The steps for removing the compact spare tire and
installing it on the vehicle are:
1. Turn the center nut on
the compact spare tire
cover counterclockwise
to remove it. Then
remove the cover.
2. Remove the compact spare tire. See ªCompact Spare
Tireº later in this section for more information about
the compact spare tire.

5-26
3. Turn the nut holding the jack counterclockwise and
remove it. Then remove the jack and wrench.4. The tools you'll be using include the jack (A)
extension and protector/guide (B) and wheel
wrench (C).

5-27
Removing Wheel Covers and Wheel
Nut Caps
Wheel Cover Caps
Your vehicle may have
center caps if equipped
with aluminum wheels.
To remove a center cap use
the wrench to pry gently at
the notch. Don't use a tool
that is narrower than the
wrench to pry at this notch.
Wheel Covers
If your vehicle is equipped
with wheel covers, loosen
the plastic nut caps with the
wheel wrench. If needed,
you can finish loosening
them with your fingers.
Then, using the flat end
of the wheel wrench,
pry along the edge of the
cover until it comes off.

5-28 Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire
1. Using the wheel wrench, loosen all the wheel nuts.
Don't remove them yet.
CAUTION:
Getting under a vehicle when it is jacked up is
dangerous. If the vehicle slips off the jack, you
could be badly injured or killed. Never get under
a vehicle when it is supported only by a jack.
CAUTION:
Raising your vehicle with the jack improperly
positioned can damage the vehicle and even
make the vehicle fall. To help avoid personal
injury and vehicle damage, be sure to fit the jack
lift head into the proper location before raising
the vehicle.

5-29
Jack placement for a front tire
The diagram shows you where you should place
your jack to change a front tire. Use the bolts (A) as
a guide when positioning the jack lift head (C) near
the rear edge of the front wheel opening (B).
For jacking at the vehicle's front location, put jack
lift head about 7.5 inches (19 cm) from the rear edge
of the front wheel opening in the cutout of the rocker
panel molding.
Put the compact spare tire near you.Jack placement for a rear tire
The diagram shows you where to place your jack to
change a rear tire. Use the notch (B) as a guide when
positioning the jack lift head (A) near the front edge
of the rear wheel opening (C).
For jacking at the vehicle's rear location, put the jack
lift head about 4 inches (10 cm) from the front edge
of the rear wheel opening in the cutout of the rocker
panel molding.
Put the compact spare tire near you.

5-30
2. Raise the vehicle by turning the jack handle
clockwise. Raise the vehicle far enough off the
ground for the compact spare tire to fit underneath
the wheel well of the vehicle. Remove all wheel nuts
and take off the flat tire.
3. Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel bolts,
mounting surfaces and
spare wheel.
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 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.

5-31
CAUTION:
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.
4. Install the compact spare tire.
5. Reinstall the wheel nuts
with the rounded end
of the nuts toward the
wheel. Tighten each nut
by hand until the wheel
is held against the hub.
6. Lower the vehicle by turning the jack handle
counterclockwise. Lower the jack completely.

5-32
7. Tighten the wheel nuts
firmly in a crisscross
sequence as shown.
CAUTION:
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
100 lb
-ft (140 N´m).
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.
Don't try to put the wheel cover on your compact
spare tire. It won't fit. Store the wheel cover and
wheel center cap, if applicable, in the trunk until you
have the flat tire repaired or replaced.
NOTICE:
Wheel covers won't fit on your compact spare.
If you try to put a wheel cover on your compact
spare, you could damage the cover or the spare.