2002 CHEVROLET TRACKER spare tire

4-16
Off-Road Driving with Your
Four
-Wheel-Drive Vehicle
This off-road guide is for vehicles that have
four
-wheel drive.
Also, see ªAnti
-Lock Brakesº in the Index.
If your vehicle doesn't have four
-wheel drive, you
shouldn't drive off
-road unless you're on a level,
solid surface.
Off
-road driving can be great fun. But it does have
some definite hazards. The greatest of these is the
terrain itself.
ªOff
-roadingº means you've left the great North
American road system behind. Traffic lanes aren't
marked. Curves aren't banked. There are no road signs.
Surfaces can be slippery, rough, uphill or downhill.
In short, you've gone right back to nature.
Off
-road driving involves some new skills. And that's
why it's very important that you read this guide. You'll
find many driving tips and suggestions. These will help
make your off
-road driving safer and more enjoyable.
Before You Go Off-Roading
There are some things to do before you go out.
For example, be sure to have all necessary maintenance
and service work done. Check to make sure all underbody
shields (if so equipped) are properly attached. Be sure
you read all the information about your four
-wheel-drive
vehicle in this manual. Is there enough fuel? Is the spare
tire fully inflated? Are the fluid levels up where they
should be? What are the local laws that apply to
off
-roading where you'll be driving? If you don't
know, you should check with law enforcement people
in the area. Will you be on someone's private land?
If so, be sure to get the necessary permission.
Loading Your Vehicle for Off-Road Driving
There are some important things to remember about
how to load your vehicle.

The heaviest things should be on the load floor and
forward of your rear axle. Put heavier items as far
forward as you can.

Be sure the load is secured properly, so driving on
the off
-road terrain doesn't toss things around.

5-20 Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
The jack, wheel wrench and jack handle are stowed in
the rear left corner of the luggage compartment.
1. To open the jacking tool storage compartment,
turn the knob counterclockwise. Open the cover
two inches and pull the entire cover towards the
front of the vehicle.
2. Turn the jack screw to
remove the jack from
the clamps. If the screw
is too tight, use the jack
handle to loosen it.

5-21
The tools you'll be using include the jack (A), jack
handle (B) and wheel wrench (C).The spare tire is mounted on your tailgate. Your vehicle
may be equipped with either a soft, vinyl cover or a
hard cover.
3. To remove the hard
cover from the spare
tire, insert your key into
the wheel lock and pull
the wheel lock off.
Hard Cover

5-22
4. Using the wheel wrench, remove the wheel cover
nut. Gently pry the spare tire cover off the wheel.
Vinyl Cover
5. If your vehicle is equipped with a vinyl cover, unzip
the cover to find the wheel lock. Insert the key into
the wheel lock and pull it off.
6. Using the wheel wrench, remove the wheel nut under
the lock.

5-23
7. Remove the remaining wheel nuts with the
wheel wrench.
8. Remove the spare tire from the mounting bracket
and place it near your flat tire.
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire
1. If your vehicle has wheel nut caps, loosen them by
turning the wheel wrench counterclockwise to find
the wheel nuts.

5-25
3. Under the vehicle near each wheel, there are knobs
in the vehicle's frame. Position the jack and raise
the jack lift head until it fits firmly onto the knobs
nearest to the flat tire.
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.
4. Raise the vehicle by turning the jack handle
clockwise. Raise the vehicle far enough off the
ground so there is enough room for the spare
tire to fit underneath the wheel well.

5-26
5. Remove all the wheel
nuts and take off the
flat tire.6. 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.

5-29 Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools
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.
1. Store your vehicle's flat or spare tire by mounting it
on the tailgate.
NOTICE:
Ensure that the wheel balance weight is on the
lower left section of the tire in order to allow
proper installation of the spare wheel cover.