2004 CHEVROLET EXPRESS CARGO VAN wheel torque

{CAUTION:
Shifting into a drive gear while your engine is
running at high speed is dangerous. Unless
your foot is rmly on the brake pedal, your
vehicle could move very rapidly. You could lose
control and hit people or objects. Do not shift
into a drive gear while your engine is running at
high speed.
Notice:Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N)
with the engine running at high speed may damage
the transmission. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Be sure the engine is not
running at high speed when shifting your vehicle.
DRIVE (D):This position is for normal driving. If
you need more power for passing, and you’re:
Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push your
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator all the way down.
You’ll shift down to the next gear and have more power.THIRD (3):This position is also used for normal
driving, however, it offers more power and lower fuel
economy than DRIVE (D). You should use THIRD (3)
when carrying a heavy load or driving on steep hills.
You should use THIRD (3) (or, as you need to, a lower
gear) when towing a trailer to minimize heat build-up
and extend the life of your transmission.
SECOND (2):This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy than THIRD (3). You can use
SECOND (2) on hills. It can help control your speed as
you go down steep mountain roads, but then you
would also want to use your brakes off and on. If you
manually select SECOND (2), the transmission will drive
in SECOND (2). You may use this feature for reducing
torque to the rear wheels when you are trying to
start your vehicle from a stop on slippery road surfaces.
FIRST (1):This position gives you even more power
but lower fuel economy than SECOND (2). You can use
it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the
shift lever is put in FIRST (1), the transmission
won’t shift into rst gear until the vehicle is going slowly
enough.
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in
one place on a hill using only the accelerator
pedal may damage the transmission. If you are
stuck, do not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill,
use the brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
2-25

Brake Wear
Your vehicle has four-wheel disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make a
high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads are
worn and new pads are needed. The sound may come
and go or be heard all the time your vehicle is moving,
except when you are pushing on the brake pedal rmly.
{CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that
soon your brakes will not work well. That
could lead to an accident. When you hear the
brake wear warning sound, have your vehicle
serviced.
Notice:Continuing to drive with worn-out brake
pads could result in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are rst applied or lightly applied.
This does not mean something is wrong with your brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly tighten wheel nuts in
the proper sequence to GM torque specications.Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you make a brake stop, your disc brakes
adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is complex. Its many
parts have to be of top quality and work well together if
the vehicle is to have really good braking. Your
vehicle was designed and tested with top-quality GM
brake parts. When you replace parts of your braking
system — for example, when your brake linings
wear down and you need new ones put in — be sure
you get new approved GM replacement parts. If you do
not, your brakes may no longer work properly. For
example, if someone puts in brake linings that are wrong
for your vehicle, the balance between your front and
rear brakes can change — for the worse. The braking
performance you have come to expect can change
in many other ways if someone puts in the wrong
replacement brake parts.
5-41

When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more.
Also, check the tire pressure of the spare tire.
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure. You can’t tell if your tires are properly inated
simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look
properly inated even when they’re underinated. Check
the tire’s ination pressure when the tires are cold.
Cold means your vehicle has been sitting for at least
three hours or driven no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
Remove the valve cap from the tire valve stem. Press
the tire gage rmly onto the valve to get a pressure
measurement. If the cold tire ination pressure matches
the recommended pressure on the tire and loading
information label, no further adjustment is necessary.
If the pressure is low, add air until you reach the
recommended amount.
If you overll the tire, release air by pushing on the
metal stem in the center of the tire valve. Recheck the
tire pressure with the tire gage.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on the valve stems.
They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt and moisture.
Dual Tire Operation
When the vehicle is new, or whenever a wheel, wheel
bolt or wheel nut is replaced, check the wheel nut torque
after 100, 1,000 and 6,000 miles (160, 1 600 and
10 000 km) of driving. For proper wheel nut tightening
information, see “Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire” later in this section, underChanging
a Flat Tire on page 5-76. Also see “Wheel Nut Torque”
underCapacities and Specications on page 5-106.
The outer tire on a dual wheel setup generally wears
faster than the inner tire. Your tires will wear more
evenly and last longer if you rotate the tires periodically.
SeeTire Inspection and Rotation on page 5-68. Also
seeScheduled Maintenance on page 6-4.
{CAUTION:
If you operate your vehicle with a tire that is
badly underinated, the tire can overheat. An
overheated tire can lose air suddenly or catch
re. You or others could be injured. Be sure all
tires (including the spare) are properly inated.
SeeTires on page 5-58andInation - Tire Pressure on
page 5-66for more information on proper tire ination.
5-67

When you install dual wheels, be sure that vent holes in
the inner and outer wheels on each side are lined up.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front
and rear ination pressures as shown on the
Certication/Tire label of the Tire and Loading
Information label. SeeLoading Your Vehicle on
page 4-33. Make certain that all wheel nuts are properly
tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque” underCapacities
and Specications on page 5-106.
{CAUTION:
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to
which it is fastened, can make 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
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. See “Changing a Flat
Tire” in the Index.
When It Is Time for New Tires
One way to tell when it’s
time for new tires is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which will
appear when your tires
have only 1/16 inch
(1.6 mm) or less of tread
remaining. Some
commercial truck tires may
not have treadwear
indicators.
You need a new tire if any of the following statements
are true:
You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
You can see cord or fabric showing through the
tire’s rubber.
The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged
deep enough to show cord or fabric.
The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that
can’t be repaired well because of the size or
location of the damage.
5-69

If you need to replace any of your wheels, wheel bolts
or wheel nuts, replace them only with new GM
original equipment parts. This way, you will be sure to
have the right wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts
for your vehicle.
{CAUTION:
Using the wrong replacement wheels, wheel
bolts or wheel nuts on your vehicle can be
dangerous. It could affect the braking and
handling of your vehicle, make your tires lose
air and make you lose control. You could have
a collision in which you or others could be
injured. Always use the correct wheel, wheel
bolts and wheel nuts for replacement.
Notice:The wrong wheel can also cause problems
with bearing life, brake cooling, speedometer or
odometer calibration, headlamp aim, bumper height,
vehicle ground clearance and tire or tire chain
clearance to the body and chassis.Whenever a wheel, wheel bolt or wheel nut is replaced
on a dual wheel setup, check the wheel nut torque
after 100, 1,000 and 6,000 miles (160, 1 600 and
10 000 km) of driving. For proper torque, see “Wheel Nut
Torque” underCapacities and Specications on
page 5-106.
SeeChanging a Flat Tire on page 5-76for more
information.Used Replacement Wheels
{CAUTION:
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle is
dangerous. You can’t know how it’s been used
or how far it’s been driven. It could fail suddenly
and cause a crash. If you have to replace a
wheel, use a new GM original equipment wheel.
5-73

{CAUTION:
Incorrect wheel nuts or improperly tightened
wheel nuts can cause the wheel to come 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 the
proper torque specication. See “Capacities
and Specications” in the Index for wheel nut
torque specication.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 specication. See “Capacities and
Specications” in the index for the wheel nut torque
specication.
10. Put the wheel cover back on, or put the center cap
and plastic wheel nut caps back on. Remove any
wheel blocks.
Remember that the jack, jacking equipment and tire
must be properly stored in their original storage position
before you begin driving again. The next part will
show you how.
5-89

Capacities and Specications
Please refer toRecommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-12. All capacities are approximate. When adding, be
sure to ll to the appropriate level or as recommended in this manual.
See refrigerant charge label under the hood for charge capacity information and requirements.
Wheels and Tires
Model Description Torque
G/H 1500 6 Bolts (14 mm) 140 lb ft (190Y)
G/H 2500 & G/H 3500 8 bolts (14 mm) 140 lb ft (190Y)
Tire PressureSee the “Certication/Tire Label” underLoading Your Vehicle
on page 4-33This label is located on the rear edge of the
driver’s door.
Capacities
ApplicationCapacities
QTY Without Rear
Heater QTY With Rear Heater
Cooling System
After rell, the level must be rechecked. See “Cooling System” in the Index.
VORTEC™ 4300 V6 11.0 quarts (10.4 L) 14.0 quarts (13.2 L)
VORTEC™ 4800 V8 13.4 quarts (12.7 L) 16.4 quarts (15.5 L)
VORTEC™ 5300 V8 13.4 quarts (12.7 L) 16.4 quarts (15.5 L)
VORTEC™ 6000 V8 14.8 quarts (14.0 L) 17.8 quarts (17.0 L)
5-106

(k)Inspect system. Check all fuel and vapor lines and
hoses for proper hook-up, routing and condition.
Check that the purge valve works properly (if equipped).
Replace as needed.
(m)Check system for interference or binding and for
damaged or missing parts. Replace parts as needed.
Replace any components that have high effort or
excessive wear. Do not lubricate accelerator or cruise
control cables.
Owner Checks and Services
These owner checks and services should be performed
at the intervals specied to help ensure the safety,
dependability and emission control performance of your
vehicle. Your GM Goodwrench dealer can assist you
with these checks and services.
Be sure any necessary repairs are completed at once.
Whenever any uids or lubricants are added to your
vehicle, make sure they are the proper ones, as shown
inRecommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-12.
At the First 100, 1,000 and
6,000 Miles (160, 1 600 and
10 000 km)
For vehicles with dual wheels, check dual wheel nut
torque. For proper torque, seeCapacities and
Specications on page 5-106.
At Each Fuel Fill
It is important to perform these underhood checks at
each fuel ll.
Engine Oil Level Check
Check the engine oil level and add the proper oil if
necessary. SeeEngine Oil on page 5-13for further
details.
Notice:It is important to check your oil regularly
and keep it at the proper level. Failure to keep your
engine oil at the proper level can cause damage
to your engine not covered by your warranty.
6-9