2004 GMC SIERRA DENALI wheel

Traction ± AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A,
B, and C. Those grades represent the tire's ability
to stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on speci®ed government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance. Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics.
Temperature ± A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire's resistance to the generation
of heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested
under controlled conditions on a speci®ed indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high temperature can
cause the material of the tire to degenerate and
reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a
level of performance which all passenger car tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly in¯ated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underin¯ation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced
carefully at the factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
Scheduled wheel alignment and wheel balancing are
not needed. However, if you notice unusual tire wear or
your vehicle pulling one way or the other, the alignment
may need to be reset. If you notice your vehicle
vibrating when driving on a smooth road, your wheels
may need to be rebalanced.
5-72

Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked, or badly rusted
or corroded. If wheel nuts keep coming loose, the
wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts should be replaced.
If the wheel leaks air, replace it (except some
aluminum wheels, which can sometimes be repaired).
See your dealer if any of these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of wheel you need.
Each new wheel should have the same load-carrying
capacity, diameter, width, offset and be mounted
the same way as the one it replaces.
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 clearance to the
body and chassis.
See
Changing a Flat Tire on page 5-76for more
information.
5-73

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.
Tire Chains
{CAUTION:
Don't use tire chains. There's not enough
clearance. Tire chains used on a vehicle
without the proper amount of clearance can
cause damage to the brakes, suspension or
other vehicle parts. The area damaged by the
tire chains could cause you to lose control of
your vehicle and you or others may be injured
in a crash. Use another type of traction device
only if its manufacturer recommends it for use
on your vehicle and tire size combination and
road conditions. Follow that manufacturer's
instructions. To help avoid damage to your
vehicle, drive slowly, readjust or remove the
device if it's contacting your vehicle, and
don't spin your wheels. If you do ®nd traction
devices that will ®t, install them on the
rear tires.
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If a Tire Goes Flat
It's unusual for a tire to ªblowoutº 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 ªblowout,º here are a few
tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the ¯at tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel ®rmly.
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.{CAUTION:
Lifting a vehicle and getting under it to do
maintenance or repairs is dangerous without
the appropriate safety equipment and training.
The jack provided with your vehicle is
designed only for changing a ¯at tire. If it is
used for anything else, you or others could be
badly injured or killed if the vehicle slips off
the jack. Use the jack provided with your
vehicle only for changing a ¯at tire.
If a tire goes ¯at, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a ¯at tire safely.
5-75

Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes ¯at, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your
hazard warning ¯ashers.
{CAUTION:
Changing a tire can be dangerous. The vehicle
can slip off the jack and roll over or fall on you
or other people. You and they could be badly
injured or even killed. Find a level place to
change your tire. To help prevent the vehicle
from moving:
1. Set the parking brake ®rmly.
2. Put the shift lever in PARK (P).
3. Turn off the engine and do not restart
while the vehicle is raised.
4. Do not allow passengers to remain in the
vehicle.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
5. Put the wheel blocks at the front and rear
of the tire farthest away from the one
being changed. That would be the tire on
the other side, at the opposite end of the
vehicle.
The following steps will tell you how to use the jack and
change a tire.
5-76

Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
The equipment you'll need is under the passenger's
side second row seat. The spare tire is located
underneath the vehicle.1. Pull up the second row seat with the loop at the
base of the seat cushion to access the tools.
2. To release the bottle jack from its holder, turn the
knob on the bottle jack counterclockwise to lower
the jack head slightly.
3. The wheel blocks and the wheel block retainer can
be removed by turning the wing nut
counterclockwise.
4. There is also a wing nut used to retain the storage
bag and tools. To remove it, turn the wing nut
counterclockwise.
5-77

You'll use the jack handle extensions and the wheel
wrench to remove the underbody-mounted spare tire.
A. Spare Tire
(Valve Stem
Pointed Down)
B. Hoist Assembly
C. Hoist Cable
D. Tire Retainer
E. Hoist Shaft
F. Hoist End of
Extension ToolG. Hoist Shaft
Access Hole
H. Wheel Wrench
I. Jack Handle
Extensions
J. Hoist Lock
(If Equipped)1. If your vehicle is equipped with a hoist lock (J),
open the spare tire lock cover on the bumper
and use the ignition key to remove the lock.
2. Assemble the wheel wrench (H) and the two jack
handle extensions (I) as shown.
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3. Insert the hoist end
(open end) (F) of the
extension through
the hole (G) in the rear
bumper.
Be sure the hoist end of the extension connects to
the hoist shaft (E). The ribbed square end of the
extension is used to lower the spare tire.
4. Turn the wheel wrench (H) counterclockwise to
lower the spare tire to the ground. Continue to
turn the wheel wrench until the spare tire can be
pulled out from under the vehicle.
If the spare tire does not lower to the ground, the
secondary latch is engaged causing the tire
not to lower. See ªSecondary Latch Systemº later in
this section.5. The wheel wrench has
a hook that allows you
to pull the hoist
cable towards you to
assist in reaching
the spare tire.
6. When the tire has been
lowered, tilt the
retainer (D) at the end
of the cable so it
can be pulled up
through the wheel
opening.
7. Put the spare tire near the ¯at tire.
5-79