2005 CHEVROLET SILVERADO wheel

Driving in Water
Heavy rain can mean ash ooding, and ood waters
demand extreme caution.
Find out how deep the water is before you drive through
it. If it is deep enough to cover your wheel hubs,
axles or exhaust pipe, do not try it — you probably will
not get through. Also, water that deep can damage
your axle and other vehicle parts.
If the water is not too deep, drive slowly through it.
At faster speeds, water splashes on your ignition system
and your vehicle can stall. Stalling can also occur if
you get your tailpipe under water. And, as long as your
tailpipe is under water, you will never be able to
start your engine. When you go through water,
remember that when your brakes get wet, it may take
you longer to stop.
{CAUTION:
Driving through rushing water can be
dangerous. Deep water can sweep your vehicle
downstream and you and your passengers
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
could drown. If it is only shallow water, it can
still wash away the ground from under your
tires, and you could lose traction and roll the
vehicle over. Do not drive through rushing
water.
SeeDriving in Rain and on Wet Roads on page 4-36
for more information on driving through water.
After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that has collected on the
underbody, chassis or under the hood. These
accumulations can be a re hazard.
After operation in mud or sand, have the brake linings
cleaned and checked. These substances can cause
glazing and uneven braking. Check the body structure,
steering, suspension, wheels, tires and exhaust
system for damage. Also, check the fuel lines and
cooling system for any leakage.
Your vehicle will require more frequent service due to
off-road use. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule
for additional information.
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Here are some things you can check before a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid:Is the reservoir full?
Are all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades:Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:Have you checked
all levels?
Lamps:Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires:They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving? Are the tires all inated to the
recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts:What is the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a
short time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps:Do you have up-to-date maps?
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as highway hypnosis?
Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch of road with
the same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on the
road, the drone of the engine, and the rush of the
wind against the vehicle that can make you sleepy.
Do not let it happen to you! If it does, your vehicle can
leave the road in less than a second, and you could
crash and be injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be
aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a
comfortably cool interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and
to the sides. Check your mirrors and your
instruments frequently.
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest,
service, or parking area and take a nap, get some
exercise, or both. For safety, treat drowsiness
on the highway as an emergency.
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What is the worst time for this? Wet ice. Very cold snow
or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But wet ice
can be even more trouble because it may offer the least
traction of all. You can get wet ice when it is about
freezing, 32°F (0°C), and freezing rain begins to fall.
Try to avoid driving on wet ice until salt and sand crews
can get there.Whatever the condition — smooth ice, packed, blowing,
or loose snow — drive with caution.
If you have the traction assist system (TAS), it will
improve your ability to accelerate when driving on a
slippery road. But you can turn the TAS off if you ever
need to. You should turn the TAS off if your vehicle ever
gets stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow. SeeIf Your
Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on
page 4-48. Even though your vehicle has TAS, you will
want to slow down and adjust your driving to the
road conditions. Under certain conditions, you may want
to turn the TAS off, such as when driving through
deep snow and loose gravel, to help maintain vehicle
motion at lower speeds. SeeTraction Assist System
(TAS) on page 4-8.
If you do not have TAS, accelerate gently. Try not to
break the fragile traction. If you accelerate too fast,
the drive wheels will spin and polish the surface under
the tires even more.
Your anti-lock brake system (ABS) improves your
vehicle’s stability when you make a hard stop on a
slippery road.
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If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice or Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck, you will
need to spin the wheels, but you do not want to
spin your wheels too fast. The method known as rocking
can help you get out when you are stuck, but you
must use caution.
{CAUTION:
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they can
explode, and you or others could be injured.
And, the transmission or other parts of the
vehicle can overheat. That could cause an
engine compartment re or other damage.
When you are stuck, spin the wheels as little as
possible. Do not spin the wheels above 35 mph
(55 km/h) as shown on the speedometer.
Notice:Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of
your vehicle as well as the tires. If you spin the
wheels too fast while shifting your transmission back
and forth, you can destroy your transmission.
For more information about using tire chains on your
vehicle, seeTire Chains on page 5-89.
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. If you have a
four-wheel-drive vehicle, shift into 4HI. If your vehicle
has the traction assist system, you should turn it off by
pressing the TAS on/off button. Then shift back and
forth between REVERSE (R) and a forward gear,
or with a manual transmission, between FIRST (1) or
SECOND (2) and REVERSE (R), spinning the wheels as
little as possible. Release the accelerator pedal while
you shift, and press lightly on the accelerator pedal
when the transmission is in gear. By slowly spinning
your wheels in the forward and reverse directions,
you will cause a rocking motion that may free your
vehicle. If that does not get you out after a few tries,
you may need to be towed out. If your vehicle is not an
SS model, you can use your recovery hooks if your
vehicle has them. If you do need to be towed out,
seeTowing Your Vehicle on page 4-63.
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{CAUTION:
Things you put inside your vehicle can strike
and injure people in a sudden stop or turn, or
in a crash.
Put things in the cargo area of your
vehicle. Try to spread the weight evenly.
Never stack heavier things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle so that some of them
are above the tops of the seats.
Do not leave an unsecured child restraint
in your vehicle.
When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure it whenever you can.
Do not leave a seat folded down unless
you need to.
There’s also important loading information for off-road
driving in this manual. See “Loading Your Vehicle
for Off-Road Driving“ underOff-Road Driving on
page 4-20.
Two-Tiered Loading
By positioning four 2 inches (5 cm) by 6 inches (15 cm)
wooden planks across the width of the pickup box,
you can create an upper load platform. The planks must
be inserted in the pickup box depressions. The length
of the planks must allow for at least a 3/4 inch (2 cm)
bearing surface on each end of the plank.
When using this upper load platform, be sure the load is
securely tied down to prevent it from shifting. The load’s
center of gravity should be positioned in a zone over
the rear axle. The zone is located in the area between
the front of each wheel well and the rear of each
wheel well. The center of gravity height must not extend
above the top of the pickup box areboard.
Any load that extends beyond the vehicle’s taillamp
area must be properly marked according to local laws
and regulations.
Remember not to exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR) of the front or rear axle.
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Q:What is front axle reserve capacity, and how do
I calculate it?
A:Front axle reserve capacity is the difference
between your front gross axle weight rating (GAWR)
and the front axle weight of your vehicle with full
fuel and passengers. Basically, it is the amount of
weight you can add to your front axle before
reaching your front GAWR.
The front axle reserve capacity for your vehicle can be
found in the lower right corner of the Certication/Tire
label, as shown.In order to calculate the amount of weight any front
accessory, such as a snow plow, is adding to the front
axle, use the following formula:
(W x (A + W.B.)) /W.B.= Weight the accessory is adding
to the front axle.
Where:
W = Weight of added accessory
A = Distance that the accessory is in front of the
front axle
W.B. = Vehicle Wheelbase United States
Canada
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For example, adding a 700 lb (318 kg) snow plow
actually adds more than 700 lbs (318 kg) to the front
axle. Using the formula, if the snow plow is 4 ft (122 cm)
in front of the front axle and the wheel base is 10 ft
(305 cm), then:
W = 700 lb (318 kg)
A = 4 ft (122 cm)
W.B. = 10 ft (305 cm)
(W x (A + W.B.))/W.B. = (700 x (4 + 10))/10 = 980 lbs
(445 kg)
So, if your truck’s front axle reserve capacity is more
than 980 lbs (445 kg), you could add the snow plow
without exceeding the front GAWR.
Q:What if I want to add heavier equipment to my
vehicle?
A:You can add heavier equipment on the front of the
vehicle if you compensate for it by carrying fewer
passengers, less cargo, or by positioning cargo
towards the rear. This has the effect of reducing the
load on the front. However, the front GAWR, rear
GAWR and the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR)
must never be exceeded.
{CAUTION:
On some vehicles equipped with certain front
mounted equipment, such as a snow plow, it
may be possible to load the front axle to the
front GAWR but not have enough weight on
the rear axle to have proper braking
performance. If your brakes can not work
properly, you could have a crash. To help your
brakes work properly when a snow plow is
installed, always follow the snow plow
manufacturer or installer’s recommendation for
rear ballast to ensure a proper front and rear
weight distribution ratio, even though the
actual front weight may be less than the front
GAWR, and the total vehicle weight is less
than the GVWR. Maintaining a proper front and
rear weight distribution ratio is necessary to
provide proper braking performance.
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Here is an example of proper truck and camper match:
A. Camper Center of Gravity
B. Recommended Center of Gravity Location Zone
The camper’s center of gravity should fall within the
center of gravity zone for your vehicle’s cargo load.
You must weigh any accessories or other equipment
that you add to your vehicle. Then, subtract this
extra weight from the CWR. This extra weight may
shorten the center of gravity zone of your vehicle.
Your dealer can help you with this.
If your slide-in camper and its load weighs less than the
CWR, the center of gravity zone for your vehicle may
be larger.Your dealer can help you make a good vehicle-camper
match and help you determine the CWR.
After you’ve loaded your vehicle and camper, drive to a
weigh station and weigh the front and rear wheels
separately. This will tell you the loads on the axles.
The loads on the front and rear axles shouldn’t be more
than either of the GAWRs. The total of the axle loads
should not be more than the GVWR.
Open the driver’s door and look at the Certication/Tire
label to nd out your GAWR and GVWR.
If you’ve gone over the weight ratings, move or take out
some things until all the weight falls below the ratings.
Of course, you should always tie down any loose
items when you load your vehicle or camper.
When you install and load your slide-in camper, check
the manufacturer’s instructions.
If you want more information on curb weights, cargo
weights, Cargo Weight Rating and the correct center of
gravity zone for your vehicle, your dealer can help
you. Just ask for a copy of “Consumer Information,
Truck-Camper Loading.”
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