2011 CHEVROLET SILVERADO inflation pressure

Black plate (24,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
9-24 Driving and Operating
Tire and Loading Information
Label
Label Example
A vehicle specific Tire and
Loading Information label is
attached to the center pillar
(B-pillar). With the driver door
open, you will find the label
attached below the door lock
post (striker). The tire and
loading information label shows
the number of occupant seatingpositions (A), and the maximum
vehicle capacity weight (B) in
kilograms and pounds.
The Tire and Loading
Information label also shows the
size of the original equipment
tires (C) and the recommended
cold tire inflation pressures (D).
For more information on tires
and inflation see
Tires
on
page 10‑55
and Tire Pressureon
page 10‑63
.
There is also important loading
information on the vehicle
Certification/Tire label. It tells
you the Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (GVWR) and the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR)
for the front and rear axles.
See “Certification/Tire Label”
later in this section.
Steps for Determining Correct
Load Limit
1.
Locate the statement
“The combined weight of
occupants and cargo should
never exceed XXX kg or
XXX lbs” on your vehicle's
placard.
2.Determine the combined
weight of the driver and
passengers that will be
riding in your vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined
weight of the driver and
passengers from XXX kg
or XXX lbs.

Black plate (27,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-27
The label shows the size of
your vehicle's original tires
and the inflation pressures
needed to obtain the gross
weight capacity of your vehicle.
This is called Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR). The
GVWR includes the weight of
the vehicle, all occupants, fuel,
and cargo.
The Certification/Tire label also
tells you the maximum weights
for the front and rear axles,
called Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR). To find out the
actual loads on your front and
rear axles, you need to go to a
weigh station and weigh your
vehicle. Your dealer can help
you with this. Be sure to spread
out your load equally on both
sides of the centerline.Never exceed the GVWR for
your vehicle, or the GAWR for
either the front or rear axle.
The Certification/Tire label also
contains important information
about your Front Axle Reserve
Capacity. See
“What is front axle
reserve capacity, and how do
I calculate it?” underAdding a
Snow Plow or Similar Equipment
on page 9‑123.
{WARNING
In the case of a sudden stop
or collision, things carried in
the bed of your truck could
shift forward and come into
the passenger area, injuring
you and others. If you put
things in the bed of your truck,
you should make sure they
are properly secured.
{WARNING
Do not load the vehicle any
heavier than the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR), or either the
maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).
If you do, parts on the vehicle
can break, and it can change
the way the vehicle handles.
These could cause you to
lose control and crash. Also,
overloading can shorten the
life of the vehicle.
Notice :Overloading the
vehicle may cause damage.
Repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty.
Do not overload the vehicle.

Black plate (110,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
9-110 Driving and Operating
Vehicle Series Hitch TypeMaximum Tongue
Weight
1500 Weight Carrying 272 kg (600 lbs)
2500HD/3500 Weight Carrying 453 kg (1,000 lbs)
1500 Weight Distributing 499 kg (1,100 lbs)
2500HD/3500 Weight Distributing 680 kg (1,500 lbs)
1500 Fifth-Wheel Gooseneck 680 kg (1,500 lbs)
2500HD Fifth-Wheel Gooseneck 1 134 kg (2,500 lbs)
3500 Single Rear
Wheels Fifth-Wheel Gooseneck 1 360 kg (3,000 lbs)
3500 Dual Rear
Wheels Fifth-Wheel Gooseneck 1 587 kg (3,500 lbs)
Do not exceed the maximum
allowable tongue weight for the
vehicle. Choose the shortest hitch
extension that will position the hitch
ball closest to the vehicle. This will
help reduce the effect of trailer
tongue weight on the rear axle. Trailering may be limited by the
vehicle's ability to carry tongue
weight. Tongue or kingpin weight
cannot cause the vehicle to exceed
the GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating) or the RGAWR (Rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating). See
“Total
Weight on the Vehicle's Tires” later
in this section for more information. After loading the trailer, weigh
the trailer and then the tongue,
separately, to see if the weights are
proper. If they are not, adjustments
might be made by moving some
items around in the trailer.
Total Weight on the Vehicle's
Tires
Be sure the vehicle's tires are
inflated to the inflation pressures
found on the Certification Tire
label on the drivers door or see
Vehicle Load Limits
on page 9‑23for more information. Make sure not
to exceed the GVWR limit for the
vehicle, or the RGAWR, with the
tow vehicle and trailer fully loaded
for the trip including the weight
of the trailer tongue. If using a
weight-distributing hitch, make sure
not to exceed the RGAWR before
applying the weight distribution
spring bars.

Black plate (55,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-55
Wheels and Tires
Tires
Your new vehicle comes with
high-quality tires made by
a leading tire manufacturer.
If you ever have questions about
your tire warranty and where to
obtain service, see your vehicle
Warranty booklet for details.
For additional information refer
to the tire manufacturer.
{WARNING
.Poorly maintained and
improperly used tires are
dangerous.
.Overloading your tires can
cause overheating as a result
of too much flexing. You
could have a blowout and a
serious accident. SeeVehicle
Load Limits on page 9‑23.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Under inflated tires pose the
same danger as overloaded
tires. The resulting crash
could cause serious injury.
Check all tires frequently to
maintain the recommended
pressure. Tire pressure
should be checked when
your tires are cold.
.Over inflated tires are more
likely to be cut, punctured,
or broken by a sudden
impact—such as when you
hit a pothole. Keep tires at
the recommended pressure.
.Worn or old tires can cause a
crash. If your tread is badly
worn, replace them.
.Replace any tires that have
been damaged by impacts
with potholes, curbs, etc.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Improperly repaired tires can
cause a crash. Only your
dealer or an authorized tire
service center should repair,
replace, dismount, and mount
the tires.
.Do not spin the tires in
excess of 55 km/h (35 mph)
on slippery surfaces such
as snow, mud, ice, etc.
Excessive spinning may
cause the tires to explode.
See Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation
on page 10‑65for inflation
pressure adjustment for high speed
driving.

Black plate (56,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
10-56 Vehicle Care
20‐Inch Tires
If your vehicle has the optional
20‐inch P275/55R20 size tires,
they are classified as touring
tires and are designed for
on road use. The low‐profile,
wide tread design is not
recommended for“off‐road”
driving or commercial uses
such as snow plowing. See
Off-Road Driving
on page 9‑7
and Adding a Snow Plow or
Similar Equipment
on page 9‑123
for additional information.
Notice:If the vehicle has
low‐profile tires, they are
more susceptible to damage
from road hazards or curb
impact than standard profile tires. Tire and/or wheel
assembly damage can occur
when coming into contact
with road hazards like,
potholes, or sharp edged
objects, or when sliding into
a curb. The vehicle warranty
does not cover this type of
damage. Keep tires set to the
correct inflation pressure and,
when possible avoid contact
with curbs, potholes, and
other road hazards.Tire Sidewall Labeling
Useful information about a
tire is molded into the sidewall.
The following illustrations are
examples of a typical P‐Metric
and a LT‐Metric tire sidewall.
Passenger (P‐Metric) Tire
(A) Tire Size:The tire size
code is a combination of letters
and numbers used to define a
particular tire's width, height,
aspect ratio, construction type,
and service description. See the
“Tire Size” illustration later in this
section for more detail.

Black plate (57,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-57
(B) TPC Spec (Tire
Performance Criteria
Specification)
:Original
equipment tires designed to
GM's specific tire performance
criteria have a TPC specification
code molded onto the sidewall.
GM's TPC specifications meet
or exceed all federal safety
guidelines.
(C) DOT (Department
of Transportation)
:The
Department of Transportation
(DOT) code indicates that
the tire is in compliance
with the U.S. Department of
Transportation Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards. (D) Tire Identification Number
(TIN)
:The letters and numbers
following DOT code are the Tire
Identification Number (TIN). The
TIN shows the manufacturer
and plant code, tire size, and
date the tire was manufactured.
The TIN is molded onto both
sides of the tire, although only
one side may have the date of
manufacture.
(E) Tire Ply Material
:The type
of cord and number of plies in
the sidewall and under the tread. (F) Uniform Tire Quality
Grading (UTQG)
:Tire
manufacturers are required
to grade tires based on
three performance factors:
treadwear, traction, and
temperature resistance.
For more information, see
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
on
page 10‑78
.
(G) Maximum Cold Inflation
Load Limit
:Maximum load
that can be carried and the
maximum pressure needed
to support that load. For
information on recommended
tire pressure see Tire Pressure
on page 10‑63andVehicle Load
Limits
on page 9‑23.

Black plate (61,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-61
Bias Ply Tire:A pneumatic
tire in which the plies are laid
at alternate angles less than
90 degrees to the centerline
of the tread.
Cold Tire Pressure
:The
amount of air pressure in a tire,
measured in psi (pounds per
square inch) or kPa (kilopascal)
before a tire has built up heat
from driving. See Tire Pressure
on page 10‑63.
Curb Weight
:The weight of
a motor vehicle with standard
and optional equipment
including the maximum capacity
of fuel, oil, and coolant, but
without passengers and cargo. DOT Markings
:A code
molded into the sidewall of
a tire signifying that the tire
is in compliance with the U.S.
Department of Transportation
(DOT) motor vehicle safety
standards. The DOT code
includes the Tire Identification
Number (TIN), an alphanumeric
designator which can also
identify the tire manufacturer,
production plant, brand, and
date of production.
GVWR
:Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating. See Vehicle Load Limits
on page 9‑23.
GAWR FRT
:Gross Axle
Weight Rating for the front axle.
See Vehicle Load Limits
on
page 9‑23
.
GAWR RR
:Gross Axle
Weight Rating for the rear axle.
See Vehicle Load Limits
on
page 9‑23
. Intended Outboard Sidewall
:
The side of an asymmetrical tire,
that must always face outward
when mounted on a vehicle.
Kilopascal (kPa)
:The metric
unit for air pressure.
Light Truck (LT‐Metric) Tire
:A
tire used on light duty trucks and
some multipurpose passenger
vehicles.
Load Index
:An assigned
number ranging from 1 to 279
that corresponds to the load
carrying capacity of a tire.
Maximum Inflation Pressure
:
The maximum air pressure to
which a cold tire can be inflated.
The maximum air pressure is
molded onto the sidewall.
Maximum Load Rating
:
The load rating for a tire at the
maximum permissible inflation
pressure for that tire.

Black plate (62,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
10-62 Vehicle Care
Maximum Loaded Vehicle
Weight
:The sum of curb
weight, accessory weight,
vehicle capacity weight, and
production options weight.
Normal Occupant Weight
:The
number of occupants a vehicle
is designed to seat multiplied by
68 kg (150 lbs). See Vehicle
Load Limits
on page 9‑23.
Occupant Distribution
:
Designated seating positions.
Outward Facing Sidewall
:
The side of an asymmetrical
tire that has a particular side
that faces outward when
mounted on a vehicle. The side
of the tire that contains a
whitewall, bears white lettering,
or bears manufacturer, brand,
and/or model name molding
that is higher or deeper than
the same moldings on the
other sidewall of the tire. Passenger (P-Metric) Tire
:
A tire used on passenger cars
and some light duty trucks and
multipurpose vehicles.
Recommended Inflation
Pressure
:Vehicle
manufacturer's recommended
tire inflation pressure as
shown on the tire placard.
See Tire Pressure
on page 10‑63
andVehicle Load Limitson
page 9‑23
.
Radial Ply Tire
:A pneumatic
tire in which the ply cords that
extend to the beads are laid at
90 degrees to the centerline of
the tread.
Rim
:A metal support for a tire
and upon which the tire beads
are seated.
Sidewall
:The portion of a tire
between the tread and the bead. Speed Rating
:An
alphanumeric code assigned to
a tire indicating the maximum
speed at which a tire can
operate.
Traction
:The friction between
the tire and the road surface.
The amount of grip provided.
Tread
:The portion of a tire
that comes into contact with
the road.
Treadwear Indicators
:Narrow
bands, sometimes called wear
bars, that show across the
tread of a tire when only 1.6 mm
(1/16 inch) of tread remains.
See When It Is Time for New
Tires
on page 10‑74.