Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Tahoe Police and Special Service Packages - 2012
9-2 Driving and Operating
The following guidelines can help
you with proper loading and load
distribution when installing
additional equipment on the Tahoe
Police Package.
{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).
This can cause systems to
break and change the way the
vehicle handles. This could
cause loss of control and a
crash. Overloading can also
shorten the life of the vehicle. Adding Equipment to Your
Vehicle
Before adding accessories or
equipment to your police vehicle,
there are some things you need
to know:
.The police vehicle's maximum
capacity weight.
.The weight of your police
vehicle, including a full tank of
fuel but without a driver and
passengers.
.The weight of items you plan on
adding to your police vehicle,
like roof mounted light bar(s),
push bumpers, security
barrier(s), rear storage
organizer, highway flares, fire
extinguishers, weapons,
ammunition, radios, and video
equipment.
.The weight and number of
passengers you intend to carry
in your vehicle.
.The total weight of any
additional cargo you intend to
carry in your vehicle.
When planning your vehicle
equipment installation remember not
to exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (GVWR) or the Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR) of the front
or rear axles. To keep the available
load weight less than the vehicle
capacity weight, you may need to
limit the number of passengers you
carry in your vehicle or change your
choice of additional equipment.
Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Tahoe Police and Special Service Packages - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-3
Center of Gravity (CG)
A vehicle's center of gravity is an
imaginary location inside the vehicle
and is a balance point for the
vehicle mass as it moves down the
road. The police vehicle's center of
gravity, before you add a load and
passengers, is approximately
midway between the center of the
axles, up from the ground to just
below the front window, and
between the driver and passenger.
Equipment location and weight on
the vehicle's center of gravity is
important to keep in mind when
planning an installation. Heavy
equipment should be positioned as
low and as far forward in the rear
load compartment as possible. Try
to mount the equipment below the
bottom of the side windows. Refer
to the Loading Zone chart and
diagram to help with your
installation plan.A procedure to make the necessary
measurements and formulas to
calculate the vehicle longitudinal,
lateral and vertical position of the
center of gravity can be found in the
GM Coachbuilders Manual.
Equipment required to conduct the
measurements for calculating the
center of gravity are:
.Weight scales of sufficient
capacity to measure the vehicle
weight at each wheel.
.A post‐type hoist or other means
to safely elevate the front of the
vehicle to at least an angle of
20 degrees above horizontal.
See your GM dealer to get more
information about this coachbuilder
procedure. Keeping the center of gravity
midway between the axles is also
important to provide proper braking
performance. About half the total
vehicle weight on each axle is
recommended.
Weigh your vehicle after the
additional equipment has been
installed to determine the actual
weight of your vehicle. Weigh the
vehicle with a full tank of fuel and
without passengers. You may need
to put a limit on how many people or
other equipment you can carry
inside your vehicle after the
additional equipment has been
installed.
