Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
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66 Storage
Maximum Front and Rear Axle
Weights
The weight of the cargo load must
be properly distributed over both the
front and rear axles. For the 3.0L
diesel engine, the VIN and weight
rating plate shows the maximum
weight that the front axle can carry
(front GAWR). For the 5.2L diesel
engine, the“VIN, Weight Rating,
and Greenhouse Gas (GHG)
Emissions Plate” shows the
maximum weight that the front axle
can carry (front GAWR). For gas
engines, the “Vehicle Certification
and Greenhouse Gas (GHG)
Emissions Plate” shows the
maximum weight that the front axle can carry (front GAWR). It also
shows the maximum weight that the
rear axle can carry (rear GAWR).
The GVWR is the maximum
permissible loaded weight of the
vehicle and takes into account the
capabilities of the engine,
transmission, frame, springs,
brakes, axles and tires. Actual loads
at the front and the rear axles can
only be determined by weighing the
vehicle. This can be done at
highway weigh stations or other
such places. See your dealer for
help. The cargo load should be
distributed on both sides of the
center line as equally as possible.
Tires
The tires on your truck must be of
the proper size and properly inflated
for the load that you are carrying.
For the 3.0L diesel engine, the VIN
and weight rating plate shows the
originally equipped tire size and
recommended inflation pressures.
For the 5.2L diesel engine, the
“VIN,
Weight Rating, and Greenhouse
Gas (GHG) Emissions Plate” shows
the originally equipped tire size and
recommended inflation pressures. For gas engines, the
“Vehicle
Certification and Greenhouse Gas
(GHG) Emissions Plate” shows the
originally equipped tire size and
recommended inflation pressures.
The tire inflation tables show the
load limits for various size tires at
various inflation pressures.
For the vehicle plate location, see
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
0 383.
See “Tire Load and Inflation Table”
under Tire Pressure 0322.
Load Cargo Correctly
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136 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
exhaust pipe are extremely hot.
Be careful not to inadvertently
touch them when working near
them (for example, tilting the cab
or operating an attachment). You
and others could be seriously
injured.
Recommendations for Driving
in Hot Regions
The engine is more likely to
overheat in an environment where
the ambient temperature is high. To
prevent the engine from
overheating, pay attention to the
following points:
.If the engine does not contain
the appropriate concentration of
engine coolant, overheating is
likely to occur.
Refer to Engine Coolant 0263.
. Do not put well water, river water
or other hard water in the engine
cooling system. It would hasten
the formation of rust and scale. .
If foreign matter (insects, mud,
etc.) gets stuck in the radiator's
air passages, the cooling
system's performance will
deteriorate. Check the air
passages for clogging, and
remove any foreign matter using
water under low pressure.
Refer to Exterior Care 0334.
When Turning, the Rear
Wheels will Follow Tighter
Curves than the Front Wheels
Use the mirrors to confirm safety.
Sidewinds
If the vehicle catches a sidewind
and drifts sideways, firmly grip the
steering wheel, decelerate to a
speed that allows you to stay
completely in control, and make a
directional correction. The vehicle
may catch strong sidewinds in the
following situations:
.
Emerging from a tunnel
. Driving over a bridge
. Driving on an embankment
. Driving through a cutting .
Being overtaken by a large truck
or bus
. Overtaking a large truck or bus
Flat Tire
If a blowout or flat tire occurs while
you are driving, calmly grip the
steering wheel and gradually apply
the brakes to decelerate. (Hard
braking would be dangerous
because it could cause the steering
wheel to be pulled to one side.)
Stop the vehicle in a safe place, and
change the tire.
Hard Bump Under Vehicle
If the underside of the vehicle
receives a hard bump, stop in a safe
place where the vehicle will not
obstruct traffic and check for brake
fluid leakage, fuel leakage and
component damage. If any part of
the vehicle is damaged or broken,
promptly have the vehicle inspected
and repaired.
Highways
.Speeds on highways are higher
than those on regular roads, so
there is more danger. Also, a
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
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Driving and Operating 137
breakdown on a highway
represents a hazard to other
vehicles and can cause an
accident. Concentrate on safe
driving. Remember to perform
daily pre-operation inspections
and use highway driving
techniques. When performing
daily pre-operation inspections,
perform the checks shown in the
table on the left with particularly
great care.
Refer toOwner Checks and
Services 0367.
. When merging with traffic on a
highway, use the turn signal
lights to indicate your intentions
ahead of time. Speed up
sufficiently when you are in the
acceleration lane. Pay attention
to vehicles behind you and to
conditions in the lane you are
joining. Merge in such a way that
you do not obstruct vehicles in
the lane.
. Your sense of how fast you are
traveling becomes distorted on
long highway drives. Constantly keep an eye on the
speedometer, and maintain a
suitable headway distance.
. During high-speed driving, even
a little turn of the steering wheel
causes a big movement of the
vehicle. Turn the steering wheel
slowly.
. Excessive use of the brake
pedal is extremely dangerous
because it rapidly wears the
brake linings and causes brake
fade. Make effective use of the
engine brake and the exhaust
brake when you want to
decelerate.
. When you want to turn off a
highway, use the turn signal
lights to indicate your intentions
ahead of time. Paying attention
to vehicles behind you, turn off
the highway smoothly so as not
to obstruct other vehicles.
Brake Fade : Frequent use of the
brakes can cause the brakes to
overheat so that the frictional force
of the brake linings decreases and the brakes become less effective
than normal. This phenomenon is
called brake fade.
Braking
Brake Operation
The brakes give strong braking
force with only light pressure on the
pedal. Do not press the brake pedal
hard except in the event of an
emergency.
Actual stopping distances vary
greatly. Your ability to stop safely
will be greatly affected by the
surface of the road, whether it is
pavement or gravel; the condition of
the road, whether it is wet, dry or
icy; tire tread; the condition of the
brakes; the weight of the vehicle;
the weight of the load; and the
amount of brake force applied.
Please allow for realistic stopping
distances to avoid unnecessary
heavy braking. That means better
braking, longer brake life and safer
driving.
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
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148 Driving and Operating
.Do not use a sharp implement to
remove snow. Sharp edges
could damage rubber parts.
Refer to Antilock Brake System
(ABS) 0217.
Remove snow that has stuck to the
inside of the fenders and to the
brake hoses. Otherwise, it may
damage components. After driving
on a salted road, wash the
underside of the vehicle as soon as
possible to prevent the salt from
causing rust. Spraying water under
high pressure is an effective way to
get the salt off.
After washing the vehicle, wipe the
door openings dry.
If the Vehicle Is Stuck
When Driving on Bad Roads
Freeing the Vehicle from Sand,
Mud, Snow, and Ice
If your vehicle gets stuck in sand,
mud, snow or ice, move the selector
lever from "Second" to "Reverse".
Apply a light pressure to the
accelerator pedal while the
transmission is in gear. Remove your foot from the accelerator and
press the brake pedal while shifting.
Do not race the engine. For best
traction, avoid spinning the wheels.
When you cannot avoid driving
through deep mud, using tire chains
is an effective way to avoid getting
stuck.
Do not allow wheels to spin freely in
mud, sand, snow, ice or other poor
road conditions. This free spinning
will damage the rear axle. Even
vehicles equipped with LSD (Limited
Slip Differential) have traction
limitations. If your vehicle gets stuck
and it is difficult to extricate,
immediately stop driving and have
the vehicle towed. Spinning wheels
for an extended period of time may
cause abnormal noises or
malfunction to LSD.
Do not spin wheels faster than
32 km/h (20 MPH). Damage may
result from excessive wheel
spinning, including tire, transmission
and/or rear axle malfunction.
When driving in sand or mud, avoid
hard braking, sudden acceleration
and sharp turns of the steering
wheel. Such actions could get the
vehicle stuck and make it difficult to
extricate.
After driving through deep mud: any
mud stuck to the vehicle can harm
the steering, brakes and powertrain.
Wash the vehicle and remove all
mud and other incrustation.
The vehicle speed sensors are fitted
on the wheels. When removing mud
and other incrustation, take great
care not to damage the
components.
Do not use a sharp implement to
remove mud. Sharp edges could
damage rubber parts.
Refer to
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) 0217 andExterior Care
0 334.Emergencies
(Troubleshooting)
Troubleshooting
Performing regular inspections and
maintenance prevents damage. Be
sure to perform inspections and
maintenance at regular intervals.
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
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158 Driving and Operating
SymptomCauseCorrective Action Reference
Uneven braking Unbalanced air pressure
in tires
Adjust to proper air
pressureSee
Wheels and
Tires 0308
Tire unevenly worn Replace tire See
Wheels and
Tires 0308
Drum brake out of
adjustment
4-
Poor wheel alignment
4-
Exhaust brake not working (Diesel) The electrical system is
faulty
4-
Steering wheel hard to turn Loaded too far forward Load properly -
Power steering fluid level
too low
Add fluidSee
Power
Steering Fluid
0 273
Insufficient air in front
tires Adjust to proper inflation
pressureSee
Wheels and
Tires 0308
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
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Driving and Operating 159
SymptomCauseCorrective Action Reference
Excessive play in the steering wheel Wheel studs and nuts
loose
Tighten to the specified
torqueSee
Wheels and
Tires 0308
Unbalanced inflation
pressure in the tires Adjust to proper inflation
pressureSee
Wheels and
Tires 0308
Unbalanced tires
4-
Excessive steering
wheel free play
4-
Poor steering wheel return Poor lubrication in the
steering mechanisms
Lubricate the
mechanism
-
Poor wheel alignment
4-
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218 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
ABS does not prevent accidents if
you do not drive safely. Drive the
vehicle at a safe speed.
Install tires of the specified size,
same brand and same tread
design (including winter tires) on
all wheels. If different tires are
installed, the braking distance
becomes longer and directional
control stability of the vehicle
decreases. This is very
dangerous.
Steering during sudden braking
(when the ABS is working) will
feel slightly different than it does
when the brakes are not applied.
Operate the steering wheel
carefully keeping this in mind.
Driving in sand or on a muddy road
may adversely affect the brakes and
ABS sensors. Wash the vehicle to
remove sand and mud after
operating the vehicle in sandy or
muddy conditions. Before washing the vehicle, provide
necessary protection to prevent
water from being splashed on the
ABS components (sensors and
actuators). Especially when using
high-pressure washing, be careful
not to allow water to be directly
sprayed onto the ABS components
and their harness connectors.
These are not signs of ABS
malfunction:
.
Soon after you start the engine
and the vehicle starts moving,
the sound of motor or valve
working may be heard from the
rear of the vehicle or underside
of the cab. This sound is from a
self-check by the ABS system
and is normal. In addition, you
may also feel some vibration if
the brake pedal is pressed at
this time.
. When ABS is operating,
vibration is felt on the brake
pedal and steering wheel and
you may hear the system
operating. This is normal when
ABS is properly operating. .
On diesel vehicles, the exhaust
brake may release when ABS is
activated and the exhaust brake
is in operation.
. ABS is more likely to be
activated when the brake is
applied during cornering or
driving over a bump. This is
because inside wheels or
wheels that have gone over a
bump tend to lock.
. ABS is not activated immediately
after starting the vehicle. It is
activated only when the vehicle
speed reaches approx. 10 km/h
(6 MPH). ABS operation is
inactive when the vehicle speed
reduces to approx. 5 km/h
(3 MPH).
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Driving and Operating 231
For 3500 models, if the cruise
control is turned back on while the
vehicle speed exceeds what is set
prior to the cancellation of cruise
control, the set vehicle speed
cannot be changed until the vehicle
reaches to the set speed. Also, the
vehicle speed must be 1 MPH
below the previously set vehicle
speed.
For 4500 models, if you hold the
switch at the +RES position, the
vehicle will keep going faster until
you release the switch or apply the
brake. So unless you want to go
faster, do not hold the switch at the
+RES position.Driver Assistance
Systems
Speed Limiter (Gasoline
Vehicle)
Speed limiting restricts the vehicle's
speed by controlling the fuel
injection volume. It prevents the
speed from exceeding 105 km/h
(65 mph) regardless of the pressure
on the accelerator pedal.
Speed limiting does not control
braking, so it is possible for the
vehicle to exceed the set speed on
downhill slopes. If the tire size is
changed, the speed limiting may not
work normally. Be sure to use the
correct tire size specified for your
vehicle.
SeeCruise Control (Diesel) 0224 or
Cruise Control (Gas) 0227.
Fuel
Fuel (Gasoline)
Regular unleaded gasoline with a
posted octane rating of 87 or higher
should be used. It should meet
ASTMD4814 in the U.S. and CGSB
3.5-M87 in Canada. These fuels
should contain the proper additives
and in most cases nothing should
have to be added to the fuel. Pumps
in the U.S. and Canada will be
labeled UNLEADED. Only unleaded
nozzles will fit into this vehicle's
filler neck.
Gasoline with a posted octane
rating of less than 87 should not be
used in this vehicle. Using such
gasoline may cause a heavy
knocking noise when driving, which
can result in damage to the engine.
It is normal to hear a slight pinging
noise while accelerating or driving
up a hill. However, if a constant
knocking noise is heard while using
fuel rated at 87 octane or higher, the
engine should be serviced.