Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
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Vehicle Care 273
Tire Inflation
{Warning
To reduce the risk of loss of
vehicle control and personal
injury:
Tires must be properly inflated,
and your vehicle must not be
overloaded (see the information
onInformation on Loading the
Vehicle 058 and "Tire Load and
Inflation Table" under Tire
Pressure 0284).
Be sure to keep tires properly
inflated. A tire that is run while
seriously underinflated may
overheat to the point where the
tire may lose air suddenly and/or
catch fire, possibly resulting in
personal injury and/or property
damage.
See “Tire Load and Inflation Table”
under Tire Pressure 0284. In no case should the front or rear
tire load exceed the maximum
recommended gross axle weight
rating (front GAWR or rear GAWR).
The efficiency of the vehicle will be
upset if air pressure in the tires are
not equal. Balanced inflation results
when the tires on the same axle
carry the same air pressure.
A difference in pressure between
the front and rear tires may be
permissible within certain limitations,
however, there should not be a
difference in pressures between the
right and left tires on the same axle.
Always use a truck tire pressure
gauge (a pocket-type gauge is not
advised) when checking inflation
pressures. Visual inspection of tires
for inflation pressures is not enough,
especially in the case of radial tires.
Underinflated radial tires may look
similar to correctly inflated radial
tires. If the inflation pressure on a
tire is found to be low frequently,
have your dealer correct the cause.
Be sure to install the tire inflation
valve caps to prevent dirt and
moisture from getting into the valve core, which could cause air leakage.
An underinflated tire in a dual wheel
assembly is harder to notice than
one in a single wheel assembly. The
properly inflated dual tire carries its
own load plus that of the
underinflated tire. Both tires can
overheat, which may result in
property damage and/or personal
injury (see previous WARNING).
Tires Used or Stored for a Long
Period of Time
Tires are a rubber product and
degrade over time, even if they are
not being used. If any of your tires is
5 to 7 years old or more, please
have them inspected for safe
driving. For further information,
please check with the tire
manufacturer.
Dual Tire Operation
The outer tire of a pair on dual
wheel installations generally wears
faster than the inner tire. If this
occurs, reverse the position of the
tires to equalize wear and get better
tire life.
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
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274 Vehicle Care
In addition, when trucks are driven
continuously on high-crown roads,
an increase in air pressure of
35 kPa (5 psi) in the outer tire of a
dual tire operation will prolong outer
tire life. Be sure not to exceed the
inflation pressure limits shown on
the“VIN, Weight Rating, and
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions
Plate.” SeeVehicle Identification
Number (VIN) 0330.
Wheel and Tire Balancing
Proper tire balancing provides the
best riding comfort and helps to
reduce tire tread wear.
Out-of-balance tires can cause
annoying vehicle vibration and
uneven tire wear, such as cupping
and flat spots. See your authorized
dealer for wheel balancing.
Front End Alignment
Proper front end alignment improves
tire tread mileage. Your vehicle's
front end suspension parts should
be inspected often and aligned
when needed. (See the
Maintenance Schedule for more
information.) Improper alignment will
not cause the vehicle to vibrate; however, improper toe-in alignment
will cause front tires to roll at an
angle that will result in faster tire
wear. Incorrect caster or camber
alignment will cause your front tires
to wear unevenly, and may cause
the vehicle to "pull" to the left or
right.
Tire Traction
A decrease in driving, cornering and
braking traction occurs when water,
snow, ice, gravel or other material is
on the road surface. Driving
practices and vehicle speed should
be adjusted to the road conditions.
When driving on wet or slushy
roads, it is possible for a wedge of
water to build up between the tire
and road surface. This is known as
hydroplaning, and may cause partial
or complete loss of traction, vehicle
control and stopping ability; this
condition is also more likely with
worn tires.
To reduce the chance of traction
loss, follow these tips:
.
Slow down during rainstorms or
when roads are slushy. .
Slow down if the road has
standing water or puddles.
. Replace tires when front tread
depth is 3.2 mm (4/32 in.) and
rear tread depth is 1.6 mm
(2/32 in.).
. Keep tires properly inflated.
Tire Replacement
Recommendations
{Warning
Do not mix different construction
types of tires on your vehicle such
as radial, bias and bias-belted
tires except in emergencies,
because vehicle handling could
be affected and may result in loss
of vehicle control, or personal
injury or death.
Consult your dealer before
replacing wheels. Never use
wheels that are not designed for
the vehicle. Doing so would
impede safe vehicle operation.
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
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276 Vehicle Care
Recommended replacement tire for Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions
Tire sizeTire makerTire name Rolling
resistance
LT215/85R16E BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
Duravis R250 LRRA
THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD. TY213A MC2 LRRA
225/70R19.5F BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
M895Z LRRA
THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD. TY287 MC2 LRRA
If the original equipment tires are
low rolling tires, it is recommended
to use the LRRA tires shown in the
above table.
Refer to the emission control
identifiers on Greenhouse Gas
(GHG) emission plate for your
original equipment tires. Also,
please refer to “VIN, Weight Rating,
and Greenhouse Gas (GHG)
Emissions Plate” for the location of
the Greenhouse Gas (GHG)
emission plate. See Vehicle
Identification Number (VIN) 0330. Wheel Replacement
Recommendations
Wheels must be replaced if they
become damaged (for example:
bent, heavily rusted, leak air) or if
wheel nuts often become loose. Do
not use bent wheels that have been
straightened and do not use inner
tubes in leaking wheels which are
designed for tubeless tires. Such
wheels may have structural damage
and could fail without warning.
When replacing wheels for any
reason, the new wheels should be
equal in load capacity, diameter,
width, offset and mounting types to
those originally installed in your
vehicle. A wheel of the wrong size or type
may adversely affect wheel and
bearing life, brake cooling,
speedometer/odometer calibration,
stopping ability, headlight aim,
bumper height, vehicle ground
clearance and tire or tire chain
clearance on the body and chassis.
Replacement with "used" wheels is
not advised. They may have been
subjected to harsh treatment or very
high mileage and could fail without
warning.
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
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Vehicle Care 277
{Warning
Consult your dealer before
replacing wheels. Never use
wheels that are not designed for
the vehicle. Doing so would
impede safe vehicle operation.
The use of wheels and/or tires with
higher load carrying limits than
originally equipped on your vehicle
does not in itself increase the
GAWR or the GVWR of the vehicle.
Replacement wheels can be
obtained from the authorized dealer
or tire dealer. Checking Tires
Air Pressure
Too low or too high a tire air
pressure not only affects the ride or
causes damage to the cargo but
also causes abnormal heat buildup,
premature wear, a tire puncture,
or may even cause the tire to burst.Use an appropriate tire air pressure
gauge when measuring the air
pressure of a tire. Tire air pressure
should be measured when the tire is
cold, or before the vehicle is driven.
(After driving, tire air pressure
increases by about 10%.)
As the tire air pressure varies
depending on the vehicle model and
tire size, refer to the
“VIN, Weight
Rating, and Greenhouse Gas
(GHG) Emissions Plate” on the
driver's door opening frame or the
tire air pressure information on the
following table.
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
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278 Vehicle Care
Tire sizeTire air pressure
kPa (psi) GVW
kg (lb.)
Front RearFront Rear
LT215/85R16E LT215/85R16E 550 (80)550 (80) 6 577
(14,500)
225/70R19.5F 225/70R19.5F 590 (85)590 (85) 7 258
(16,000)
225/70R19.5F 225/70R19.5F 620 (90)620 (90) 8 142
(17,950)
225/70R19.5F 225/70R19.5F 660 (95)660 (95) 8 845
(19,500)
See “VIN, Weight Rating, and
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions
Plate” underVehicle Identification
Number (VIN) 0330.
See “Tire Load and Inflation Table”
under Tire Pressure 0284.
{Warning
Insufficiently inflated or worn-out
tires are highly dangerous as they
easily skid and can even burst.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
Should they burst, the tires may
burn and this could cause a fire in
the vehicle.
If you drive on under-inflated or
flat tires, the wheel studs will be
placed under excessive stress.
Under such conditions, the bolts
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
may break and the wheel may
detach from the vehicle, possibly
causing an accident.
Over-inflated tires result in a
harsh ride and are likely to cause
damage to the cargo.
Under-inflated tires build up heat(Continued)
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
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Vehicle Care 279
Warning (Continued)
and could burst. Always keep the
tires of your vehicle adjusted at
the standard air pressures.
You and others could be seriously
injured.
There should not be a difference
tires on a dual-tire wheel.
It is not easy to visually identify an
under-inflated dual-wheel tire or low
aspect ratio tire (aspect ratio at
70%). Always use an appropriate
tire air pressure gauge to check the
air pressure of any tire.
If your vehicle is equipped with
aluminum wheels, use an extension
attached to the inner tire valve
together with a standard tire air
pressure gauge or use a special air
pressure gauge when checking the
air pressure of a dual-wheel's
inner tire. Cracks and Other Damage
1. Sidewall surface
2. Gap between inner and
outer tires
3. Tread
Check the tread and sidewall
surfaces of each tire for cracks or
other damage. Especially check the
tread for nails or other metal pieces
embedded in grooves and also the
gap between the inner and outer
tires of a dual-tire wheel for pebbles
lodged in it. When checking tires, pay special
attention to: low air pressure;
pebbles or nails in tread grooves;
cracks or other damage on tire
surfaces; uneven wear; and pebbles
lodged in the gap between tires of
dual-wheel tires.
Tread Depth and Abnormal Wear
Tread wear indicator position
mark (Example)
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
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280 Vehicle Care
Tread wear indicator (Example)
1. Lug pattern
2. Rib pattern
Using worn-out tires is dangerous
because they might have an
increased chance of getting
punctured or bursting while driving.
Check all tires to see if tread wear
indicators appear on their treads
and also check their entire tread for
its depth with a depth gauge to
make sure that the grooves are
deeper than the specified depth.
A tire with tread wear indicators
appearing must be changed. Also,
check the tires for uneven or
otherwise abnormal wear.
{Warning
Tires with excessively shallow
tread grooves will increase the
chance of skidding and, when
driving at high speeds,
hydroplaning. You and others
could be seriously injured.
Hydroplaning occurs when a vehicle
is running at high speeds on a wet
road and a layer of water forms
between the road surface and tires
causing the tires to float on it.
Hydroplaning prevents the driver
from steering correctly and from
slowing down the vehicle with the
brake pedal. Use of Low Aspect Ratio Tires
1. Standard tire
2. Low aspect ratio tire
Low aspect ratio tires for truck
applications (aspect ratio at 70%)
have an air volume 20% to 30%
smaller than that of standard tires.
When air begins to leak, therefore,
low aspect ratio tires adversely
affect vehicle operation much faster
than standard tires. Check air
pressure of low aspect ratio tires
more often than standard tires using
a tire air pressure gauge.
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
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282 Vehicle Care
Danger (Continued)
.Note that taking off and
mounting tires on wheels
requires proper tools, safety
equipment and special
training. A person can be
severely injured or killed
and damage can result from
using the wrong service
methods. Truck tires and
wheels should be serviced
only by trained people using
the proper equipment.
. Never add air to your tires
unless an accurate pressure
gauge is also used. When
putting air in a tire on the
vehicle, stand to the side
and use a clip-on chuck and
hose extension. In choosing
the right tire pressure, be
careful not to exceed the
maximum pressure
capability shown on the tire;
see the tire pressure charts
in this manual.
(Continued)
Danger (Continued)
.Tire mounting or repair can
result in serious personal
injury or death, if not
performed correctly. This
section has detailed
instructions for proper wheel
and tire replacement, so be
sure to read and follow
them. Truck fleet owners
and operators: You can get
written instructions on truck
tire demounting, repair and
mounting from Rubber
Manufacturers Association
(RMA), 1400 K Street N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20005,
and also from many tire
stores.
Wheel Nut Torque
{Warning
Never use oil or grease on studs
or nuts. Use the torque specified
for the type of wheels on the (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
vehicle. Snug all wheel nuts and
then tighten to the specified
torque in the numerical sequence
shown. Improperly tightened
wheel nuts could eventually allow
the wheel to come off while the
vehicle is moving, possibly
causing loss of control and
personal injury and property
damage.
When the vehicle, wheel or
fasteners are new, have a
technician tighten wheel stud nuts
and rim clamp nuts with a torque
wrench at 1 040 km (650 mi). This is
necessary because the clamping
system used on the wheels must
seat before the fastener will hold a
uniform clamp load and remain fully
tightened. Also have a technician
tighten wheel stud nuts and rim
clamp nuts with a torque wrench
after installing any wheel.