TIRES, WHEELS, AND RIMS PART 8: MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE
– 156 – Y53-6007 (R10/06)
WARNING! Manual adjustment of automatic
slack adjusters is a dangerous practice that
could have serious consequences. It gives
the operator a false sense of security about
the effectiveness of the brakes. Contact the
Service Department at your dealership if the
stroke exceeds the above specifications. A
stroke exceeding these values may indicate a
problem with the slack adjuster or the brake
foundation.
Tires, Wheels, And Rims
Tires
WARNING! You can be badly injured trying to
fix tires. Don’t mount or dismount a tire your-
self; have any wheel service performed by an
expert. And stand away from the tire assembly
while the expert is working.
Your tires are a very important part of your vehicle’s whole
braking system. How fast you can stop depends on how
much friction you get between the road and your tires. In
addition, keeping your tires in good condition is essential
to the safe, efficient operation of your vehicle. Regular, fre
-
quent inspection and the right care will give you the assur-
ance of safe and reliable tire operation. Here are some
tips on maintaining your tires.
Checking Inflation Pressure
Give your tires a visual test every day, and check inflation
with a gauge every week:
• When checking tire pressure, inspect each tire for
damage to sidewalls, cuts, cracks, uneven wear, rocks
between duals, etc. If a tire appears underinflated,
check for damage to the wheel assembly. Don’t forget
to check between dual wheels. If you find wheel dam
-
age, have an expert tire service repair it.
• Maximum tire pressure will be indicated on the side-
wall of a tire.
• Check pressure only when the tires are cool. Warm or
hot tires cause pressure buildup and will give you an
inaccurate reading. So never deflate a warm tire to
the specified pressure.
• Lower tire pressure does not give you more traction
on ice or snow. This is an old myth that refuses to die.
Underinflation actually reduces traction, steering con
-
trol and tire load capacity.
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