GM Service Manual Online
For 1990-2009 cars only

Removal Procedure

Caution: Use a tire changing machine in order to dismount tires. Do not use hand tools or tire irons alone in order to remove the tire from the wheel. Damage to the tire beads or the wheel rim could result.

Caution: Do not scratch or damage the clear coating on aluminum wheels with the tire changing equipment. Scratching the clear coating could cause the aluminum wheel to corrode and the clear coating to peel from the wheel.

Note: Use only the Rim-Clamp tire changer for aluminum or alloy rims.

  1. Install the tire and wheel assembly on the tire changer.
  2. Caution: Damage to either the tire bead or the wheel mounting holes can result from the use of improper wheel attachment or tire mounting procedures. It takes up to 70 seconds for all of the air to completely exhaust from a large tire. Failure to follow the proper procedures could cause the tire changer to put enough force on the tire to bend the wheel at the mounting surface. Such damage may result in vibration and/or shimmy, and under severe usage lead to wheel cracking.

  3. Completely deflate the tire.
  4. Break the tire bead from the wheel.
  5. Remove the tire pressure monitoring sensor, refer to Tire Pressure Indicator Sensor Replacement.
  6. Caution: When mounting the tires, use an approved tire mounting lubricant. DO NOT use silicon or corrosive base compounds to lubricate the tire bead and the wheel rim. A silicon base compound can cause the tire to slip on the rim. A corrosive type compound can cause tire or rim deterioration.

  7. Apply an approved lubricant to the tire bead and the wheel.
  8. Position the mounting/dismounting head so that the tire iron, or the pry bar can be inserted between the tire and the wheel.
  9. Using the tire machine, rotate the tire/wheel assembly to allow the tire bead to be removed from the wheel.
  10. Repeat the previous steps to remove the inner tire bead.

Installation Procedure

    Caution: When mounting the tires, use an approved tire mounting lubricant. DO NOT use silicon or corrosive base compounds to lubricate the tire bead and the wheel rim. A silicon base compound can cause the tire to slip on the rim. A corrosive type compound can cause tire or rim deterioration.

  1. Apply an approved lubricant to the tire bead and the wheel.
  2. Position the mounting/dismounting head so that the inner tire bead can be installed on the wheel.
  3. Using the tire changer, install the inner tire bead on the wheel.
  4. Repeat step 2 to install the outer tire bead on the wheel if not equipped with the tire pressure sensor.
  5. Install the tire pressure monitoring sensor, refer to Tire Pressure Indicator Sensor Replacement.
  6. Warning: To avoid serious personal injury, do not stand over tire when inflating. The bead may break when the bead snaps over the safety hump. Do not exceed 275 kPa (40 psi) pressure when inflating any tire if beads are not seated. If 275 kPa (40 psi) pressure will not seat the beads, deflate, relubricate the beads and reinflate. Overinflation may cause the bead to break and cause serious personal injury.

  7. Inflate the tire to the proper air pressure specifications.
  8. Remove the tire and wheel from the tire changer.
  9. Install the tire and wheel on the vehicle. Refer to Tire and Wheel Removal and Installation.