GM Service Manual Online
For 1990-2009 cars only

Notice: Use care when positioning the tire and wheel assembly on the tire changer. The upper/lower bead breaker or tire changing tools may damage the TPM sensor. To prevent damage, position the valve stem/sensor 90 degrees away from the two bead breakers. For rim clip tire changers, position the bead breakers approximately 180 degrees away from the valve stem/sensor.

Notice: 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.

Notice: 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.

    Notice: 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.

  1. Deflate the tire completely.
  2. Important: Rim-clamp European-type tire changers are recommended.

  3. Use the tire changer in order to remove the tire from the wheel.
  4. Remove all residual liquid sealant from the inside of the tire and wheel surfaces. If any tire sealant is noted upon tire dismounting on vehicles equipped with a tire pressure monitor (TPM), replace the tire pressure sensor. Refer to Tire Pressure Indicator Sensor Replacement .
  5. Use a wire brush or coarse steel wool in order to remove any rubber, light rust, or corrosion from the wheel bead seats.
  6. Notice: 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.

    Important: The valve stem for the tire pressure sensor uses a special nickel-plated core. The original valve stem core must be reinstalled and not substituted for a valve stem core made from a different material. This is required to prevent corrosion.

  7. Apply GM P/N 12345884 or equivalent to the tire bead and the wheel rim.
  8. Use the tire changer in order to install the tire to the wheel.
  9. Caution: 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.

  10. Inflate the tire to the proper air pressure.
  11. Ensure that the locating rings are visible on both sides of the tire in order to verify that the tire bead is fully seated on the wheel.