Parking with car in gear??

Tracyk

Hi just wondering is it a good idea when parking your car and after putting the handbreak on to also put it in gear? Should your car move when it is in gear and the handbreak off. My car will move a bit, stop and move a bit again and so on by having it in gear alone (handbreak off) it doesn't actually stop the car the best way to describe it, it likes just bobbles along. Should by having it in gear alone stop the car from rolling. I'm asking this because what's the point in putting it in gear when handbreak is engaged if by having it in gear alone doesn't actually stop the car from rolling.

colm_mcm

I'd normally do both.

challengemaster

It's intended to stop the car from rolling when on an incline (and it does a damn good job of it too).

My guess is you're not choosing the right gear for the circumstance. 1st if you're car nose up, reverse on nose down.

brembo26

Its just like being extra safe when you park up on a hill or something.

If you have a weak handbrake the car might roll with the handbrake alone so also having it in gear will just back it up a bit.

Tracyk

challengemaster wrote: »

It's intended to stop the car from rolling when on an incline (and it does a damn good job of it too).

My guess is you're not choosing the right gear for the circumstance. 1st if you're car nose up, reverse on nose down.

Oh right just checking that it's not a problem with the gear then. This will happen if its not in a particular gear?

biko

I always park in 1st and never use handbrake (unless I'm parking on a steep hill).

Tracyk

Just another quick question. When I stop in traffic on a hill and put my foot on the break and also pull up the handbreak fully until it stops and then take my foot off the break the car rolls a bit but then when I go to pull up the handbreak again with my foot off the break I can engage the handbreak another small bit (1 click) and the car stops rolling. Seem that when I engage the handbreak fully with my foot on the break the car will roll just very slowly once I take my foot off the break but by taking my foot off the break I then can get an extra bit (1 click) on the handbreak and the car stops. Why is this? It doesn't really bother me but I'm just wondering.

brembo26

biko wrote: »

I always park in 1st and never use handbrake (unless I'm parking on a steep hill).

Why?

nomdeboardie

Tracyk wrote: »

Oh right just checking that it's not a problem with the gear then. This will happen if its not in a particular gear?

Any of the forward gears will slow it rolling forwards (nose-down a hill), but first will slow it most, as greater gear revs per wheelroll = more resistance ('engine-braking'). Conversely, reverse will slow it rolling backwards if oriented 'nose-up'.

wendell borton

brembo26 wrote: »

Why?

Prevents the brakes from sticking.

colm_mcm

Do people still have drum brakes?

biko

Yeah, brakes doesn't stick and I don't have to start a thread in Motors every winter - "my car won't move after a cold night, why oh why"
Each to their own I suppose but for me gear alone is fine. I never had a car roll on me yet.

wendell borton

On some cars the handbrake operates separate drum brakes.

brembo26

wendell borton wrote: »

Prevents the brakes from sticking.

Id understand that if the car was being parked up for a long period of time.

But if in regular daily use I couldn't imagine the brakes sticking.

Maybe I'm wrong...

brembo26

biko wrote: »

Yeah, brakes doesn't stick and I don't have to start a thread in Motors every winter - "my car won't move after a cold night, why oh why"

Makes sense

K.Flyer

Back in my learning years, I was always told not to use the gearbox for parking as it can put undue pressure on bearings and shafts.
Park using the "parking" brake, but it was ok to leave it in gear as a back up as long as there was no pressure on the gearbox.

christy02

biko wrote: »

Yeah, brakes doesn't stick and I don't have to start a thread in Motors every winter - "my car won't move after a cold night, why oh why"
Each to their own I suppose but for me gear alone is fine. I never had a car roll on me yet.

I am same only use handbrake on a steep hill. Few years ago I had handbrake stick on me and since then just park in gear.

Lot of cars still have drums on rear and discs on front.

Stainless_Steel

K.Flyer wrote: »

Back in my learning years, I was always told not to use the gearbox for parking as it can put undue pressure on bearings and shafts.
Park using the "parking" brake, but it was ok to leave it in gear as a back up as long as there was no pressure on the gearbox.

But it's ok to put 100 ft lbs of torque through the same bearings and shafts?

K.Flyer

Stainless_Steel wrote: »

But it's ok to put 100 ft lbs of torque through the same bearings and shafts?

Just sayin' what I was told...

Tracyk

Getting back to this question :-)

Just another quick question. When I stop in traffic on a hill and put my foot on the break and also pull up the handbreak fully until it stops and then take my foot off the break the car rolls a bit but then when I go to pull up the handbreak again with my foot off the break I can engage the handbreak another small bit (1 click) and the car stops rolling. Seem that when I engage the handbreak fully with my foot on the break the car will roll just very slowly once I take my foot off the break but by taking my foot off the break I then can get an extra bit (1 click) on the handbreak and the car stops. Why is this? It doesn't really bother me but I'm just wondering.

christy02

Tracyk wrote: »

Getting back to this question :-)

Just another quick question. When I stop in traffic on a hill and put my foot on the break and also pull up the handbreak fully until it stops and then take my foot off the break the car rolls a bit but then when I go to pull up the handbreak again with my foot off the break I can engage the handbreak another small bit (1 click) and the car stops rolling. Seem that when I engage the handbreak fully with my foot on the break the car will roll just very slowly once I take my foot off the break but by taking my foot off the break I then can get an extra bit (1 click) on the handbreak and the car stops. Why is this? It doesn't really bother me but I'm just wondering.

Erm your handbrake isn't working properly. I think nct is 3clicks. Could be it just needs adjusting or it could be your calipers are worn.

Tracyk

christy02 wrote: »

Erm your handbrake isn't working properly. I think nct is 3clicks. Could be it just needs adjusting or it could be your calipers are worn.

It not that much of an inconvenience or much of a problem but it's just there all the same and I've just bought the car of its main dealer. Do you think that warrants me to bring it back to get sorted cause it is under warranty anyway

jt65

biko wrote: »

I always park in 1st and never use handbrake (unless I'm parking on a steep hill).

hope your car hasn't a dmf

one sure way to induce premature failure

jimmyw

biko wrote: »

I always park in 1st and never use handbrake (unless I'm parking on a steep hill).

I dont think thats really a good way to do it, puts pressure on the box, linkage etc.I always use handbrake first, and then gear.

Of course with my former lovely Saab, you could not take out the key unless it was in reverse.

jimmyw

Tracyk wrote: »

Getting back to this question :-)

Just another quick question. When I stop in traffic on a hill and put my foot on the break and also pull up the handbreak fully until it stops and then take my foot off the break the car rolls a bit but then when I go to pull up the handbreak again with my foot off the break I can engage the handbreak another small bit (1 click) and the car stops rolling. Seem that when I engage the handbreak fully with my foot on the break the car will roll just very slowly once I take my foot off the break but by taking my foot off the break I then can get an extra bit (1 click) on the handbreak and the car stops. Why is this? It doesn't really bother me but I'm just wondering.

I'd say that by using the foot brake, its expanding the shoes (if drums) a bit more than the handbrake is.So when you release the footbrake, it moves the shoes back more too, so the handbrake can put them on that little bit more.

my theory at least. .....................now goes to cover my head from all the stones that are going to be thrown at me

joujoujou

colm_mcm wrote: »

Do people still have drum brakes?

People - no.

Cars - yes.

Tracyk

jimmyw wrote: »

I'd say that by using the foot brake, its expanding the shoes (if drums) a bit more than the handbrake is.So when you release the footbrake, it moves the shoes back more too, so the handbrake can put them on that little bit more.

my theory at least. .....................now goes to cover my head from all the stones that are going to be thrown at me

07 Kia Ceed 1.6 D CRDi
Would it be an expensive fix? Car under warranty anyway

bazz26

Tightening the hand brake is not a warranty issue but if you only bought the car recently then ask the garage to tighten it otherwise any mechanic would be able to do it for you quickly.

Reggie.

colm_mcm wrote: »

I'd normally do both.

+1

Red Nissan

I was taught to park in gear with handbrake.

My son, who is 30 years younger, was away and he needed his exotic to be started every day, so I did.
He came back from his holidays and asked if I drove it, I had not, he started and the car lurched forward as I had left it in gear. He has TEN years driving experience.

He had never heard of it.

ION08

Red Nissan wrote: »

I was taught to park in gear with handbrake.

My son, who is 30 years younger, was away and he needed his exotic to be started every day, so I did.
He came back from his holidays and asked if I drove it, I had not, he started and the car lurched forward as I had left it in gear. He has TEN years driving experience.

He had never heard of it.

Starting a car to have it leap forward is such a rookie thing to do.

I aways start the car with clutch depressed and also to relieve load on start up.

This has become as subconscious as moving the gear stick to ensure its in neutral at least

_Kaiser_

ION08 wrote: »

Starting a car to have it leap forward is such a rookie thing to do.

I aways start the car with clutch depressed and also to relieve load on start up.

This has become as subconscious as moving the gear stick to ensure its in neutral at least

Again, automatics ftw None of these issues and most/all? won't come out of Park without holding down the footbrake too.

Red Nissan

ION08 wrote: »

Starting a car to have it leap forward is such a rookie thing to do. I aways start the car with clutch depressed and also to relieve load on start up.This has become as subconscious as moving the gear stick to ensure its in neutral at least

At 30 years of age. ? He was taught as he was taught. He was not expecting me to have left it in gear.

A potential geriatric error, rather than a rookie mistake.

Personally, I depress clutch and blagh!

DanWall

If you go on the ferry, they always tell you to put your handbrake on and put it in gear (first)

When parking in the drive, flat private land etc I leave the handbrake off and in first gear (the car wouldn't move even if not in gear but leave it in first just in case). Leaving the hand brake pulled all the time means the cable is constantly under stress. Also I often have the car parked up for maybe two days at a time and even in that time the brakes stick and you have the uneasy thud as you pull away.

When parking anywhere less secure than the drive I use both 1st and the handbrake.

Tail Docker

I carry wheel chocks, just to be sure to be sure.

martineire

Tracyk wrote: »

Getting back to this question :-)

Just another quick question. When I stop in traffic on a hill and put my foot on the break and also pull up the handbreak fully until it stops and then take my foot off the break the car rolls a bit but then when I go to pull up the handbreak again with my foot off the break I can engage the handbreak another small bit (1 click) and the car stops rolling. Seem that when I engage the handbreak fully with my foot on the break the car will roll just very slowly once I take my foot off the break but by taking my foot off the break I then can get an extra bit (1 click) on the handbreak and the car stops. Why is this? It doesn't really bother me but I'm just wondering.

This car has a rear brake system that you may not be familiar with, and what you are experiencing is fairly typical.
Using the foot brake pedal operates disc pads that grip the disc, but on these cars the handbrake system is contained in a smallish drum, that is integral with the disc itself - so in fact you have two systems in one.
The foot brake pads are self adjusting, but the handbrake is not......ideally it doesn't need to be as the shoes only bear on the drum when the car is stationary - wear is therefore minimal.
If you were to adjust the shoes (which is done via a hole in the drum) your symptoms would be less. The fact that you can pull the hand brake on a fraction more is that the car rolls slightly with the foot brake released - and the shoes can move a fraction more.

jca

Red Nissan wrote: »

I was taught to park in gear with handbrake.

My son, who is 30 years younger, was away and he needed his exotic to be started every day, so I did.
He came back from his holidays and asked if I drove it, I had not, he started and the car lurched forward as I had left it in gear. He has TEN years driving experience.

He had never heard of it.

He obviously didn't learn much in his 10 years driving. It should be a natural reflex to check the car is out of gear before turning the key to start it.

YbFocus

Stainless_Steel wrote: »

But it's ok to put 100 ft lbs of torque through the same bearings and shafts?

100??

jca

Hadley Jolly Treatment wrote: »

When parking in the drive, flat private land etc I leave the handbrake off and in first gear (the car wouldn't move even if not in gear but leave it in first just in case). Leaving the hand brake pulled all the time means the cable is constantly under stress. Also I often have the car parked up for maybe two days at a time and even in that time the brakes stick and you have the uneasy thud as you pull away.

When parking anywhere less secure than the drive I use both 1st and the handbrake.

The cable is designed to be under stress it isn't a piece of knicker elastic.... The strain that's applied to the cable by a fully engaged handbrake is about one twentieth on it's breaking strain. It's called safety factor. If there's a thud from the brakes when moving off it would be no harm to take off the drums and give everything a good clean up.

corktina

as I recall you shouldn't stop a diesel in gear

colm_mcm

corktina wrote: »

as I recall you shouldn't stop a diesel in gear

That'd be because an older Diesel engine could start itself and continue to run till it hits something

Don't think it applies as much nowadays with immobilisers, more sophisticated injection etc

jca

jca wrote: »

The cable is designed to be under stress it isn't a piece of knicker elastic.... The strain that's applied to the cable by a fully engaged handbrake is about one twentieth on it's breaking strain. It's called safety factor. If there's a thud from the brakes when moving off it would be no harm to take off the drums and give everything a good clean up.

Not according to my mechanic, he said that loads of people are having problems with the handbrake in the nct and the reason is they are having the cable under stress all the time and that if possible it's much better to leave it off, especially when parking for more than a day at a time (which I often do).

I learned all this with my last car, only for my mechanic was able to do a job to get it through the nct it would have cost a nice bit to replace a lot of bits and pieces. Problems he said were due to the car spending so much time with the handbrake pulled.

andy t

always leave in gear & hand brake,,, cant be too safe

Mycroft H

colm_mcm wrote: »

That'd be because an older Diesel engine could start itself and continue to run till it hits something

Don't think it applies as much nowadays with immobilisers, more sophisticated injection etc

Saw that happen once with a little Kubota tractor with a small trailer on the back a dew years back.

Myself and a mate were standing down the yard when we heard the tractor pottering down the track. Awfully surprised when it cleared the hedge and nobody was on it. Wasnt going slower then walking pase but it was lucky it didn't hit anything. More surprised than anything, 'who the fook is driving that' before we realised it had bump started itself.

visual

Hadley Jolly Treatment wrote: »

Not according to my mechanic, he said that loads of people are having problems with the handbrake in the nct and the reason is they are having the cable under stress all the time and that if possible it's much better to leave it off, especially when parking for more than a day at a time (which I often do).

I learned all this with my last car, only for my mechanic was able to do a job to get it through the nct it would have cost a nice bit to replace a lot of bits and pieces. Problems he said were due to the car spending so much time with the handbrake pulled.

only a grease mokey could dream that up.
Bet a his customers spend a lot of time discussing why their car fails nct

Man up and do a little DIY then you'll discover you been paying too much for shoddy work and be able to spot a good mechanic when you need one

Rabbo

Tail Docker wrote: »

I carry wheel chocks, just to be sure to be sure.

Me too. I also fix a rope from the towing eye to the nearest tree for extra safety

visual

visual wrote: »

only an grease mokey could dream that up.
Bet a his customers spend a lot of time discussing why their car fails nct

Man up and do a little DIY then you'll discover you been paying too much for shoddy work and be able to spot a good mechanic when you need one

Clueless post.

The lad is a friend of mine and a very well respected and good mechanic. Only for I know him it could take two weekes before he has time to do stuff for you such is the volume of work he gets.

As for paying too much, he saved me a fortune on my last car and got it through the nct for 100's of euro less than it would have cost if he hadn't come up with little fixes and tricks for things that replacement would have meant expensive parts and a lot labour.

jca

Hadley Jolly Treatment wrote: »

Not according to my mechanic, he said that loads of people are having problems with the handbrake in the nct and the reason is they are having the cable under stress all the time and that if possible it's much better to leave it off, especially when parking for more than a day at a time (which I often do).

I learned all this with my last car, only for my mechanic was able to do a job to get it through the nct it would have cost a nice bit to replace a lot of bits and pieces. Problems he said were due to the car spending so much time with the handbrake pulled.

Complete bollox!!! This is what happens when farmers sons make themselves "mechanics" Have you ever seen a handbrake cable?

jca

jca wrote: »

Complete bollox!!! This is what happens when farmers sons make themselves "mechanics" Have you ever seen a handbrake cable?

Yes I will believe some random person on the internet over a respected mechanic with years of experience.

joujoujou

Hadley Jolly Treatment wrote: »

Yes I will believe some random person on the internet over a respected mechanic with years of experience.

I also had (he's retired now) a respected mechanic with years of experience. Very busy, you had to book an appointment a couple of weeks in advance. And he said exactly opposite thing - use your handbrake as often as you can. :P

So word against word.

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