Using the Parking/Emergency Brake with an Automatic

[PETERTHEEATER]

The Parking Brake on most vehicle types operates on the rear wheels only. If they are drum brakes then the gradual wear in the brake linings means that the stroke on the piston operating the brake caliper gets longer. To maintain rear brake effectiveness using the Parking/Hand Brake regularly helps automatically adjust the rear brakes although the stroke on the hand brake lever increases and should be checked and adjusted out at each service interval.

[IMHO]

The Parking Brake on most vehicle types operates on the rear wheels only. If they are drum brakes then the gradual wear in the brake linings means that the stroke on the piston operating the brake caliper gets longer. To maintain rear brake effectiveness using the Parking/Hand Brake regularly helps automatically adjust the rear brakes although the stroke on the hand brake lever increases and should be checked and adjusted out at each service interval.

Sorry, are you saying that static, cold friction on rear drums (which disc braked cars have too) has a measurable impact on the drum and/or friction materials' life?

Cable stretch - now that is for sure.

[dotpoom]

I like to take my car out of D "drive" when I'm stuck in long traffic jams and put it into "N" and apply the handbrake. I just feel it's not doing my box too much good having it in D with my foot on the brake for long periods.

[bazza40]

Complete lack of technical background and a nonexistent topic for driving license.

100% agree. I'm wondering when my GF will succeed in using the parking brake up a hill when starting off.

[bazza40]

I like to take my car out of D "drive" when I'm stuck in long traffic jams and put it into "N" and apply the handbrake. I just feel it's not doing my box too much good having it in D with my foot on the brake for long periods.

Correct, heat build up..

Or put it in "P" provided no one rear-ends you when the lights change. Not much risk of that, most Thai drivers seem to swallow Valium at the lights.

[cnx355]

I use to live in a Canadian province where a lot of salt or abrasive was use on the roads in winters.

I always used my hand brake in Manual or Automatic cars as over the winter the corrosion would seize the hand brake cable if you never use it.

And if you always use it, , if one day you forget to put the car in PARK then the car is safe. from moving.

And, as some mentioned before, in many country the rules of the road require to use the hand brake while the car in parked.

PS But note that in Thailand, if you have to park in an alley behind other cars....do not use the hand brake and you have to leave you car in NEUTRAL so people can push it and move from their parking space. Then parking attendant use bricks or rocks to immobilize the car if there is a small slope.in the parking space. Very strange to see that, the first time someone is parked behind your car and you do not know about this Thai style parking rule. . A new learning experience.

In the Sierra's we were told never to set the hand/e brake after driving in snow & icey driving.....The water would freeze on the cables and leave them unable to slaken/release until someone got under with a heat source....Icicles would actually form....Salt was not allowed there....

Our door handles would freeze too....One time I had to pull a guy out from under his 4x4 in a parking lot....He got so pissed and pulled so hard on the door handle he slipped under the vehicle & partially wedged himself under the car on ice....I heard him yelling and kicking/thrashing about before I looked around to see what was going on......He was one mad s.o.b. by the time I pulled him out....

Yes you are correct ! I forgot to mention that when we had freezing rain and the weather was going up and down around the freezing point, I did do use the hand brake. Thanks to mention it and yes this happened to me when I was no aware of the temperature drop....

[sir charles IV]

You're wrong on both counts. Car components are designed for specific purposes. AT/ gear box for driving and brakes/park brakes for stopping/not going. Contrary usage of these components is not advised by manufacturers and can be dangerous for obvious reasons (perhaps not to you). You would fail your driving test if you leave you car with AT without engaging the park brake or your manual car with gear in neutral. I have adequate qualifications in this field. Therefore it's not a Thai thing and rather the right thing.

[seedy]

Off Topic and Derogatory posts removed

[Woodsie888]

Having been retired for a while now I really don't follow the thought that a 'pawl' is used for an AT parking brake. A pawl only works in one direction, as on a winch etc. and all the both large and small AT's I have worked on as opposed to automated manual transmission use epicyclics for the gear train and in those the parking locks (engages) 2 gears in the same epicyclic which as you know any 2 engaged means a locked train.

Pawl is the correct term in this case.

http://myautomatictransmission.com/images/pawl_in_notin_park.png

[cat handler]

I only use the hand brake if I need to turn around on a narrow road.

[seedy]

Another Derogatory post Removed. Keep the personal and ethnic attacks off this forum

[cumgranosalum]

In "park" the car is being held in place by a single "tooth" that locks the gears......if you tow an automatic away in park it is quite easy to break that. It also means their is pressure on the auto system which will make a "clunk" when disengaging park. I think this really isn't enough to rely on when parking. You might be on a slope or you may even have an impact that pushes the car.....this is just extra damage. Parking brakes are simply better suited to this.

if the handbrake is engaged it also means you have much more control when moving off.

Edited May 6, 2016 by cumgranosalum

[aronp1]

Only necessary on an incline or decline, just remember to engage the parking brake before you put it park.

[aronp1]

Wrong, it keeps pressure off the transmission. Unless you like buying transmissions go ahead

[cooked]

Nobody ever managed to explain to me what the 'Idle Stop' function on my Almera was supposed to do, I can't imagine that it saves much fuel in turning off the motor when I come to a halt. I am beginning to suspect that it is meant to stop people sitting in front of red lights in D with their foot on the brake, as I do. .Not much use though, as soon as I move my foot or touch the steering wheel, the motor turns on again.

[Ace of Pop]

Ive only used an andbrake cause was tooo idle to do 3 point turns , or for lockin the rears wheels to scare pedestrians when i woz 17......T.A. never did i bet..

[cumgranosalum]

...and these are the people who criticise Thai driving!!

[Ace of Pop]

Its hard to be humble DELETED, were just normall happy folk,just "meanin no harm" Lighten up dude.

Edited May 7, 2016 by seedy
flaming

[cumgranosalum]

...and these are the people who criticise Thai driving!!

Yeh....

Difference is we know when and when not to be rascals....

you can repeat that as often as you like but it doesn't make it true.

[regedit]

I like to take my car out of D "drive" when I'm stuck in long traffic jams and put it into "N" and apply the handbrake. I just feel it's not doing my box too much good having it in D with my foot on the brake for long periods.

Correct, heat build up..

Same here. Having always driven manuals I thought this was also the right thing to do with an auto, although I notice the revs don't change from being sat in D with foot on brake vs in N.

[Lancashirelad]

I'm a mechanic and a former UK Driving Instructor (25 years).

Personally I rarely use the park brake on autos as I am aware that “park” engages a mechanical lock. Never known or heard one failing. Been around cars since I was 11.

I usually put the transmission in P and set the handbrake when I leave the car, especially if on a hill. The other thing I do is shift into neutral and put the handbrake on when stopped at lights or in heavy traffic. Mainly to avoid needing to keep my foot on the footbrake, and the slight risk of lurching forward if my foot slips off.

I don't think it eases much strain on the transmission, but I feel good about it, and don't blind the following motorist with my brake lights at night or in the wet. What a nice man I am!

Actually its harder on you trany to always shift when you stop to put the handbrake on and the put back in drive, second are you serious your brake lights are

there to warn others that you are stoped especially in wet weather one day someone will ram you.

Brake lights should be extinguished when the next vehicle pulls up behind as a courtesy, especially when dark or in dull weather/rain. Even more relevant today with the advent of high level (eye level !) brake lights.

The Parking Brake on most vehicle types operates on the rear wheels only. If they are drum brakes then the gradual wear in the brake linings means that the stroke on the piston operating the brake caliper gets longer. To maintain rear brake effectiveness using the Parking/Hand Brake regularly helps automatically adjust the rear brakes although the stroke on the hand brake lever increases and should be checked and adjusted out at each service interval.

Drum brakes don't have callipers, the piston(s) act directly on the shoes. Most drum brakes have self adjusters which work from application of the foot brake.

Agree hand brake lever will travel further over time due to a combination of lining wear & cable stretch. Hand brakes need periodic manual adjustment. I just assembled some drum brakes yesterday afternoon.

When setting a park brake, the ratchet release button should be kept pressed in.

You're wrong on both counts. Car components are designed for specific purposes. AT/ gear box for driving and brakes/park brakes for stopping/not going. Contrary usage of these components is not advised by manufacturers and can be dangerous for obvious reasons (perhaps not to you). You would fail your driving test if you leave you car with AT without engaging the park brake or your manual car with gear in neutral. I have adequate qualifications in this field. Therefore it's not a Thai thing and rather the right thing.

I can assure you, you would NOT fail your uk driving test (one of the toughest) if you left your MT in neutral.

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With reference to not applying park brake in sub zero temperatures, also should be left applied when parking up for prolonged periods (weeks) in any temp. as it can seize on.

Edited May 9, 2016 by Lancashirelad

[cumgranosalum]

I'm a mechanic and a former UK Driving Instructor (25 years).

Personally I rarely use the park brake on autos as I am aware that “park” engages a mechanical lock. Never known or heard one failing. Been around cars since I was 11.

always shift when you stop to put the handbrake on and the put back in drive, second are you serious your brake lights are

there to warn others that you are stoped especially in wet weather one day someone will ram you.

Brake lights should be extinguished when the next vehicle pulls up behind as a courtesy, especially when dark or in dull weather/rain. Even more relevant today with the advent of high level (eye level !) brake lights.

The Parking Brake on most vehicle types operates on the rear wheels only. If they are drum brakes then the gradual wear in the brake linings means that the stroke on the piston operating the brake caliper gets longer. To maintain rear brake effectiveness using the Parking/Hand Brake regularly helps automatically adjust the rear brakes although the stroke on the hand brake lever increases and should be checked and adjusted out at each service interval.

Drum brakes don't have callipers, the piston(s) act directly on the shoes. Most drum brakes have self adjusters which work from application of the foot brake.

Agree hand brake lever will travel further over time due to a combination of lining wear & cable stretch. Hand brakes need periodic manual adjustment. I just assembled some drum brakes yesterday afternoon.

When setting a park brake, the ratchet release button should be kept pressed in.

You're wrong on both counts. Car components are designed for specific purposes. AT/ gear box for driving and brakes/park brakes for stopping/not going. Contrary usage of these components is not advised by manufacturers and can be dangerous for obvious reasons (perhaps not to you). You would fail your driving test if you leave you car with AT without engaging the park brake or your manual car with gear in neutral. I have adequate qualifications in this field. Therefore it's not a Thai thing and rather the right thing.

I can assure you, you would NOT fail your uk driving test (one of the toughest) if you left your MT in neutral.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With reference to not applying park brake in sub zero temperatures, also should be left applied when parking up for prolonged periods (weeks) in any temp. as it can seize on.

As a UK instrictor you know that you are meant to apply the handbrake when stopped....

BTW - you can brake a pawl quite easily - try pulling/winching a parked automatic out of the way.

[longball53098]

I was a victim of the parking pawl issue. A few months ago I went to a car care shop for a complete wash. The man drove my pickup on to the incline ramp for the spray washing. When that step was complete he got in to back down and shift lever was free moving and not selecting any gears. He called in a local mechanic and they discovered the shifter cable was detached from the transmission. The mechanic was able to get the cable back on in a temporary condition so i could drive home. I ended up at Isuzu replacing the cable at a cost of a couple thousand baht.

I believe this would not have happened if the driver would have set the handbrake before moving shifter to PARK. Not doing so puts strain on the whole system and in this case when he tried to pull the shifter out of P the cable attaching point failed.

My 50+ years of driving say always set the handbrake first and take any vehicle weight off of the transmission and related linkages

[ardokano]

Robotic or DCT it can say Automatic?

On DCT need first in N after parking brake after swich off.. And can in" P"..

On robotic can even only only parking brake .

PS

many new car have automatic parking brake.. so no need care. just swich off engine and go..

But its not option for Thailand .. for Thailand it very luxury car

[JaseTheBass]

many new car have automatic parking brake.. so no need care. just swich off engine and go..

But its not option for Thailand .. for Thailand it very luxury car:cheesy:

Not even the Everest?

[seedy]

Off Topic posts Removed

[Gary A]

My wife always uses the parking brake. Unfortunately she often doesn't always pull on the handle hard enough. One day I heard her screeching and saw her running after the pickup that was coasting backwards down the driveway. It rolled across the road and into a sugar cane field. No damage done and now she knows she must pull the handle firmly. My garage floor is flat so I normally just leave the manual transmission in gear. Using the parking brake (properly) is a good habit to get into.

[johng]

I like to take my car out of D "drive" when I'm stuck in long traffic jams and put it into "N" and apply the handbrake. I just feel it's not doing my box too much good having it in D with my foot on the brake for long periods.

Almost always, ( sods law ) as soon as I put the car in "N" and apply the handbrake the car in front moves forward 10-20 meters or the light goes green and everyone's off to a racing start followed half a second later buy hard braking to let the red light jumpers through.

Mostly now I sit with foot on brake with D engaged, sometimes if the right foot gets a bit tired I'll pull the handbrake and hover my left foot over the brake pedal just in case.

Edited May 16, 2016 by johng

[Gary A]

When using an automatic transmission on an incline, it is better to keep the car in neutral, foot on the brake and apply the parking brake before putting it in park. It cost me 5,000 baht to replace a cable to the transmission. The mechanical device in the transmission holds the car firmly and it needs a good tug to get it out of park. That tug was was enough to ruin the cable.

[manarak]

can't understand OP.

For manual gearboxes, the recommended way to securely park a car is by engaging a gear, because handbrakes tend to not get used properly or tend to loosen.

There is no constant stress because the gear is solidly engaged and the engine off - nothing's going to move.

The handbrake is mostly used for stopping and running-up in steep inclinations.

That's what we Euros learn when taking driving lessons in countries that have some mountains.