Emergency Brake Yes/No

[VirtualJSK]

Some good comments on here, some (presumably ChatGP) nonsense too.

Have a look at this ZF parking pawl.
View attachment 7916406

When you engage park the pawl may drop into one of the slots, or on a flat section.

If you engage park on a hill and the pawl is resting on a flat section the vehicle will roll until the pawl engages. That will eventually wear the pawl or the gear.

Note the pawl on the ZF HP8 is controlled by a solenoid using hydraulics, actually the solenoid disengages the pawl rather than engages it.

Just to be clear...
The primary method of stopping a parked vehicle from moving is the handbrake. For example normally an electronic parking brake is automatically engaged when the vehicle is stopped.

While unlikely to break, replacing a parking pawl and ring will never be cheap.

If a handbrake doesn't work, it needs adjusting or the pads/shoes replacing.

Very helpful photo. Thanks.

 

[Tinerfeño]

Just to be clear...
The primary method of stopping a parked vehicle from moving is the handbrake. For example normally an electronic parking brake is automatically engaged when the vehicle is stopped.

On a level place, like my yard in Finland, I use only Park. Handbrake + Park always if there is any inclination. With manual gearbox I prefer leaving the car in gear, especially during winter to avoid freezing problems on cable or brake shoes.

And concerning wear it is better to use the handbrake regularly because that prevents jamming of the moving parts. It will be anyhow tested in MOT and if unused it may stuck. And the cable doesn't stretch any measurable amount despite daily use. I think I still have the original handbrake cable in my -93 Discovery with 600000 km in odometer.

 

[AWo]

I would always use the normal parking brake. Chances are higher, that the automatic gearbox is not damaged, when a car bumps, even lightly, into you car. The impact may lead to a bend blocking mechanism which needs a repair afterwards. With the parking brakes applied, you may end up with the wheel scratching over the tarmac or they reduce the impact.

AWo

 

[Dokatd]

Some good comments on here, some (presumably ChatGP) nonsense too.

I read most all of this thread again, which posts do you believe are AI?

 

[Glen]

Some good comments on here, some (presumably ChatGP) nonsense too.

Have a look at this ZF parking pawl.
View attachment 7916406

When you engage park the pawl may drop into one of the slots, or on a flat section.

If you engage park on a hill and the pawl is resting on a flat section the vehicle will roll until the pawl engages. That will eventually wear the pawl or the gear.

This is why I find a lot of comments here to be in error. If you apply the parking brake first, there’s some chance the pawl won’t engage. If you want both the pawl and the parking brake to contribute to holding the vehicle stationary, the correct order of ops is to select Park on the transmission, take your foot off the brake and then apply the parking brake. This gives the best chance for the pawl to engage.

Alternately, if you think there’s some chance your vehicle will be towed (you’ve parked in violation of ordinance), leave the transmission in neutral with the handbrake set so when they drag your vehicle out of the parking spot, they aren’t putting an extreme load on the parking pawl. I haven’t tested if this is even possible in the Grenny - turn the ignition off in gear and the transmission automatically selects Park.

All of this seems largely pedantic to me. IMO, loads on the pawl and parking brake ought to always be minimal. Anything more than approximately a 6% slope and I will use a wheel chock or find a big rock to ensure my unattended vehicle stays put.

For manual transmissions parked on extreme slopes, I’ll put the transfer case in low range and leave the transmission in 1st. If I’m pointed uphill, I’ll leave the transmission in reverse since valving allows engines (at least gasoline engines) to easily turn over backwards (the engine would be driven in reverse if gravity pulls the vehicle backwards with the transmission in 1st).

 

[Dokatd]

This is why I find a lot of comments here to be in error. If you apply the parking brake first, there’s some chance the pawl won’t engage. If you want both the pawl and the parking brake to contribute to holding the vehicle stationary, the correct order of ops is to select Park on the transmission, take your foot off the brake and then apply the parking brake. This gives the best chance for the pawl to engage.

Alternately, if you think there’s some chance your vehicle will be towed (you’ve parked in violation of ordinance), leave the transmission in neutral with the handbrake set so when they drag your vehicle out of the parking spot, they aren’t putting an extreme load on the parking pawl.

All of this seems largely pedantic to me. IMO, loads on the pawl and parking brake ought to always be minimal. Anything more than approximately a 6% slope and I will use a wheel chock or find a big rock to ensure my unattended vehicle stays put.

For manual transmissions parked on extreme slopes, I’ll put the transfer case in low range and leave the transmission in 1st. If I’m pointed uphill, I’ll leave the transmission in reverse since valving allows engines (at least gasoline engines) to easily turn over backwards (the engine would be driven in reverse if gravity pulls the vehicle backwards with the transmission in 1st).

Interesting, I just kinda assumed Ignorance in those posts. So many people are taught incorrectly and continue to pass that knowledge along. It's hard to explain to them that they are wrong especially when several people back them up.

I'm not sure how you would gauge 6% but I agree in overall principle.

And parking in gear with a manual is a tough one. Some diesels will start right up if they roll. My Unimog 1300L and 411 are examples of that. Granted all my other diesels have a definitive shut off.

 

[Glen]

I'm not sure how you would gauge 6% but I agree in overall principle.

My driveway has sections graded at 8% and 12% by zoning ordinance (max permitted), so I’ve had thousands of trips to memorize those grades. 6% is just 6 ft rise in 100 ft forward (or meters or any other measure) so an easy thing to judge in my experience . . . not that I measure anything before using a chock.

 

[Dokatd]

My driveway has sections graded at 8% and 12% by zoning ordinance (max permitted), so I’ve had thousands of trips to memorize those grades. 6% is just 6 ft rise in 100 ft forward (or meters or any other measure) so an easy thing to judge in my experience . . . not that I measure anything before using a chock.

Gotcha, I was thinking 6% load which is why I felt that standard to be dubious but admirable. Now I gotcha on slope gradient and that makes more sense now.