I got handbrake wrong all these years

[acsak]

And you can use it if you’re backing down a dirt slope so your fronts don’t lock and slide

The parking brake in the Wrangler is two drum brakes in the rear only. There are no drum brakes/parking brakes on the front. Pulling the parking brake in this case would make the situation you’re trying to solve worse.

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[acsak]

This may be the dumbest thread I've ever seen.

Seriously wtf is this?

 

[Fast-n-Furious]

The parking brake in the Wrangler is two drum brakes in the rear only. There are no drum brakes/parking brakes on the front. Pulling the parking brake in this case would make the situation you’re trying to solve worse.

When I did tire rotations I did engage the parking brake to stop the two rear wheels from moving. I didn’t verify the front wheels though. Thanks for pointing this out!

 

[jack bauer]

Am I the only one who's been driving so long that they remember when the "hand" brake was engaged with ones left foot? [And you twisted a handle 90° with your left hand to disengage it.] You also flashed the highbeams with your left foot.

That's nothing.
How about the e brake control lever under the steering column on old Chevy trucks! You pulled it upward to engage and there was a release trigger to disengage. Big black metal lever. It was huge.

 

[LEDS]

Some of us who live in Alaska never use our parking brakes because we don't want water to freeze in the cable or drum and then destroy the brakes when we drive the next time.
I have a 2008 Rubicon and a 2001 Suburban and neither one has ever had the parking brake engaged, and it never caused any trouble with the automatic transmissions. I wrecked the rear drum brake in my Ford diesel tractor when I put on the parking brake and the shoes froze to the drum. In my opinion, all of this "before or after discussion" is maybe more theoretical than practical.

 

[Fast-n-Furious]

Some of us who live in Alaska never use our parking brakes because we don't want water to freeze in the cable or drum and then destroy the brakes when we drive the next time.
I have a 2008 Rubicon and a 2001 Suburban and neither one has ever had the parking brake engaged, and it never caused any trouble with the automatic transmissions. I wrecked the rear drum brake in my Ford diesel tractor when I put on the parking brake and the shoes froze to the drum. In my opinion, all of this "before or after discussion" is maybe more theoretical than practical.

Good point! I’ll keep that in mind when I park outside in very cold days. Thanks.

 

[LEDS]

Negative.
If you use it correctly you can apply gentle pressure to slow your decent. Using the brake pedal may lead to fronts locking and sliding.

I like your idea for slowing with the emergency brake without losing your steering. Going (slowly) down icy hills I always had to stop the braking long enough to steer in the past. I am going to try the parking brake trick next time.

 

[TheLast929]

And you can use it if you’re backing down a dirt slope so your fronts don’t lock and slide

And IF the parking brake is enough, it’s great because you still have directional control with the front! I’ve had to do this when I’ve been a little over confident with a 2wd vehicle. ?

 

[COJeeper]

After 2 years of me "yelling" at my wife, she finally puts the e-brake on BEFORE taking her foot off the brake and letting the vehicle rest on the cowl. You can put it in Park before your e-brake, just make sure to keep your foot on the brake holding the vehicle in place until your parking/e-brake/handbrake is secured.

 

[Steveo]

 

[Fast-n-Furious]

After 2 years of me "yelling" at my wife, she finally puts the e-brake on BEFORE taking her foot off the brake and letting the vehicle rest on the cowl. You can put it in Park before your e-brake, just make sure to keep your foot on the brake holding the vehicle in place until your parking/e-brake/handbrake is secured.

Actually that's what I had been doing, my foot always on the brake paddle when I engaged the handbrake/parking brake after shutting off the engine. Guess I was fine.

 

[OrneryBear]

It's wild to me how many people were taught to basically never to use the handbrake on an auto. I've always used the handbrake/parking brake/emergency brake when parking on every vehicle regardless of manual or auto.

 

[Fast-n-Furious]

Thanks all for all the discussions and criticisms. So I played around the steps today and here is what I think I'll be doing going forward:

- Waiting at traffic light, no matter long or short, no matter on a slope or not: keep foot on brake, gear in D, so I can move at any time in case of emergency. Don't use the handbrake/parking brake/emergency brake

- When parking, no matter on a slope or not: (1) engage the handbrake/parking brake/emergency brake while foot still on brake paddle after coming to a full stop, (2) shift gear from D to P, no pause at N, (3) turn off engine and exit

- From park to go, no matter on a slope or not: (1) start engine while foot on brake paddle, (2) shift gear from P to D, no pause at N, (3) release handbrake/parking brake/emergency brake then take off

In short, engage the brake handle BEFORE gear shift when park and release it AFTER gear shift when go. There are always exceptions that I can't predicate and don't want to worry too much.

 

[j2.pictures]

I usually set it after shifting to P but before I lift my foot off the regular brake...wonder how that sequence works

 

[Fast-n-Furious]

I usually set it after shifting to P but before I lift my foot off the regular brake...wonder how that sequence works

I would think it doesn't matter on flat surface since you still have the foot on brake. On a slope engage the parking brake first will help restrain the two rear wheels.

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