Manual transmission parking method?

[MarkY3130]

5MPH seems to be the threshold that you can shut the jeep down while coasting. Next time you dump all your brake fluid, try grabbing the e-brake handle to complete your stops. Easier that way.

I had no ebrake either. Long story, and totally self inflicted, but I promise I’m no idiot and pretty mechanically inclined.

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[beaups]

I had no ebrake either. Long story, and totally self inflicted.

How do you lose hydraulic brakes and e-brake simultaneously? Rip off an axle?

 

[DanW]

For me, it is park, put it in neutral, engage the parking brake, shut down, then put it in 1st gear. As others have said, I like the load on the parking brake rather than the transmission.

 

[MarkY3130]

How do you lose hydraulic brakes and e-brake simultaneously? Rip off an axle?

I left my ebrake engaged for who knows how long. Burned up the ebrakes and warped the rotors. Had to take the calipers off completely as the rotors wouldn’t slide through the calipers. (Warp came on the cool down)

Moved the calipers over to the axle tubes, shoved sockets in to keep the pistons from popping out and duct taped them to the axle tubes.

Thought I was good for keeping front brakes active, but there is a lot of pressure on those brake pistons. It stretched the duct tap and the sockets pushed out and then the pistons behind them. Before I knew it I’d dumped all the fluid.

So, don’t be an idiot and fail to release your ebrake when in 4low. I’ve got 4.88 gears and never even felt the brake was still on. If it weren’t for a buddy telling me on the radio about smoke coming out the back, I may have burnt the whole thing down.

 

[txj2go]

I like the load on the parking brake rather than the transmission.

The manual transmission doesn't even feel it. There is much more force going through the transmission in normal driving than you can generate while parked.

 

[amnesiac]

I just use the parking brake and leave it in neutral.

I remember years ago on the farm always parking them with it in first.

Is there really any difference?

 

[txj2go]

I just use the parking brake and leave it in neutral.

I remember years ago on the farm always parking them with it in first.

Is there really any difference?

If you trust the parking brake then there is no difference. Putting it in first is insurance, a backup system.

 

[Punjabi New Yorker]

I was riding in my buddies Jeep the other day and when he parked his Jeep he turned off the engine, engaged the parking brake, then went into first gear. This is my first time I ever seen anyone park like that and when I talked to him about it he told me that's how he was taught. I've been driving manuals for a while now and I've always been taught since day one to park by shifting into first gear or reverse depending on the hill or flat ground, applying parking brake, then shutting off the engine and letting go of the clutch. I was wondering if anyone on here ever parks their manual vehicles by the first method and if the proper right way to park a manual was to engage the gear first or the parking brake first also shutting off the engine before anything seems very strange to me

Honestly I have done both ways and I drove manuals from the age of 15 till I bought my JLUR earlier this year (my first automatic due to family reasons). I never had any issues. Just like Europe and South America we shun automatic transmissions in India and consider them to be strongly inferior to a manual. Even our Minivans are Manual Transmission only for example in India and so are all public transport buses and most SUVs. So I would know a thing or two about Manuals.

If it helps, I am in my early 30s now. Sorry, don’t remember how I was taught.

 

[ErAcEr]

I was taught the put in gear then turn off method, but I dont do that any more as one of the previous posters said forget to turn off and kerchunk-lunge and freakout. But also I had a mechanic once tell me be careful of the parking brake in the winter (at least in my area), it can freeze up and not disengage. While I have never had this happen on my 350Z when i started using the parking brake (Manual Tranz) or the Outlander (auto) its been on my mind ever since 2005. Any one have any thoughts to add on this?

 

[JeepFan]

I was riding in my buddies Jeep the other day and when he parked his Jeep he turned off the engine, engaged the parking brake, then went into first gear. This is my first time I ever seen anyone park like that and when I talked to him about it he told me that's how he was taught. I've been driving manuals for a while now and I've always been taught since day one to park by shifting into first gear or reverse depending on the hill or flat ground, applying parking brake, then shutting off the engine and letting go of the clutch. I was wondering if anyone on here ever parks their manual vehicles by the first method and if the proper right way to park a manual was to engage the gear first or the parking brake first also shutting off the engine before anything seems very strange to me

I always do it this way, after coming to a full stop and with my feet still on the clutch and brake:
1. Put it in reverse (it's easier to do this while the engine is still running,
2. Set the hand brake,
3. Shut off the engine,
4. Release the clutch and brake pedals.

The reason I put it in reverse is becase it is a lower gear than 1st, so it's harder for it to roll in case the parking brake fails; and because I usually back up first (from in the garage) when starting out again.

My usual startup procedure is:
1. Press down (and hold) both the clutch and brake pedals,
2. Start the engine,
2. Release the hand brake,
3. Drive away.
(Yes it would probably be safer to put the transmission in neutral before re-starting the engine; but I've been doing it this way for over 60 years, so call it a bad habit.)

 

[Brenden]

The reason I put it in reverse is becase it is a lower gear than 1st, so it's harder for it to roll in case the parking brake fails;

Gear Ratios:

• 1st - 5.13
• 2nd - 2.63
• 3rd - 1.53
• 4th - 1.00
• 5th - 0.81
• 6th - 0.72
• Reverse - 4.49

 

[JeepFan]

Gear Ratios:

• 1st - 5.13
• 2nd - 2.63
• 3rd - 1.53
• 4th - 1.00
• 5th - 0.81
• 6th - 0.72
• Reverse - 4.49

OK, I guess reverse is not the lowest gear on the Wrangler. It been on most veicles I've owned in the past.

 

[zrickety]

Parking brake first, I use neutral unless I'm on a hill. Then I'll put it in first after shut off.

I've had a number of remote start manual vehicles, I know they don't advise it, but if you're in neutral with a good parking brake it's not an issue. Came in handy up north.

 

[DanW]

The manual transmission doesn't even feel it. There is much more force going through the transmission in normal driving than you can generate while parked.

Oh, I know. I still like using the brake. It's all habit from how I was taught.

 

[zakaron]

I was taught the put in gear then turn off method, but I dont do that any more as one of the previous posters said forget to turn off and kerchunk-lunge and freakout. But also I had a mechanic once tell me be careful of the parking brake in the winter (at least in my area), it can freeze up and not disengage. While I have never had this happen on my 350Z when i started using the parking brake (Manual Tranz) or the Outlander (auto) its been on my mind ever since 2005. Any one have any thoughts to add on this?

I would not be worried about this issue on a new car, but I did have an issue on my GTO at around 170K miles (original cables @ 14yrs old) where 1 of the the cables would stick if the temp dropped below freezing after a recent rain or snow thaw. After many years of use, water and dirt slowly work their way into the cable sheathing and can cause the cable to rust which will cause it to hang up, or actually freeze if there's enough water in there. After replacing the cables I had no issue, so just be mindful of old cables. Before I replaced the cables though, I carried pliers with me so that I could pull the cable free if it froze up. As a preventative measure, I probably should have tried to spray WD40 in the cable sheathing each year, but be careful because sticky oil can attract dirt.

But as long as there's no issue with the cables, I will always park it in gear and set the parking brake. You can't always rely on 1 method to hold the car. Funny story, before I replaced the cables I remember parking on a steep hill and only using 1st gear to hold the car (I was facing uphill). As I got out, the car lurched back 1/2". It then slowly crept back down the hill 1/2" at a time. It was both amusing and terrifying watching this, but luckily it was so slow I could hop back in and stop it. Point is, gravity overcame engine compression and actually turned the engine backwards.

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