using the e-brake

[etlsport]

was talkin to a friend of mine about using the e-brake when parking an automatic, so got curious about how many people use the e-brake when they are parked.. so...who uses it?

[castigan]

using park to hold your car on any kind of incline will eventually ruin your trans. use the e-brake... and park....

basically... stop the car.... put it into neutral ... then apply the e-brake.... (handbrake over here) and let your foot off the brake. then stick it into park.... this takes the pressure off park from holding ya car for you.

[Dumke]

I agree. course i didnt do the whoel neutral thing btu will now



I was told will ruin transmission. Plus if placing it in park and letting you "park" be ur brake doesnt hurt ur trans then what would it hurt be on cautios<sp> side.



But look @ it this way u ever park on a hill and left in park and ur truck gets the jult to settle??? Well that cant be good. Do the e-brake/hand brake and it wont make that jolt or "settling" (whatever you want to call it) Course be sure to put brake back down when u go.... One too many times have backed up and realized ruh roh brake still on

[etlsport]

yea i always use mine... pull into the parking spot, with the regular brake fully depressed i pull the e/parking/hand brake... put the car in park then release the regular brake.. ive always been told itll be easier on the transmission to use the hand/parking/e brake... i know if u are on a hill it can be difficult to get the car out of park if you dont use the e brake.. cant be good for the trans!

[Triathlete]

Use mine all the time when parked. Don't know why...just always have. Also use it a lot when wheeling to lock up the back LSD when a little extra traction is needed to get over an obstacle (poor mans locker)

[WyrreJ]

E-brake is definitely misleading, makes people think its for emergencies only.

[JHarris1385]

Im glad this post came around. Everyday I park in front of a gate in my driveway prior to getting into the parking area. Everyday I hear the clunk when coming in and out of park.........Sad part is, the girl actually uses e-brake evertime at the gate and I told her it was stupid.

Oh yeah the gate is on an incline...
...I feel slightly stupid now, but hey I was never taught it was for anything else other than emergencies. At least I do feel smart about adding 6 quarts of oil when I do my changes thouhg.

[MZ-N10]

fyi the emergency brakes are also called "PARKING BRAKES".

[djkymar]

Using when im on the hill or any roude that not in level. STOP. KEEP PUSHING BRAKE. PULL E-BRAKE. PULL INTO PARK.
P.s some people asking me sometimes oh wow why you using e-brake its not stick shift and i just laght back lol

[ZEUS]

Never knew there was a proper etiquette for parking an auto. I have always had manuals. I'll have to get used to pulling that little lever. Thanks for the thread etl.

[IndianaVX]

is that what that lever is for?!?
im just kidding, but i rarely ever use the e-brake. but when i have, it has been on a hill, for all the right reasons, avoiding the clunk. so in honor of this thread, and my friend etl, when i got gas thismorning, i used it before i put the truck in park!!!
good post......its all the little things you do that make a vehicle last longer, and this one is on my list now.
thanks for posting

[tom4bren]

I used to use the PARKING BRAKE religeously (stick or automatic). Then I spent 7 weeks in Alaska during the winter for work. I was told when I got the rental that under NO circumstances should I use the EMERGENCY BRAKE. It would freeze engaged. It was -20 the day I got there (+60 the day I left). I just never got back in the habit of using the HAND BRAKE ... maybe I should.

Thanks ETL for the thread - interesting stuff. I seriously doubt that it will really make any significant difference on the life of the Tranny but should certainly make life much easier and longer for the shifter linkages.

[circmand]

Have never used it on any of my cars with automatic T. Put many a miles on them and never had a transmission go out on me. I had all the cars for at least 8 years and lived in the North East for the most part with high Mountains It is not a bad idea but the E brack can get stuck in cold weather this happened to me a few times with my stick vehicles, but what can you do there? Transmissions are built tough and wont be damaged by using PARK for Parking of course the E Brake will not be hurt by doing this and it keeps the e brake in shape and lubed for whenyou need it

[Chopper]

I use the handbrake alot. When you get the brakes good and hot, then need to stop like at a light, the pads against the rotors can warp them...handbrake. Trailbrake into a corner to get rotation....induce oversteer in loose dirt....lock up the rear...bleed off highway speed without lighting up the brake lights ....oh yeah, and to park

[Mark B]

In Florida we do not have many hills. I never use the e-break but after reading this thread, I will start.