Who use's park brake?

[WPGQX4]

So 2 years ago I got the opportunity to go on a 4x4 seminar in Vermont for Michelin. The one thing I took away from there was the use of the park break on an auto transmition.

So my question is who uses thier park brake to stop the weight of the vehicle from resting on the transmition when they park thier trucks?

[01silvapathy]

Only when im on a hill or in a place where I fear I might get towed. The other use for the handbrake is when your wheeling. If you have an lsd, and are having traction issues if you click the handbrake up 2 clicks it helps out ALOT.

[Blackjak]

I use it almost everytime I park my car, thats why its there! Mainly because my last car was a stick and its just habit, but its good practice.

[KyooX4]

I never do. I live in flat-florida.


EDIT:
I lied. I did use it in that pic I have as my current avatar.

[body80]

I never do. I live in flat-florida.

^^^^^^
Yep some here.

[Towncivilian]

I do, even though I live in Florida. I engage the parking brake, let go of the foot brake, then shift into park.

[bmlawless]

I'll confess that I rarely use it under normal conditions. However, when I am on a hill or towing my boat, I always use it. I also set it whenever I get out with the engine running.

[WPGQX4]

Town you do exactly what I do. It's alot easier on the trans not having the weight of the truck sitting on it.

[Buzzman]

I use it 90% of the time, level road or not.
Partly out of habit and partly to keep the weight off the transmission, and to keep my rear brakes in tune.
Here in Canada with our winters and salt use, if you don't use the handbrake regularly, the cable and associated mechanics will seize up pretty quickly.
My rear brakes have never been replaced (220,000kms.), and they've never even been out of adjustment.
I was told more than once that using my hand brake on a regular basis would do that. I believe it.

[m0nkeyprince]

I use it everytime i leave the car, its a habit to pull it up before i get out the door. It almost feels weird to not do it and hear the click click click before leaving. I thought people are supposed to do that? apparantly not haha

[Ubel Feuer]

How exactly does it keep pressure off the transmission?

[WPGQX4]

You have to do it right. When you park your truck, everyone puts thier foot on the brake. Keep your foot on the brake and the truck in gear or neutral(I put mine in neutral). Pull up on the hand brake with your foot still on the foot brake. Shift into park with your foot still on the foot brake. Release foot brake.

The reason it keeps pressure of the transmission is because the brakes are holding all the weight this way. Ever notice when you just park your vehicle, that when you let your foot off the brake the vehicle rolls back a bit and stops. The pin paul(not sure on spelling) has the weight of the vehicle on it. If you've ever had a hard time getting the shifter out of park this would be why.

[Towncivilian]

If you've ever had a hard time getting the shifter out of park this would be why.

I still sometimes have some resistance to shift out of park, even when using the parking brake correctly. Any idea why?

And I think it's spelled "pawl".

[Densetsu]

I use the park brake whenever I park on an incline/decline -- from the slight incline my driveway has, to high-grade mountain roads.

My method is slighly different that WPG's, but to the same effect. Hit the brake pedal, put it in neutral, pop the parking break on. Let the foot break go -- the Pathy will roll a tiny bit, and then the park brake will stop it. Then shift the transmission into park.

WPG nailed it though -- the stress of keeping a 2-ton vehicle stopped on a hill is placed on the parking brake, not the transmission. A parking brake is inexpensive and easy to adjust, fix, and/or replace, compared to a transmission. There's also a small safety benefit, in that you have a failsafe (the parking pawl) in case the primary system (the parking brake) fails.

[Chuck Tribolet]

Every single time.

[Towncivilian]

I use the park brake whenever I park on an incline/decline -- from the slight incline my driveway has, to high-grade mountain roads.

My method is slighly different that WPG's, but to the same effect. Hit the brake pedal, put it in neutral, pop the parking break on. Let the foot break go -- the Pathy will roll a tiny bit, and then the park brake will stop it. Then shift the transmission into park.

WPG nailed it though -- the stress of keeping a 2-ton vehicle stopped on a hill is placed on the parking brake, not the transmission. A parking brake is inexpensive and easy to adjust, fix, and/or replace, compared to a transmission. There's also a small safety benefit, in that you have a failsafe (the parking pawl) in case the primary system (the parking brake) fails.

Is there any merit to shifting to neutral, then engaging the parking brake, let go of foot brake, shift into park, vs. staying in drive/gear, engaging parking brake, letting go of foot brake, then shift to park?

[WPGQX4]

I think when you put it in neutral it takes the tension out of the trans. Does it make a difference? I think if your doing it either way its going to be better for the trans.

[exvin]

I also use the park brake everytime I park. I would pull up the handbrake first before I put it into park, with my foot on the brake of course and when I am about to move I would put the car in drive first and then release the handbrake.

Sometimes if the GF drives, she would forget to release it as she does not do that with her parents cars. They do not use the handbrake

[Towncivilian]

I think when you put it in neutral it takes the tension out of the trans. Does it make a difference? I think if your doing it either way its going to be better for the trans.

I doubt it makes a significant difference. It is an extra step that adds time but once you do it enough it becomes reflex and you don't even notice you're doing it. Maybe I'll start shifting to neutral as part of the routine, and shifting into drive/reverse before releasing the parking brake.

[ARKQX33V6]

So 2 years ago I got the opportunity to go on a 4x4 seminar in Vermont for Michelin. The one thing I took away from there was the use of the park break on an auto transmition.

So my question is who uses thier park brake to stop the weight of the vehicle from resting on the transmition when they park thier trucks?

-------
Always it saves the transmission, it adjusts the rear brakes, keeps the rear apparatus moving, prevents cable lock up,keeps excess torque off drive line, saves parking pawl...why wouldn't I use my parking brake.