Using the parking brake..........
 

My neighbor was telling my wife that we should be using the parking brake on our automatic equipped cars when parked on our slightly inclined driveway. He claims that simply putting the car in park can do damage to the transmission and using the parking brake may prevent that damage; is this true or simply and old wives tale?

Re: Using the parking brake..........
 

Setting the park brake does take some stress off the park pawl inside the transmission. Other than that, transmission 'park systems' are designed to bear the weight of a car on a reasonably steep incline. I was a transmission design engineer for a few years before I went to business school, lest you thought this was anecdotal evidence [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/smile.gif[/img]

For what it's worth I ALWAYS set the parking brake. If for no other reason, regular use keeps it from seizing up.

Re: Using the parking brake..........
 

It is not so much the stress of putting the weight on the transmission parking pall, it is when you want to put it in gear and move on and you cannot get it out of park. The steeper the grade the harder it is to get it out.

Re: Using the parking brake..........
 

I would agree except for a cold climate. When using the parking brake there is more of a chance (under 32 degrees) of the parking brake freezing on when parking. Remedying the frozen parking brake when you are out could be a tough job. This is why in the winter-time I don't use the parking brake in cold or wet weather.

Re: Using the parking brake..........
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Plowman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I would agree except for a cold climate. When using the parking brake there is more of a chance (under 32 degrees) of the parking brake freezing on when parking. Remedying the frozen parking brake when you are out could be a tough job. This is why in the winter-time I don't use the parking brake in cold or wet weather. </div></div>

X2 Plowman!

Dave
67 Nova Boy

Re: Using the parking brake..........
 

My 61 300G has the pushbutton transmision and no park. So you use the parking brake. I bought it in September and not driven it on the road. I have it apart now. The brake looks like a set of shoes on a drum on the back of the transmission. After seeing it, I understand why there was a wheel block in the trunk!!