Parallel parking on an incline with stick shift

Just bought the 2004 Frontier truck with 5 speed manual transmission and trying to figure out how to park this sucker on a steep incline. All the stick shifts I have had has the parking brake on the center where you could control it with the right hand while you could clutch and gas at the same time to prevent it from rolling backward on a steep incline. The Frontier, on the other hand, has the left foot operated parking brake with right hand release. How do you Frontier owners parallel park this sucker on a very steep incline without rollback and without burning up the clutch? TIA

Reply to
Frank Wong
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Um -- you put the transmission in neutral and take your foot off the clutch? All the while keeping your right foot on the brake...

Reply to
ppointer

Ok, then going forward uphill with a parked car 1' away in front and 1' away in back (not unrealistic in San Francisco with inclines almost at

45 degrees and just inches to play with for parallel parking), you put the transmission in 1st, give it some gas and one of 4 things will happen without the hand brake. 1. Burn the clutch and go forward; 2 Truck dies; 3 Truck rolls back and hit the car below or; 4 Truck pops forward and hit the car in front. Would be easier if the Frontier had a hand brake like most of the vehicles with manual transmission. Not much problem driving the truck around in San Francisco so far with a little roll back. But parallel parking on a steep hill with this foot brake setup is a challenge. (BTW, I've parallel parked my other car and truck with hand brakes without problems.)
Reply to
Frank

Now I have a better understanding. I agree the design that requires your left foot to disengage the parking brake has this major shortcoming. One technique I would try if I were in your situation is to apply gas and brake simultaneously with your right foot. I have no idea if it is possible in a Frontier, but it definitely was possible in the '94 PF 5sp I used to own. The technique has a name -- heel toe -- and I use it all the time when down shifting as I approach an intersection in my manual transmission Toyota.

Reply to
ppointer

Thanks, I never needed to learn toe and heel until now with the Frontier. Should work but may need to replace my clutch sooner as this 4 banger doesn't have much low end torque.

Reply to
Frank

Good -- I'm glad you're willing to give it a try. The name, heel & toe, is a misnomer, in case you don't know. The correct technique is to use the ball of your right foot against the brake, and the right-most edge of your right foot for the gas. Then when you are slowing for an intersection, you apply brake, then simultaneously depress the clutch, down shift, goose the gas, and let out the clutch. Sounds complicated, but it's fun after you get good at it. Will work in a similar fashion when you're stuck at a stop going uphill and don't want to roll backwards.

Reply to
ppointer

Two opinions

Was this truck drive tested before purchase and the braking system evaluated? It's not a defect or wrong engineering if the product was actually purchased.

Emmanuel who loves his 04 CrewCab Fronty.

Reply to
iBuyMinis.Us

Oh, the foot brake is fine just stupid engineering, considering its a manual transmission, where you need to do the heel and toe thing as describe by "ppoint" above. Don't buy this truck if you need to parallel park it on a steep hill or else learn heel and toe. Hand brake should have been essential on this puppy. Just my opinion. This is my fifth auto with manual transmission but the Frontier is the only one that does not have a hand brake.

Test drive all right, good brakes too, but there were no hills where the dealer is located so that caught me off guard regarding the parallel parking dilemma. Would still have brought it. Nice truck, better price and with much, much more features than the Toyota, love it. Would be even better if it came with a front dome light, glove box light, locking gas cap and a couple more tie downs. But hey this is what aftermarket add-ons is for.

iBuyM>Two opinions

Reply to
Frank

Learn to drive a stick. I live in the SF Bay area, I've never bought anything but a stick shift ('72 240-Z, '70 PU, '87 Pathfinder, '95 PF, '01 PF, also inherited an '87 Corvette, ALL with sitcks), and I've never needed the hand brake to park in the City. Clutch in, real brake on, start car, hand brake off, GO).

Reply to
Chuck Tribolet

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