Parking in gear

You might save your brakes but end up having to replace the gearbox?!

For long periods, yes, but that's really over 10-14 days. You shouldn't have a problem with a modern car with disc brakes all round leaving the handbrake on for several days. Keep the brake fluid fresh (so water doesn't collect and rust the pistons in the callipers) and the handbrake cable greased.

How is parking in gear going to wear the gearbox? I ask because I always park my car in gear with the handbrake on especially when on an incline, ever since I parked my Volvo 740 estate outside my house with handbrake only and the handbrake failed. The car took out the lamppost outside my neighbours house, but stopped just before it hit his car. The lamppost was at an angle over his car. Oh the embarrasment !!!! Luckily, he was more impressed with what the Volvo did to the lamppost with such a short "run up" and we are firm friends now :-)

Stuart

I intended to be clear, I wouldn't typically do this in the street or any car park - I meant overnight at home on the level drive or for 8/9 hours in a level parking space at work - any other time I'd park with the brakes on.

ROFL. Why exactly?

People used to wibble about prolonged static loads squeezing the oil film out from between the teeth, but I haven't heard that rumor repeated for years.

Saab certainly don't believe it. I my 9-3, you have to leave it in reverse to get it to give up the ignition key.

Cheers,

Colin.

Maybe look at your vehicle handbook, or even the highway code, to see how to park on a hill?

Handbrake on, in gear, wheels turned towards the kerb.

The message from Colin Stamp contains these words:

So what if it did. As soon as it turns a fresh lot'll be along.

Except that AFAIK most cars with discs all round, have a drum handbrake within the rear discs. Mike.

I never leave it in gear, just the handbrake on, its never let me down yet :)

Not VAG or Ford. & never using the handbrake on them causes problems instead :-)

You obviously didn't understand my post that explained I was talking about longer periods on my level home driveway or at my works car park. Don't you think I would have noticed by now my car had run off down the hill if I parked without the handbrake continually! :-)

depends on how long you are going to leave it for if it's for a while then leave it in gear with the handbrake off and chock the wheels just in case you forget it's in gear and start it up if it's on an incline put it in gear AS WELL AS putting the handbrake up

The only problems I can see you'd encounter by leaving the handbrake on are:

1. Stretched cables

1. Binding brakes, if left for long period.

2. Worn pawl/ratchet mechanism.

leaving the car in gear I'd consider the wear to be minimal. (Unless someone nudges the car in which case something could catestrophically break.)

sPoNiX

Also sprach snipped-for-privacy@chocks.com (sPONiX):-

Why would the ratchet/pawl wear if left engaged?

If left for long enough parked in gear with the handbrake on, the whole mechanism will crumble into a heap of iron oxide. I would leave it in neutral with the brakes off but with molten glass poured into a block shaped mould around it so it sets at least a foot deep at its shallowest point, making sure there are no air pockets. In this case it will not run away and there should be no deterioration of any part for millennia.

Huw

Also sprach "Huw" :-

Remind me to replace my handbrake with a titanium lever. White's so much prettier than brown.