Am I parking my car wrong?

[ALFAitalia]

Personally Id say that 99% of the time a car rolls away its because that handbrake was not applied hard enough.....or the ratchet in the lever has passed it sell by date. Seen it myself.....I did it once myself too!! That will be the same if or disc or drum actuated.

 

[markjay]

As above. It's all down to whether you apply the parking brake securely enough. If you do, there will be sufficient slack in it to still hold the car even after the brakes cool down.

The issue arises when you pull up the parking brake lever so that the parking brake is only just holding the car.

That's one reason why MB cars traditionally had the parking brake engaged via a foot pedal - the application is always firm. People apply more force power (and have less feel) when kicking right down, as opposed to lifting a lever to your right or left.

 

[SpikyMikey]

It might just have been one of those things, but I have found the manually operated parking brakes on both the BMWs I've had and the Mercedes to be particularly inefficient, unless applied with the force of The Incredible Hulk.

 

[OneForTheRoad]

It might just have been one of those things, but I have found the manually operated parking brakes on both the BMWs I've had and the Mercedes to be particularly inefficient, unless applied with the force of The Incredible Hulk.

If the shoes needed adjusting, no amount of pushing the pedal seemed to make any difference tbh.

Quite common MOT failure also.

 

[Pontoneer]

As the discs cool and shrink (by a very small amount) the pressure in the braking system will continue to press the pads onto the disc. The pressure whether by tension in the handbrakes cable or from the hydraulic system doesn't just stop when parked up

There still needs to be enough pressure , and sometimes there isn’t .

Only a problem with disc brakes

 

[Pontoneer]

Personally Id say that 99% of the time a car rolls away its because that handbrake was not applied hard enough.....or the ratchet in the lever has passed it sell by date. Seen it myself.....I did it once myself too!! That will be the same if or disc or drum actuated.

That , along with a failure to secure the car by another means , such as putting it in gear or in park .

 

[Pontoneer]

As above. It's all down to whether you apply the parking brake securely enough. If you do, there will be sufficient slack in it to still hold the car even after the brakes cool down.

The issue arises when you pull up the parking brake lever so that the parking brake is only just holding the car.

That's one reason why MB cars traditionally had the parking brake engaged via a foot pedal - the application is always firm. People apply more force power (and have less feel) when kicking right down, as opposed to lifting a lever to your right or left.

Left hand drive Mercedes had the foot operated parking brake back in the late sixties , but right hand drive ones had umbrella handbrakes , or the lever pulling out from the right side of the dash , up to the W123 and W126 models , with only the W201 and R107 having a traditional stick type handbrake between the seats . Right hand drive Pagodas also had a lever on the left side of the tunnel , which was particularly awkward to reach and get purchase on - great in LHD cars though .

 

[DesireeE]

When looking at hand/parking brake performance it seems to me that drum brakes top discs in being able to hold more force with less effort, making them ideal for keeping a vehicle stationary. Their design allows them to exert greater pressure on the wheels, which helps prevent rolling when parked on an incline or slope and they remain the preferred choice for parking applications due to their holding strength, well from what I understand.

Disc brakes perform far better in active braking over drum brakes.

Drum Brakes vs Disc Brakes: Pros, Cons, and Key Differences

The difference between drum brakes vs disc brakes lies in their design and performance. Both are crucial braking components ensuring safe stopping power.

goodcar.com

DRUM BRAKES
"One of the significant advantages of drum brakes' is their simplicity. Compared to disc brakes, they have fewer moving components, making them easier to maintain and less prone to malfunction. Drum brakes are self-adjusting, which means that when the brake shoes deteriorate, they correct themselves automatically. Because the brakes don't need to be adjusted as regularly as they would with disc brakes, this can save car owners time and money on maintenance. Moreover, due to its greater holding strength compared to disc brakes, drum brakes are frequently employed as parking brakes. Drum brakes' design enables them to exert greater pressure on the wheels, which helps stop the automobile from rolling when it is parked on an incline or slope. Finally, because they cost less to produce, drum brakes are often a more economical option which may appeal to automobile purchasers on a tight budget."

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[E55BOF]

Either, if applied hard enough, will be fine as a parking and emergency brake. It's the 'hard enough ' that may be a problem; discs need more force than drums, because they have no self-servoing effect when applied.

 

[DSM10000]

Page 3 already.......

 

[SmartAmg]

Page 3 already.......

Page 3 would be more interesting.

 

[rf065]

Anyone remember the Citroen Xantia from many years ago?

"Citroen Xantia handbrake problems have been reported, with some owners experiencing issues where the handbrake becomes loose after the car has been parked for a short time, potentially leading to the car rolling away. This issue is partly attributed to the design of the handbrake, which acts on the front wheels and can contract as the components cool, reducing the grip of the brake."

I remember at the time these cars were famous for rolling down hills 30 minutes after being parked with the handbrake applied. I was always taught to leave the car in gear, but some folk leave everything to chance!

 

[SpikyMikey]

Saabs had parking brakes operating on the front also, but I guess the fact that you couldn't remove the ignition key (from the centre console) without selecting reverse meant they were less likely to roll away on their own.

 

[rf065]

Saabs had parking brakes operating on the front also, but I guess the fact that you couldn't remove the ignition key (from the centre console) without selecting reverse meant they were less likely to roll away on their own.

Maybe all cars should have been built like that because the human element is the failure.

 

[markjay]

The parking brake on my 1978 Alfasud 1.3ti ( ) used the (inboard) front discs and pads, it was fiendishly difficult to adjust, but never lost grip.

No. 6:

 

[markjay]

 

[recycled]

im on a slope hill so for me. its come to a stop foot on brakes
engage the parking brake
put car in neutral.
foot off foot brake, a slight bottom settle when the parking brake grips.
then foot back on foot brake, and then put in P. ignition off
That way parking brake is holding the car but if it fails, transmission will stop.

When i had a manual, it was the same, parking brake, and then put the the car into first gear.