Should You Apply the Handbrake or Shift to Neutral First After Parking?
1 Answers
Applying the handbrake first or shifting to neutral first is generally acceptable, as there is no fixed sequence. Below are the relevant details: 1. Principle of how the handbrake stabilizes the vehicle: The handbrake stabilizes the vehicle by clamping the rear brake discs, preventing the rear wheels from rotating. Mechanical cable-type handbrakes use steel cables to pull the brake calipers, which then clamp the brake discs, while electronic handbrakes operate servo motors on the brake calipers to achieve the same effect. 2. When parking on a slope: When parking on a slope, you should apply the handbrake first and then shift gears. Otherwise, the pawl and ratchet mechanism will bear the component force of the vehicle on the slope, which can either damage the pawl gear or make them press together too tightly, making it difficult to shift out of Park (P) or causing metallic noises. By applying the handbrake first and then shifting gears, the component force on the slope will be borne by the handbrake, which is much better for the transmission.