Should You Engage the Handbrake First or Shift to Neutral First in a Manual Transmission?
1 Answers
After parking, engage the handbrake first and then shift to neutral. Additional details are as follows: 1. Parking operation sequence: After the vehicle comes to a complete stop, first engage the handbrake, then shift to neutral, release the clutch, and finally release the brake, turn off the turn signal, shut off the engine, press the clutch, and shift into first gear. 2. Handbrake: The professional term is auxiliary brake, which operates on a different principle from the main brake. It uses a steel wire cable connected to the rear brake shoes to apply braking force to the vehicle. Prolonged use of the handbrake can cause the steel wire to undergo plastic deformation. Since this deformation is irreversible, long-term use will reduce its effectiveness, and the handbrake's travel distance will increase. A return spring is used in conjunction with the handbrake. When the handbrake is engaged, the spring is stretched; when the handbrake is released, the spring returns to its original length. Prolonged use of the handbrake will also cause the spring to deform accordingly. 3. Neutral gear: This typically refers to the state where the vehicle's gear lever is not engaged in any forward or reverse gear, completely disconnecting the transmission from the drive wheels. In a manual transmission, the neutral position is in the middle, while in an automatic transmission, it is marked with an "N".