Parking In Gear

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pbar
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Parking In Gear

Post by pbar »

I always thought that parking in gear on an incline, i.e. leave car in reverse if parked pointing downhill, would stop a car rolling if the handbrake should fail.

But as a test, the other day (not in the Capri), I did this and sure enough after a very slight roll the car stopped as expected, on an incline with no handbrake. Yet I tried that again the day after and the car continued to roll without resistance.

So, what's going on here? I thought it was the mechanics of the engine/gearbox which stopped it from rolling. Is it to do with compression perhaps?
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Re: Parking In Gear

Post by andyd »

Out of habit, I always leave a car in gear even if on the level.

Strange what happened to you :headscratch: But I would continue to leave it in gear as the law of averages probably stops it moving if the handbrake did fail.

Someone here will probably know.
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Re: Parking In Gear

Post by Paul G »

I leave them in first gear too, often don't use the handbrake when parked on the level - especially in my daily skoda which has sticking rear calipers at the moment!

It is a mixture of compression and friction in the engine/gearbox which generally holds them. The problem comes when someone else gets in the car and doesn't press the clutch before starting the engine; just like half the population seem not to these days.
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Re: Parking In Gear

Post by andyd »

Paul G wrote:
It is a mixture of compression and friction in the engine/gearbox which generally holds them. The problem comes when someone else gets in the car and doesn't press the clutch before starting the engine; just like half the population seem not to these days.
Thanks Paul, I never knew exactly how it worked.
I always depress clutch but as I leave the car in gear I would have too :lol: Habit as well though....
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Re: Parking In Gear

Post by pbar »

Looking for info on the net on this, various people on other forums have said that a lot of people do believe that a car won't roll when in gear but it just isn't always the case. I can't seem to find out why though. As I said, I tired it and the car wouldn't roll. Tried it again and it did, and wouldn't stop.

From what I have read I am beginning to think that the whole car-will-not-roll-when-in-gear thing is a bit of a myth!
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Re: Parking In Gear

Post by andyd »

pbar wrote:Looking for info on the net on this, various people on other forums have said that a lot of people do believe that a car won't roll when in gear but it just isn't always the case. I can't seem to find out why though. As I said, I tired it and the car wouldn't roll. Tried it again and it did, and wouldn't stop.

From what I have read I am beginning to think that the whole car-will-not-roll-when-in-gear thing is a bit of a myth!
You can always use a house brick in front the wheel :D
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Re: Parking In Gear

Post by pbar »

andyd wrote:
pbar wrote:Looking for info on the net on this, various people on other forums have said that a lot of people do believe that a car won't roll when in gear but it just isn't always the case. I can't seem to find out why though. As I said, I tired it and the car wouldn't roll. Tried it again and it did, and wouldn't stop.

From what I have read I am beginning to think that the whole car-will-not-roll-when-in-gear thing is a bit of a myth!
You can always use a house brick in front the wheel :D
That wouldn't be the first time Andy :)
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Re: Parking In Gear

Post by nigecapri »

pbar wrote: From what I have read I am beginning to think that the whole car-will-not-roll-when-in-gear thing is a bit of a myth!
Perhaps you put it in third gear rather than first gear?
In first gear it will hardly move a few inches before the next 'compression stroke' and it will crank round faster and so hit maximum compression very quickly so cannot build up momentum to overcome that compression and will stop.
In third it can travel further because the engine cranks slower thus a gentler effect of compression. It can then build up momentum ready for the next compression stroke and possibly overcome the compression to keep rolling.
If it's on a steep enough hill then even first gear will not keep it still so the handbrake is a must.
Try it yourself on the flat in each gear to see how easy/hard it is to move it but MAKE SURE IGNITION IS OFF or it will bump start & drive itself into the nearest obstruction.
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Re: Parking In Gear

Post by Jasonmarie »

I was taught to drive like that from day 1 and I thought it was a normal thing to do on my bus I park in drive have never used the handbreak .
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Re: Parking In Gear

Post by pbar »

nigecapri wrote:
Perhaps you put it in third gear rather than first gear?
Thanks for your reply Nige. No, definitely first gear, I understand that the higher the gear the greater the tendency to roll.

I think it might just be pot luck, as to how the engine/compression 'falls' as you stop the car. The more I read about it, the more I believe that the 'leaving your car in gear will prevent it from rolling on a hill' thing is a myth, it is just that few people have actually tried it, so they just keep doing it as a matter of course.

It may help to prevent rolling, it may not! But I experimented with it (due to a stuck handbrake on one side, now fixed), and let's just say that I have far more respect for a handbrake now than I did before, and will maintain them with more importance in the future, as a car in gear WILL roll.
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Re: Parking In Gear

Post by Peter-S »

Hand brake on, in gear and wheels angled to the kerb. Just to cover all bases :)
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Re: Parking In Gear

Post by Will01 »

Maybe the next day you tried it your engine lost it's compression! haha

But obviously the lower the gear you go for the more torque there is so you need more force to overcome the resistance.
Lots of factors could affect this, but you could have got the wrong gear, but you could have a warmer oil situation. Maybe it was not fully engaged, but then when it started to roll it bit in, but by that time it already had a momentum which overcome the torque. ALthough if in reverese and the car went forward, there maybe some damage there. Obviously vehicle dependant and alot of other things.

I always leave in 1st gear and hbrake on.
Plans have changed to just make a good fun Track Car :)
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Re: Parking In Gear

Post by Nigel 1953 »

What I do, is I engage reverse gear if the car is facing down hill & first if facing up.
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Re: Parking In Gear

Post by pbar »

Nigel 1953 wrote:What I do, is I engage reverse gear if the car is facing down hill & first if facing up.
Yes, it's what most do, me too. But, have you ever actually tested it to see if the car would stay still with no handbrake. You may be surprised!
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