E brake vs. in gear - Third Generation F-Body Message Boards

gangsta_money23 · 05-19-2009, 02:04 AM

Ok so I've been wondering latey about putting the car in gear (manual of course) and then pulling the e brake. I was out with my dad the other day and his whole life (which is a pretty long time considering im about 20 now) he's just put his camaro into 1st when he parks never pulled the e brake. kinda suprised me as i always either pull the e brake or put in in gear when i pull the e brake. Will leaving it in gear withut the emergency brake actually stop the car from rolling? also on a hill would it not roll backwards? I would just go out and test it in my camaro but i dont wanna risk it not working and hitting something. I know I've left it only in gear without the e brake a few times but it was always on level ground and for very short times. Any opinions/ views on it? Just something I've been thinking about

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Ward · 05-19-2009, 02:49 AM

If you put it in first or reverse, the drivetrain has a mechanical disadvantage to turning the engine, so it most likely won't roll. It is still possible, just really unlikely. Also, it won't roll backwards any easier than it will roll forwards. One thing to note is that the e-brakes are self-adjusting, but they must be used regularly to stay adjusted. I normally just use the e-brake, but on really steep hills, I do both, pull the e-brake and put it in first, but that's mostly because I don't trust the crappy 82-88 rear disc setup. It's not the best e-brake in the world, the 89+ is a better design.

DJP87Z28 · 05-19-2009, 10:34 AM

Get in the habit of using the parking brake or over time the cable may rust in place due the lack of use. Big problem if your state has inspections.

gangsta_money23 · 05-19-2009, 01:24 PM

I use mine all they time on both my cars, my dads the one who doesnt or never has i should say. I'd assume his has rusted especially by now since its been sitting for about 2 years

ACCLR8N · 05-29-2009, 10:23 PM

I've never had a car roll away that was left in gear. I have had 3 different cars roll away (backwards) with the parking brake pulled. And they waited until I wasn't watching. I agree with your dad.

Convoy25 · 05-29-2009, 10:28 PM

i've never heard about this leaving in gear. well for manuals i have. my friend had a crappy 88 Cabriolet that he would leave in first. haha we used to push start it.
are you talking about just manuals or autos too?

i always use the E-brake in my camaro, same with the lumina.
though one time i looked out the window to my driveway to just look at my camaro. it wasnt there. i freaked out, ran outside, it was in the street.

my driveway doesnt even have that much of a slope.

Convoy25 · 05-29-2009, 10:29 PM

nevermind, i just re-read it and saw manual. my mistake

88iroc52387 · 05-30-2009, 12:40 AM

I do both, I've seen them roll in both cases. My buddy had a truck with bad compression, left in first gear and it rolled a good bit before he could hop back in it. I've also seen the parking brakes not hold and let the car roll. For some reason i've always done both. Can't say it was for any reason i've had my 4th gen roll away on me a couple times but usually becasue i forget to put the brake on or put her in gear. IF your worried about it throw both on its not like its time consuming to shut it off in gear and pull the e-brake up

gangsta_money23 · 05-30-2009, 11:15 AM

that'd suck to look out an have your car gone, only time mine ever rolled I was sitting in it and didnt realize i was on a hill, took the brake off before starting it on accident reached over and grabbed something from the glovebox and i started rolling forward, pretty suprising lol.

I plan on just stickin with doing both just cuz i dont wanna have any of mine roll away when Im not in em

Tpx · 05-30-2009, 01:55 PM

Owned manual camaros for a little over two years now, and none of them had E-brakes that worked. Thus, I always left it in reverse or first when parked, and I've never had a problem. Even left it in gear on a good 25 degree slope up a hill and left it for two days, never slipped.

Why don't you have some fun with this and put your car in gear, then have a bunch of friends try to push it forward (or backwards) then try it with only the E-brake. I'm willing to bet the E-brake will slip first.

BiggRedd · 05-30-2009, 04:15 PM

My e-brake barely grabs. I parallel park facing downhill on ~45* hill almost daily. The e-brake will still allow a little roll so I throw it in first everytime. Thats how I was taught anyway. My

chevyracingrox · 05-30-2009, 06:15 PM

if you yank the ebrake on a front wheel drive car and put it in 1st or reverse you've got both axles covered. that's a lot of holding power.
my ebrake doesn't work on my camaro (yet) but I put it in first or reverse every time I park it and it never rolls. i would bet on the ebrake slipping before the powertrain. the ebrake only activates one shoe per side on drum brakes doesn't it? I'm pretty sure. no idea about how the rear disc set-up works, but I should find out. if I have to replace the wheel cylinders on my camaro i'm not doing it, i'm just converting to rear disc. I just got through replacing that same kind of wheel cylinder on my sister's S10. the ones with the metal clips. not again. **** that

ACCLR8N · 05-30-2009, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tpx

Why don't you have some fun with this and put your car in gear, then have a bunch of friends try to push it forward (or backwards) then try it with only the E-brake. I'm willing to bet the E-brake will slip first.

Good idea!

92Z28ZO31LE · 06-06-2009, 09:17 PM

I have never used a parking brake ever. I let a friend borrow my 86 one day and I get a call"the rear end is on fire". They used the parking brake and it didn't fully release. That was a costly repair.

ACCLR8N · 06-07-2009, 08:53 AM

Been there, minus the fire part. The cables will stick if not used regularly. The handle isn't designed to push the cable back, it just releases the tension.