Park Brake On Hill technique -

[Angelbroken]

So I'm just wondering, becuase this will probably be me when I first start doing hills; but how does the park brake work exactly?

For example, is it like the pedal brake? If I lift it halfway, will the brake be half engaged? Or is it a 0% and then 100% sort of brake?

I ask this becuase I'm from a big city, and its rather difficult to find a time of day where streets, hills, and other awesome spots to practice aren't crowded with traffic. Really - if I had 2 hours of "traffic free" city - I'd probably be a master by now. =P (Not really)

I'm asking about the brake becuase if I happened to get stopped on the hill on my way to work again, I don't wanna end up spinning the tires like I did the other day - I want to try the Park brake technique but I don't want it to catch me off guard - It'd be awesome if the park brake is like the pedal brake, in a sense I can start to get my car moving, feel the nose dip, and then gradually lower the park brake having my car ease into the climb up hill.

[theholycow]

The parking brake affects only the rear wheels. Most that I've used are not very effective. It is connected with a cable instead of a power-assisted hydraulic system so it doesn't amplify your effort the way the service brake pedal does. If you have rear drum brakes it operates the same brake shoes as the service brakes. If you have rear disc brakes it likely operates a dedicated parking brake mini drum/shoe system.

Its efficacy, feel, operation, and behavior differs from one car to the next.

It is not an on-off system unless you have one of those fancy new cars with an electronic button operated parking brake. What do you drive, anyway?

If you want to get comfortable with it, test it and practice with it under controlled conditions. Go to a parking lot and play with it at low speeds.

What's really fun is to play with it in the snow or on sand/dirt...makes it easy to get the car sideways.

[scionkid]

Or if you have those step on type with a release handle.Once you pull it,it releases while your left foot is modulating the clutch instead of the parking brake pedal.

It doesn't matter what type of parking brake you have. You should not be thinking about releasing it until you know for sure that the clutch is grabbing hard enough to hold you on a hill. And when you release it,it should be released in an instant. Holding your car with a bit of brake and a bit of clutch is just gonna confuse you because it is not consistent.

[Shadow]

For example, is it like the pedal brake? If I lift it halfway, will the brake be half engaged? Or is it a 0% and then 100% sort of brake?

If you have a hand-operated e-brake lever (like most cars), then use your thumb to hold the button in (so the lever doesn't lock) and just apply as much force as necessary to keep the car from rolling back. If the e-brake is adjusted properly, you shouldn't have to crank it all the way to keep the car from rolling back on a moderately steep hill.

The other option is to forget the e-brake entirely and just use the brake pedal instead. What I mean is this-- you can continue to apply the brake pedal while you're releasing the clutch pedal. The goal is to use the brake pedal to prevent the car from rolling back while the clutch is engaging. If you think about it, there's not much of a difference if you're using the e-brake or the brake pedal to keep the car from rolling back. The idea is basically the same.

My new Audi has an awesome feature (which I rarely ever use) where the driver can hit the e-brake button (yes, it is electronic....no lever at all) and the e-brakes engage to hold the car. Then the e-brake automatically disengages as the clutch pedal is released, preventing the car from rolling back at all, even on the steepest of hills. I think this is a great feature for people who are not comfortable starting on hills.

[theholycow]

Or if you have those step on type with a release handle.Once you pull it,it releases while your left foot is modulating the clutch instead of the parking brake pedal.

I forgot even though both of my vehicles are equipped that way...I can modulate the on, but not the off (well, I could if I had another foot but my third leg just isn't long enough for that).

[AHTOXA]

That would give a new meaning to 'dicking around in the car'.

[zooom]

I ask this becuase I'm from a big city, and its rather difficult to find a time of day where streets, hills, and other awesome spots to practice aren't crowded with traffic. Really - if I had 2 hours of "traffic free" city - I'd probably be a master by now. =P (Not really)

I practiced hill launches on the steep ramps at a parking garage at my university. Maybe there's some place like that near you? In my case, even during the day, the top ramps at the garage were always empty.

[tankinbeans]

I've tried this method in my car, I'm still very much the noob (just rolled 7,110 miles the other day ) and it works decently well. Fortunately, I don't have any ultra-steep hills around me because I still have trouble getting going, consistently, without a slight "almost gonna stall, but catch at the last second" shudder. Sorry I couldn't be of more assistance.

[kayubassist]

For example, is it like the pedal brake? If I lift it halfway, will the brake be half engaged? Or is it a 0% and then 100% sort of brake?

My new Audi has an awesome feature (which I rarely ever use) where the driver can hit the e-brake button (yes, it is electronic....no lever at all) and the e-brakes engage to hold the car. Then the e-brake automatically disengages as the clutch pedal is released, preventing the car from rolling back at all, even on the steepest of hills. I think this is a great feature for people who are not comfortable starting on hills.

wow!
I wish I had that feature on my car! it would be SO USEFUL!
hell my car doesn't even have start engine button.

[Tups]

The parking brake affects only the rear wheels.

Except in cars in which it affects the front wheels, like Saab 900. However, that is a rare exception.

[Rope-Pusher]

The parking brake affects only the rear wheels.

Except in cars in which it affects the front wheels, like Saab 900. However, that is a rare exception.

Thought I saw front park brake cables on sumpin' Franch in 1980's.

[theholycow]

Also, 4WD vehicles left parked in 4WD will have the front axle connected to the rear...depending on what kind of transfer case is involved.

[scionkid]

For example, is it like the pedal brake? If I lift it halfway, will the brake be half engaged? Or is it a 0% and then 100% sort of brake?

My new Audi has an awesome feature (which I rarely ever use) where the driver can hit the e-brake button (yes, it is electronic....no lever at all) and the e-brakes engage to hold the car. Then the e-brake automatically disengages as the clutch pedal is released, preventing the car from rolling back at all, even on the steepest of hills. I think this is a great feature for people who are not comfortable starting on hills.

wow!
I wish I had that feature on my car! it would be SO USEFUL!
hell my car doesn't even have start engine button.

One thing to consider before you think about getting hill holder--parallel parking on a hill. With hill holder, you gotta shift to neutral every time you roll downhill, then shift back into gear to go up, just like you would in an automatic.

The way I do it, with a manual hill holder(aka parking brake) is to simply keep it in either 1st or reverse. Slip the clutch to go uphill; floor it to go down. It's a little quicker with 2 hands cranking wheel.

[Shadow]

One thing to consider before you think about getting hill holder--parallel parking on a hill. With hill holder, you gotta shift to neutral every time you roll downhill, then shift back into gear to go up, just like you would in an automatic.

The way I do it, with a manual hill holder(aka parking brake) is to simply keep it in either 1st or reverse. Slip the clutch to go uphill; floor it to go down. It's a little quicker with 2 hands cranking wheel.

I don't know how other companies do it, but Audi uses both active and passive hill holder features, depending on the market. In North America, they use active hill holder only, meaning you have to press the button to engage it. If you don't press the button, the car will roll on any hill. I like that better than passive systems that are always working.

[Reverence]

I forgot even though both of my vehicles are equipped that way...I can modulate the on, but not the off (well, I could if I had another foot but my third leg just isn't long enough for that).

mmm... maybe try applying your own advice?

try moving the seat forward more than you think necessary and see if it helps.