Why you should always set the Parking Brake
Is there any need to use the parking brake every time you park your automobile, even if your car is automatic? The answer to this question is yes! That’s why you should know everything about the car brake and the main reasons why you should always use it. The car brake is also known as emergency brake or handbrake.
What you need to know about the parking brake
The handbrake is a very vital auto part of your vehicle’s safety system. One should use it on a regular basis and not only when your automobile is parked on a hill. Parking brake is considered more important in a manual transmission vehicle and is given no importance in an automatic transmission vehicle.
When you will put your automatic transmission into park, then there is device known as parking pawl which would engage. It is a metal pin that would engage into a notch ring which is fully attached to the transmissions output shaft.
But the sad thing is that the parking pawls can break or can become dislodged. Commonly it doesn’t occur, but unfortunately if it does then your car would be rolling down the street.
On the other hand, if you will use the parking brake, then it would keep the vehicle in the exact place even if the parking pawl dislodges or breaks down. One has to operate a handbrake manually and it would put a stronger hold on the vehicle than just simply putting it into park.
Now when we are talking about the manual transmissions, the parking brake is essential. Your vehicle would not lock in the place if you will put the manual transmission into the gear. It would just make it much harder to move, but it can still roll away. So this is the reason why you should always use a parking brake whenever a manual transmission vehicle is parked.
How parking brakes work
The system of a parking brake is totally mechanical that bypasses the hydraulic braking system to stop the car in case of any emergency. It keeps your car in the exact place in which you have parked it.
The parking brake lever is attached to the steel cables and these cables tighten when the lever is pulled. Another lever is pulled that would compress the brake shoes to stop the vehicle or to hold in intact in its original place. In a disk brake system, when the parking brake lever is pulled, then the corkscrew device is engaged and it would push a piston into the brake pads stopping the vehicle.
There is a self locking mechanism in the parking brakes which is very helpful. It makes sure that the parking brake does not release until the lever or in some cases the parking brake pedal is released.
Keep in Mind
- If your car gets hit while it is already parked, then your parking brake would provide stability to the automobile and would also prevent it from rolling down.
- When your brake pedal is being depressed, then that is the best time to engage the parking brake. Do this before shifting it into the park and this would reduce the strain on the parking pawl.
- There are cables situated under the car which can corrode and would get stuck in the place. To avoid this nasty situation, the parking brakes are used. This can even turn into a big problem as then you will not be able to use the brake and at the same time the cable will snap when you will try to engage it.
- This point is really very important. Make sure to disengage the parking brake before you start driving or else your entire braking system could get damaged due to one careless mistake.
Using the handbrake when parking up
When you are going for a driving test, then the examiner would surely ask you to park the car on the right or some other places many a times. Whenever you stop the car, make sure that you apply the handbrake and then put the car gear in neutral.
General driving and the handbrake
When you are going to give a driving test, then many occasions would arrive when you will have to stop your car. For example- when you are trapped in traffic, then you will have to stop your car or stopping the vehicle at the red light.
The person who is taking your test would expect you to use your handbrake whenever you stop the car in such situations, but keep this thing in mind that you need not desperately use it every time you stop the car. Just use in when it is required.
When you have stopped the car, then wait for some seconds and then if you are going to remain stationary for some time, then gently apply the handbrake. This would then eliminate the possibility of applying the handbrake too early. If you have to move quickly, then there is no need to apply the handbrake.
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