Do you use your e-brake when parking?

I drive too many manual transmission vehicles to not put it on. Required habit, since I park on an incline at work every day.

Whether you put the parking brake on before or after putting in park doesn't matter.

I think the parking pawl thing at this point is not really an issue. I have a feeling manufacturers have figured it out - no more sticking in park when there is pressure on the parking pawl (which was the real issue on older cars).

4Runner specific: Using the parking brake semi-regularly is required to keep the rear shoes in adjustment. When I got my 4Runner from my sister, the rear brakes were so far out of adjustment that I had to take the drums off to spin the adjuster by hand...

-Charlie
 
phattyduck said:
4Runner specific: Using the parking brake semi-regularly is required to keep the rear shoes in adjustment. When I got my 4Runner from my sister, the rear brakes were so far out of adjustment that I had to take the drums off to spin the adjuster by hand...

-Charlie
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Ditto, I had to use a pair of bolts to drive one of my drums off. The threaded holes in the drums are there for a good reason.
 
Mine hasn't worked since the day I got it. Damn bell cranks have been seized since who knows when.
 
MStudt said:
Mine hasn't worked since the day I got it. Damn bell cranks have been seized since who knows when.
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The replacement pins are only a couple of bucks. Once I got the pin out they cleaned up nicely. A bit of paint and a new pin and it's been good as gold ever since.
 
E-Brake = Emergency Brake, that's what we've always called it.

I have a manual so I use it every time I park. Never had it freeze up on me.
 
I_bRAD said:
The replacement pins are only a couple of bucks. Once I got the pin out they cleaned up nicely. A bit of paint and a new pin and it's been good as gold ever since.
Click to expand...

I still don't think that would get me to use it honestly.
 
I_bRAD said:
Just saying. Not sure about where you are, but here your parking brake has to work to get your safety certificate. Whether you use it or not after that is up to you!
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Has to work here as well, and the inspection guy thinks it does. All they need to be able to do is pull the handle up, and see the light go on. They don't actually put in in gear to see if it grabs. I know I should fix it, but it's going to be off the road for a couple years starting in June. So I'm not really worried about it right now.
 
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What's an e brake? Mine seized over two years ago, and I literally took it off for now. My rear drums are so worn they do nothing at this point. I've been trying to track down a good used axle as the axle needs rebuilt as well. And it's too rusty.
 
I haven't felt the need to use it with the 4runner so far (A/T) but I park on a flat surfaces at work / home so it's not like it has to hold the weight of the vehicle, just keep it from rolling.

If I were to park on a slope of any kind I might feel it prudent. Surprisingly enough of all the little stuff I've found to fix on it, that actually works well.

With my Xterra I use it religiously, but it's a manual transmission. It's my backup in case I forget to stick it in gear before I shut it off, in which case even on a slight slope it might decide to take a trip without me.
 
I always use it. If I'm on a flat spot, I'll put it in park and set it. If I'm on any type of incline, I put it in neutral, set the brake and then put it into park.

I'm definitely in the minority with any of my friends. I can't think of the last time I've gotten into a car to drive it or move it and had to release the e-brake.
 
my 4Runner is actually the first vehicle I've ever owned that has a functioning Ebrake. With the manuals I just kept a piece of firewood in the back to throw down if I parked on a hill.

Used it twice and probably wont again because both times I forgot it was on and drove about a mile before realizing it.
 
I always put my e brake on. Same as others I pull e brake then shift into park. I read somewhere that if your vehicle gets hit while parked it can damage the teeth on the transmission and cost serious money. Applying the e brake takes the pressure off the transmission in the event of crash.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
MtnT4R said:
my 4Runner is actually the first vehicle I've ever owned that has a functioning Ebrake. With the manuals I just kept a piece of firewood in the back to throw down if I parked on a hill.

Used it twice and probably wont again because both times I forgot it was on and drove about a mile before realizing it.
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Even if you don't use it while parked regularly, you need to pull up on the handle once a week or so to keep the rear brakes adjusted correctly...

-Charlie
 
Always on an incline, usually in my driveway which is flat and never if the vehicle is going to sit more than a week. Last thing my hand automatically does is check to make sure the stick shift is in first.
 
I have always set the brake first in neutral - regardless of trans type.
If parked on an incline, I turn the tires toward the curb, just in case.
 
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