Truck rolling while parked in gear.

Hello All, Quick question about leaving the truck in gear while parked (manual transmission). I parked on a hill the other day, and left it in 1st gear with no e-brake. It would lurch forward an inch or two, then come to rest, and then do the same thing every 20-30 seconds. To me it felt like the the engine was turning over, as the transmission feels fine. I'm just curious as to whether anyone else has experienced this since I've never encountered it in my previous vehicles (or this one, until last week), and if so, is it better to leave these trucks parked in 2nd or 3rd instead?

Thanks,
Steve

 

I dont have a manual, but I'll chime in anyways. Basically you're relying on your engine (compression??) to keep your truck still. Maybe its because you have a smaller engine (4cyl) that your vehicle will continue to roll when its in gear?

The best way to park it is put the parking brake on. Leave it in 1st for added assurance if you want, but don't rely only on the gears to keep it in its place, especially on a slight incline.

 

It's a parking brake, not an emergency brake.

Use it.

 

Yup, just engine turning, and no 2nd or 3rd gear. Put it in 1st when parked up hill, or reverse when parked down hill...and use your parking brake =)

 

This was just covered about 3 weeks back. Read my post for this thread and it will give you incite into why you are experiencing the 'lurch' and to why you should never park you vehicle without using the parking brake.

Thread:
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2n...ransmission-not-holding-hills.html#post784791

 

Never park a car, especially a manual, without setting the parking brake. Doing it on a hill is just plain stupid.

 

Thanks for that link SC4333. This must be one of those situations where conventional wisdom isn't so wise. I've heard many (on and off this forum) say they never use the park break with the manual, many of whom have been driving manuals for 40+ years. I myself have never had the need to use it in fifteen years of driving.... though that has always been with small cars, and this truck is a fair bit heavier.

 

Making the truck that much easier to steal as well.

 

maybe consider selling your parking break for a bit of money then?

 

Every manual car I ever drove, I left it in neutral and used the brake. Honestly most people I knew did the same. It bit me in the ass one day after getting new tires they put it in gear. I started it up (clutch must be on to start) and didn't think to verify neutral... and ran the car into the curb (lowered g35). It didn't do much but crack a bit of the paint... pissed me off but it was my fault. Got bit by habit I guess...

Anyway, there's really no point to leaving it in gear, and honestly I think it can be kinda dangerous.

 

One of the classic rules when operating a manual trans : if you are parking on a hill with no e-brake and don't want the truck to roll forward, put it in reverse. If you don't want the truck to roll back, put it in 1st. What you are doing is destroying your clutch.

 

I would use it if I was you...It's like an extra security measure that may not be needed but if your truck rolls away your kinda screwed.

 

This should work...It all depend what type of chain you use.

 

I parked my old cavalier in a lot one time. Went in to the store with my girlfriend and came out to find my car missing. I was on the phone with police when my girlfriend says "is that it way over there". Yeah, it rolled across a slightly slanted parking lot to the complete other side (very large Wal-Mart lot). It actually went through several rows of spots without hitting anything - pretty impressive because some rows only had one open spot and it fit right through there.
Police were not happy.

I had not used the parking brake and it worked it's way out of gear (or I never put it in gear...not sure which).



Even with an automatic, I had to train my wife to not release the brake until the parking brake was applied. I don't want it resting on my gears, I want it resting on the brakes.

The order for my auto on a hill goes...STOP, HOLD BRAKE PEDAL, SHIFT TO PARK, APPLY PARKING BRAKE, RELEASE BRAKE PEDAL.

 

I used to do that with my s-10 but only because i didn't have a parking brake. All i did was leave it in gear in reverse. It would roll back on all the other gears.

 

I wonder if anyone has ever parked on a hill, threw it in gear without a parking brake, and then done a tuneup, i.e. removing spark plugs

 

Hopefully with the truck facing downhill... wait, we did want them to get hurt right?

 

lol

 

Along with parking brake, use of a choc block and drip pan is a requirement.