To all the manual drivers...

[daSNAK3]

In gear, brake on. One time I was bowling and I had someone’s e-brake fail and their POS rolled back into my Mustang because they didn’t have it in gear, this was many years ago. Another time I watched a car roll back in a Wal-mart parking lot because it also wasn’t in gear. So I always leave it in gear, just incase.

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[Free Spirit]

Im not asking if it causes damage or how to do it...just if I wasn't the only one who did it. I don't know if you fully read the post...

I did read it. But you claimed it causes damage, it doesent. Just making sure anyone who stumbled across this knows that it is false info lmao. I also gave step by step process on how to do it with 0 stress on the transmission. Everyone leaves it in gear because it doesn't cause damage. It's a safety thing. When the ebrake fails and it probably will since we drive Ford's and Ford's are well. Made of scrapyard parts from the factory.

Moral of the story, no it won't cause damage that is a myth and a flat out lie. But since some people seem concerned about it, don't drive the car. Sell it or park it. Because driving it puts wear and damage on the transmission. (It's a really silly argument when you look at it with facts)

 

[Rock&Roll]

In gear with e brake


FWIW, I drive my car 2-3 times a month in the winter. It don't snow everyday and I wait till the roads are clear and only drive the main roads. Been doing that for 9 years and not a spec of rust underneath.

 

[Decosse]

I back into the carport, put the trans in neutral, set the E brake, let the engine idle for a minute, shut it down and put it in gear. I do this wherever I park, it's a habit I'd prefer to keep. The carport has a small downhill slope facing the "open" end, enough so the car will roll if brake/gearshift aren't engaged. The idling for a minute is with A/C off to dry it, keeps A/C from smelling sorta like diapers. And it allows the turbo to cool-something I was taught to do on my EXP Turbo forty years ago. Probably not a thing anymore, can't hurt though.

 

[KENS550TX]

I always pull the brake and put it in reverse. I was told along time ago that reverse is your strongest gear. But that was along time ago. It hasn’t died me yet.

 

[EchoFiveR3531]

As others have mentioned, parking brake on first, car in gear after with no load on the trans from the weight of the car.

I've been parking manual cars this way for 25 years and never had any issues. Honestly this is the first time I've ever heard of it causing potential damage.

Without doing any actual research I suppose it's possible but I'm having a hard time seeing how.

Main reason is I know how hard I've driven some of my past manuals. I never caused any trans damage to them so putting the car in gear seems trivial in comparison.

 

[Nightmonkey]

1st gear.
Ebrake additionally only on a slope.
On heavy slopes if possible front wheel turned to the curb, so that it would roll downhill to the curb.

Working fine for more than 20 years of driving mostly manual.

Ebrake alone makes no sense for me on a car, that's what I do on a truck/lorry only.

To park only in gear makes no harm to the MT drivetrain.
The ebrake is only needed if the escapement in the gearing is not sufficient to prevent movement due to a slope.
Because noone knows exactly how steep the slope can be without the car being able to roll in gear, ebrake should be applied in most cases if not on a flat parking spot.

R instead of 1st is not my choice, because the spring for the R lock on the shifter will be compressed and the reverse switch will be triggered the whole time.

 

[LCK22GT]

I leave it in 1st or R with e brake engaged. Except in my own garage I just leave in neutral with no brake. It’s slightly uphill to the door because of the floor drain and sometimes I just roll it if I need more room in front or behind.

 

[Pistol_91]

Since the day I've been able to drive I've always left it in 2nd gear with all the weight of the car on the E brake. So I pull the e brake first then put it in gear. I basically do the same with my auto vehicles. E brake in park then left off the foot brake.

 

[brfdrums]

I did read it. But you claimed it causes damage, it doesent. Just making sure anyone who stumbled across this knows that it is false info lmao. I also gave step by step process on how to do it with 0 stress on the transmission. Everyone leaves it in gear because it doesn't cause damage. It's a safety thing. When the ebrake fails and it probably will since we drive Ford's and Ford's are well. Made of scrapyard parts from the factory.

Moral of the story, no it won't cause damage that is a myth and a flat out lie. But since some people seem concerned about it, don't drive the car. Sell it or park it. Because driving it puts wear and damage on the transmission. (It's a really silly argument when you look at it with facts)

Right on. I'm with you now. And I agree. I have never left my manuals in neutral with just the brake(except for once, and I even forgot the brake...but that's a whole other topic for discussion, funny too).
I've seen a few people say to leave in neutral...I just didn't know if it was a "thing" now...because I'm still leaving in 1st with the brake.

 

[Free Spirit]

Right on. I'm with you now. And I agree. I have never left my manuals in neutral with just the brake(except for once, and I even forgot the brake...but that's a whole other topic for discussion, funny too).
I've seen a few people say to leave in neutral...I just didn't know if it was a "thing" now...because I'm still leaving in 1st with the brake.

Yeah, sorry if I came off sounding a bit assholish. i probably should've replaced to the entire original comment instead of just just the one portion of it. I'm. A bit shortsighted lol

 

[greasy]

Always in neutral with e-brake, never in gear. Been doing this for almost 30 years. Never had a parking brake fail.

 

[sk47]

Hello; Parking brake on and in gear. A question occurs to me. What is the mechanism for damage if a car is parked in gear? Back in my early days when money for parts was often lacking, I would park my manual trans cars on a slight hill. That way I could roll it away and dump the clutch to start it until I could buy a starter.

 

[ORRadtech]

A question occurs to me. What is the mechanism for damage if a car is parked in gear?

There is none.

 

[LCK22GT]

Back in my early days when money for parts was often lacking, I would park my manual trans cars on a slight hill. That way I could roll it away and dump the clutch to start it until I could buy a starter.

lol me too with my first car when I was a broke teen.

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