GR Yaris Parking on inclines, in gear and/or handbrake

Onehp

Onehp

Totally Hooked
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Just a few tips as previously discussed but still missed in old forum https://www.gr-yaris.co.uk/forum/threads/my-gr-nearly-ran-me-over.7805/

Handbrake
Catches on rear wheel drum brakes. These must be run in a bit otherwise they can slip. In a safe low speed straight with nobody around, gently pull the handbrake while driving to bed in the drum brakes. Give them time to cool off and repeat untill it really grabs - then it's one of the strongest handbrakes I've sampled on a factory car.

In gear
Use 1st gear only as it is the strongest and has the most holding power (causing most revs), engine itself is easily turned being small and low friction.
This works on the front wheels, have front wheels at full lock as this increases the holding power (effectively reducing incline). Additionally, it keeps the car from rolling straight, choose the direction of lock where a possible roll would cause least damage, preferably closest upwards without obstacles...

Hill hold (@Mintmansam)
Don't be fooled by the hill hold when stopping on an incline in gear, give it a little time to inactivate or go to neutral to make sure you yourself have appropriately pulled the handbrake

Feel free to add, hope this prevents mishaps...
 
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Ensure you stop in neutral when parking or when you turn off the engine you remain in 1st / reverse, as the hill hold may artificially hold the car if you stop in gear, thus when you apply the handbrake it might be the hill hold, not the the handbrake holding you. Thus when you turn the car off the hill hold will turn off if you then moved from 1st to neutral.

Ensure you never apply handbrake to a hot disk/wheel ie after heavy braking as due to cooling the brake may not be engaged when cool, plus it’s never good to apply handbrake after excessive braking (track) either
 
Good point on hill hold, switches off after a few seconds but enough to give false security if one is quick.
Mintmansam said:
Esure you never apply handbrake to a hot disk/wheel
Click to expand...
Perhaps not so applicable here, hot disk/bell and colder shoes in drum brakes should give the opposite effect, mighty brake force when the bell shrinks... Unless one has been using the handbrake on the move a lot just before :D
 
Park on incline, foot on brake, set parking brake until it holds.
Then put in gear.. Thinking is if the parking brake were to creep, the gear will hold it.

Road Code in Germany is the driver us responsible for the car not rolling away, so parking brake and in gear. Noone can cry warranty after a car rolls away due to negligence.
 
I pop mine in reverse if facing downhill too. Force of habit after owning an old Mini for 20 years 😊
 
As with @MrJ , I've driven enough cars with poor hand brakes to go to the gearbox as my first line of defence when parked. Having also had many autos, where 'park' is a transmission brake, I only use the handbrake as back up, if I'm on a hill.
 
Do you guys live on the mountains?

I just pop it into first and never had any car rolling anywhere.
 
Andy R said:
Do you guys live on the mountains?

I just pop it into first and never had any car rolling anywhere.
Click to expand...
I don't but I used to. Still forgot to secure the rental ST I had 2 years ago in the Alps. Thank god for CDW... Would have been an expensive trip else...
Good to know the GR needs a bit of attention WRT to parking brakes. Will certainly keep that in mind
 
I forgot to use the handbrake a couple of times at first, and forgot to release it a few more times when setting off. Just habit from my previous car having an automatic parking brake. Not done it after the first week or so though, thankfully.
 
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