Do you press the button when applying the handbrake?

Do you press the button when applying the handbrake?

Poll: Do you press the button when applying the handbrake?

Total Members Polled: 447

No - why would I do that?: 19%
Yes - it seems like the thing to do: 79%
Count me out - all electric handbrake here: 1%
Author
Discussion

Oakey

27,523 posts

215 months

Wednesday 27th June 2012
quotequote all
I imagine the reason the handbooks say not to press the button is because there will have been people who pressed the button, pulled up the handbrake and released without ensuring it was locked in position. Cue cars rolling all over the place.

Trommel

18,973 posts

258 months

Wednesday 27th June 2012
quotequote all
noell35 said:
beg to differ, it's the sound of a perfectly engineered solution doing the job it was designed to do
It's the sound of a very cheap ratchet.

noell35

3,170 posts

147 months

Wednesday 27th June 2012
quotequote all
Trommel said:
It's the sound of a very cheap ratchet.
sounds quite robust on my old volvo, a quite lovely heavy metallic sound. i may be exaggerating slightly for effect......can you post sound clips on here? We could compare handbrake ratchet sounds!

LukeSi

5,753 posts

160 months

Thursday 28th June 2012
quotequote all
Never press the button, I like the sound and if it isn't there it feels like something is wrong. On a side note relating to the not resting on the gear stick, the owners manual in the Panda say this, even the lightest force can cause wear, although with the italians this is probably because the gear box is made from cheese.

Agrispeed

988 posts

158 months

Thursday 28th June 2012
quotequote all
I've had to replace a worn out handbrake, although it was on a tractor...

I always pull the handbrake up with the button pressed, stop and then pull it up a final click, then you know its on.

But i also leave cars in gear, so its not all that necessary smile

blueg33

Original Poster:

35,573 posts

223 months

Thursday 28th June 2012
quotequote all
Paul_M3 said:
Perfect answer Meoricin.

It seems to me on this thread that people who press the button in 'have been told to do it' or 'think' it's the right thing to do.

Those with mechanical understanding or an engineering background just pull up the lever and use the ratchet as intended.

The wear on the ratchet mechanism should be so slight that it becomes completely insignificant.

(Of course it could be that engineering types just love the sound of a ratchet engaging. Put a pair of ratchet crimpers in front of anyone at work and all you'll hear is click click click click for the next 30 minutes. tongue out )
OP here - dad was an engineer who worked for a car maker. In his time he built several cars (1960's kits) and a steam engine from scratch using the lathe and milling machine in our garage. He also built a boat.

Brother is also an engineer, he always presses the button too.

So it seems not all engineers see it your way.

Triumph Man

8,669 posts

167 months

Thursday 28th June 2012
quotequote all
I don't press the button on either of them, they make a satisfying ratchety noise.

If I'm doing a quick hill start, for example, just stopped on a hill, need to immediately set off again, then I will use the button.

Or if I'm doing a handy b to impress the women. Then I remember I'm driving a diesel Passat.

bennyboysvuk

3,491 posts

247 months

Thursday 28th June 2012
quotequote all
I always press the button in, for two reasons, which completely go against each other.

1. I'm mechanically sympathetic when I can be.
2. When I had my first car, during handbrake turns it was easier to get a feel of when the brakes were biting without the inhibited drag of the ratchet mechanism.

djfaulkner

1,103 posts

217 months

Thursday 28th June 2012
quotequote all
I press the button - just because....
IIRC - One the ford focus manual says not to press the button


My old man used to have an Espace and we could hear the noise from not using the button inside the house.
It gave us seconds of vital tidying up time when we were kids

sturobturbo

5,746 posts

145 months

Thursday 28th June 2012
quotequote all
blueg33 said:
Paul_M3 said:
Perfect answer Meoricin.

It seems to me on this thread that people who press the button in 'have been told to do it' or 'think' it's the right thing to do.

Those with mechanical understanding or an engineering background just pull up the lever and use the ratchet as intended.

The wear on the ratchet mechanism should be so slight that it becomes completely insignificant.

(Of course it could be that engineering types just love the sound of a ratchet engaging. Put a pair of ratchet crimpers in front of anyone at work and all you'll hear is click click click click for the next 30 minutes. tongue out )
OP here - dad was an engineer who worked for a car maker. In his time he built several cars (1960's kits) and a steam engine from scratch using the lathe and milling machine in our garage. He also built a boat.

Brother is also an engineer, he always presses the button too.

So it seems not all engineers see it your way.
I am a mechanic (a slight form of engineering, haha) and I press the button. I hate the noise though. I think someone hit the nail on the head earlier when they said manufacturers recommend not pressing the button to prevent against plebs not applying the handbrake properly as it may not click into place if they let go of the button at the wrong point.
I push the button in because my dad, also qualified mechanic, taught me to drive, and that's how he does it.
So +2 for an argument against that stupid post which told us all engineering-types would use the ratchet on the way up.

heebeegeetee

28,590 posts

247 months

Thursday 28th June 2012
quotequote all
blueg33 said:
Paul_M3 said:
Perfect answer Meoricin.

It seems to me on this thread that people who press the button in 'have been told to do it' or 'think' it's the right thing to do.

Those with mechanical understanding or an engineering background just pull up the lever and use the ratchet as intended.

The wear on the ratchet mechanism should be so slight that it becomes completely insignificant.

(Of course it could be that engineering types just love the sound of a ratchet engaging. Put a pair of ratchet crimpers in front of anyone at work and all you'll hear is click click click click for the next 30 minutes. tongue out )
OP here - dad was an engineer who worked for a car maker. In his time he built several cars (1960's kits) and a steam engine from scratch using the lathe and milling machine in our garage. He also built a boat.

Brother is also an engineer, he always presses the button too.

So it seems not all engineers see it your way.
Agreed. I'm surprised to learn that anyone with mechanical knowledge or an engineering background can be happy ratcheting on a handbrake, plus once you've been around for more than 5 minutes and have had to replace a ratchet and realised what a pain it is (or what a pain a ratchet that can let go is smile)...

To be fair though, the car does need to be old before a ratchet neds replacing, but then again there are a lot of classic cars out there.

I do see the handbrake/ratchet thing as a bit of a 'knowledge' thing, which may or may not be a fair reflection, but there you are.




Patrick Bateman

12,143 posts

173 months

Thursday 28th June 2012
quotequote all
People mentioning mechanical sympathy as a reason need to sort themselves out.

I'm surprised at the number of people who have voted yes, not that it makes fk all difference of course.

cmcm3

21 posts

209 months

Thursday 28th June 2012
quotequote all
My old man told me only women and idiots don't press the button in when applying the handbrake. Same for turning the ignition off with the windscreen wipers halfway across the screen. smile

Edited by cmcm3 on Sunday 24th November 00:17

Riknos

4,700 posts

203 months

Thursday 28th June 2012
quotequote all
VeeDub Geezer said:
I normally pull the handle tight with button depressed, release button and raise one click on the rachet.
I do this too. Helps to make you 100% sure it's locked in.

Chicane-UK

3,861 posts

184 months

Thursday 28th June 2012
quotequote all
Riknos said:
I do this too. Helps to make you 100% sure it's locked in.
Yep - same here too.

4keymonsta

10,752 posts

147 months

Thursday 28th June 2012
quotequote all
I rarely use the handbrake as the majority of the time I park on a level surface. Steering on full lock and left in 1st gear.

chongwong

1,045 posts

146 months

Thursday 28th June 2012
quotequote all
BigBen said:
Mercs nearly all have foot operated parking brakes which ratchet by default. Never heard of one not working.

Ben
a couple have failed at my work (long stay car-park)
also, i had to replace the entire handbrake assembly on my first Corsa as the ratchet had been worn smooth in places by the pawl

Captain Muppet

8,540 posts

264 months

Thursday 28th June 2012
quotequote all
heebeegeetee said:
blueg33 said:
Paul_M3 said:
Perfect answer Meoricin.

It seems to me on this thread that people who press the button in 'have been told to do it' or 'think' it's the right thing to do.

Those with mechanical understanding or an engineering background just pull up the lever and use the ratchet as intended.

The wear on the ratchet mechanism should be so slight that it becomes completely insignificant.

(Of course it could be that engineering types just love the sound of a ratchet engaging. Put a pair of ratchet crimpers in front of anyone at work and all you'll hear is click click click click for the next 30 minutes. tongue out )
OP here - dad was an engineer who worked for a car maker. In his time he built several cars (1960's kits) and a steam engine from scratch using the lathe and milling machine in our garage. He also built a boat.

Brother is also an engineer, he always presses the button too.

So it seems not all engineers see it your way.
Agreed. I'm surprised to learn that anyone with mechanical knowledge or an engineering background can be happy ratcheting on a handbrake, plus once you've been around for more than 5 minutes and have had to replace a ratchet and realised what a pain it is (or what a pain a ratchet that can let go is smile)...

To be fair though, the car does need to be old before a ratchet neds replacing, but then again there are a lot of classic cars out there.

I do see the handbrake/ratchet thing as a bit of a 'knowledge' thing, which may or may not be a fair reflection, but there you are.
1 - Engineers are professionally pedantic, they have to be. As such they will argue to the death over things that don't actually make a difference.

2 - It doesn't matter

3 - It really doesn't matter.

4 - The engineers who made the cars suggest that you don't press the button in. A quick FMEA will show you why. It's because possible future replacement of a part beyond it's design life is less important than possible failure of that part in service from misuse.

5 - While using the ratchet or not isn't an indicator of good or bad driving, having a car roll away is definitely a sign of bad driving, so we should pick on those people for a bit.

smartphone hater

3,691 posts

142 months

Thursday 28th June 2012
quotequote all
Meoricin said:
On the grounds that someone who doesn't understand the purpose or function of a ratchet isn't likely to understand the purpose or function of other mechanical devices, perhaps?
Good answer.

Edited. Quoted wrong post.


Edited by smartphone hater on Thursday 28th June 10:23

Captain Muppet

8,540 posts

264 months

Thursday 28th June 2012
quotequote all
smartphone hater said:
dvs_dave said:
Maybe, but on what grounds? Something tells me you'd be onto a looser from the start though.....ratchet man. wink
Good answer.
Not that good, it implies using a ratchet makes the handbrake looser.