2.3 Manual... Rolling in Gear?

[atimberwolf]

I've driven a lot of manual transmissions over the years from VW (Passat and Jetta), various trucks (Ford, Dodge, Chevy), Jeep Rubicon, C4 and C6 Vettes... you get the idea. Not new to me.

So I parked my 2.3 Manual Bronco outside a shop yesterday, left it in 4th like I always do, but forgot to put on the emergency brake. This is uncharacteristic of me and as far as I can recall the first time I've done it in the vehicle. I live on a fairly steep hill so I use it regularly.

The shop had maybe a 2 degree slope, nothing really. I hopped out and went inside. My wife was still sitting in the "parked" vehicle. She called me within about 3 minutes to say the Bronco had rolled into a ditch in front of the Bronco. Thankfully it was a slow roll into a low ditch. Put the bumper up against the side of a hill and sat there.

I came out and we both confirmed it was still in 4th gear by visually looking at the stick fully back in the middle position.

So... anyone else had their manual roll if the emergency brake isn't engaged? I'd expect it to be a problem on a steep hill, but this definitely didn't qualify as steep. Again, at best only a couple of degrees.

Sponsored

 

[JBowles]

4th gear why? the lower the gear the more holding force you'll have, leave it in 1st.

 

[heynow14]

5k miles and never had this issue. Seems really strange...in-gear means things are locked up. I can't see how this is actually possible.

 

[BlazinGTO]

I've never had a manual roll away in gear. I've always used 1st gear though.

As you state, the slight incline makes it seem all the less likely to happen.

At least you have the mod bumper vs the plastic one.

 

[BlazinGTO]

5k miles and never had this issue. Seems really strange...in-gear means things are locked up. I can't see how this is actually possible.

A manual transmission vehicle when left in gear on a hill can actually overcome the compression of the engine and the vehicle will start rolling.

 

[mountainbronco]

I am sorry bud, but if you want to leave without parking brake, should be in 1st or 2nd.

Have driven manuals all my 62 less 16 years, always used 1st gear for parking.

 

[Jimmiee]

This can happen especially with a heavy vehicle and a small cubic inch engine. I have seen it many times since I'm in the transmission trade. Always leave your transmission in 1st gear or reverse to hold it from rolling. You should use the E Brake but most people don't use it. This can also happen with an automatic transmission in park! In that scenario, the transfer case has a burned-up clutch pack or a worn-out viscous clutch. This is another reason to always use your E Brake.

 

[BroncoAZ]

I park mine on a hill daily and leave it in reverse or crawl. Most of the time I do remember to use the parking brake. It hasn’t rolled away yet.

 

[Bronco_joe]

Yes!!! Thought I was going crazy. I parked mine on a decent incline, left in 1st gear without parking brake (I forgot). I was running around a track and eventually seen my bronco lugging slowly backwards. Never thought of it overcoming the compression until I just read that. Makes sense. It moved probably 6 feet till I noticed

 

[BlueOvalBandit]

Put it in C if you want the most mechanical advantage to resist rolling

 

[Tricky Dick]

Yes, I've caught mine rolling on even slight grades. If the ground is perfectly flat or I have a curb to jam a tire into I'll leave the parking brake off, but any bit of an incline in the open I use it.

I chalked it up to the small displacement, but I've caught my 6.8L Super Duty creeping away too unless it's in L or R.

 

[SilverSurfer]

I've had mine roll in 1st gear on my driveway. I came out and it was at bottom of driveway.

 

[atimberwolf]

Dang. 35 years of driving and I'm still an ignorant.

First, I obviously don't know as much as I thought I did. Figured 4th was fine since that seems to be "home" in this truck (not having to pull left or right) and never realized a higher gear would make much difference.

Also had no idea the heavy truck could over come the compression in these little engines, but it certainly makes sense.

I really appreciate everyone taking me back to school and giving me an education.

From now on first or reverse and e-brake set.

I will ask one of you to take me on to college and confirm when to use which gear.

I typically use a forward gear when facing backwards down a hill and reverse when facing forward. Hoping I'm not doing that wrong too, but who knows. And then just a forward gear sitting on flat(ish) ground.

 

[fzracer484]

I always thought myself that the transmission wouldn't be able to roll away, but I'll be sure to always use the E brake and low gear as well. But I'm curious to your last thought as well as I too was under the impression go with R facing downhill and 1 going uphill. Wondering if that was just nonsense too. Next time I go out with it I'm purposefully going to a hill and doing this to see how quickly it will roll away in even 6th. Clearly I'll stay in it

Dang. 35 years of driving and I'm still an ignorant.

First, I obviously don't know as much as I thought I did. Figured 4th was fine since that seems to be "home" in this truck (not having to pull left or right) and never realized a higher gear would make much difference.

Also had no idea the heavy truck could over come the compression in these little engines, but it certainly makes sense.

I really appreciate everyone taking me back to school and giving me an education.

From now on first or reverse and e-brake set.

I will ask one of you to take me on to college and confirm when to use which gear.

I typically use a forward gear when facing backwards down a hill and reverse when facing forward. Hoping I'm not doing that wrong too, but who knows. And then just a forward gear sitting on flat(ish) ground.

 

[Squatch]

I'd guess, because I can't prove my assumption, that the engine's compression ratio has much more to do with running away in gear than the cubes. I just get that feeling from having kick-start motorcycles in various compression ratios... higher compression got to be damn near impossible.

So, use your parking brake to park when operating a multi-ton wheeled vehicle is the takeaway, right everyone?

Sponsored