Jim Yanik <jyanik@abuse.gov> wrote in
news:Xns99E1D61DC80DDjyanikkuanet@64.209.0.85:

> Tegger <tegger@tegger.c0m> wrote in
> news:Xns99E1D038AB6D1tegger@207.14.116.130:
>

>>
>> If the parking brake is applied before the tranny is Parked, the pawl
>> may never even drop into its notch.
>>
>
> but when you release the brake,the pawl will drop in and receive
> pressure. (unless you have your foot on the brake.)
>
> Or if the parking brake slips(or is frozen).
> (could happen on steep slopes;that's why you're supposed to turn the
> front wheels so the car rolls into the curb.)
>


All absolutely true, of course.

But the parking pawl of the modern automatic transmission is fairly robust
in the sense that it does not care which way any stress happens to come at
it. As well, even heavy stress will simply cause the tires to skid upon the
pavement well before the pawl breaks.

Remember the old "transmission brake"? That drum brake that was installed
at the rear of automatics up to about 1963? That was the original "parking
brake". It did not hold the wheels, just the driveshaft. This meant that
with your usual open diff, the right rear wheel was all that held the car
still when it was parked out-of-gear. Very much like a parking pawl.

The upshot of all this verbiage is that the OP can park his car any which
way from Sunday and it will be just fine. And he can apply the parking
brake anytime he chooses to. So long as he actually does so, that is...


--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/