TR2/3/3A Parking brake: Lesson learned?

[TomMull]

I've got 5 cars in a 3 car garage with one door. Quite a circus getting the one in the far back out. Since it was sold, I needed to get it out yesterday.The TR3 came out first and since it was cold I left it running in my driveway with the e-brake set. When I took the Herald out I noticed an apparent lack of TR3. Oh no, I must have forgotten to set the e-brake! My driveway has a bit of an incline just downstream from where I parked it. Fortunately there was a convenient bush just off to one side which stopped the TR3 with no damage. So I towed the TR3 off the bush and parked it back where it had been. This time I set the e-brake just like I did hundreds of times in the past without incident. But this time I stayed in the car to see what would happen. Sure enough, I heard the click of the lever and the car again started to roll all on its own.
I've never had this happen before, so a word to the wise.
I guess I'm in for a handle rebuild.

Lucky Tom

 

[CJD]

How funny.

I am certain these cars have a personality. My daughter drives a New Beetle (German car). My TR2 has rolled into to it driverless 3 times now, even though the brake is set every time. My daughter thinks the Triumph carries a grudge against her car and won't park anywhere near it!

 

[Gliderman8]

Years ago I had a Fiat 124 sedan. I let it warm up during the winter. When I went back outside I found my car across the street, engine running on the lawn of a neighbors house. No damage to car or house but the tire tracks remained until the snow melted.

 

[sp53]

I had a Saab do it also what a hollow feeling.

 

[DavidApp]

I have developed the habit of leaving my TR3A in gear as well as setting the emergency brake. Shortly after I had it on the road I was parked at my neighbors house. They have a slight slope on their driveway, Talking to the neighbor when their 5 year old grand son climbed into the car and grabbed the emergency brake lever releasing the brake. Fortunately we were standing a few feet away so we could stop the rolling TR. Since then I have always put it in first or second when I park.

David

 

[TomMull]

Good advice David. I didn't put mine in gear this time because it was 20 degrees F and I wanted to warm it up. That's why I left it running. Will do next time. (I suspect that the engine vibrations triggered the release of the brake.)

Tom

 

[LarryK]

I had a 68 Cortina 1600E, left it by the sidewalk running in park, went to garage for more trans fluid when it started backing up. 59 ft of street, across state highway towards a white picket fence and corner of brick house. Got it stopped exactly when it touched the fence. Drove back to driveway and removed auto and installed 4-speed by the next day.

 

[karls59tr]

I've got 5 cars in a 3 car garage with one door. Quite a circus getting the one in the far back out. Since it was sold, I needed to get it out yesterday.The TR3 came out first and since it was cold I left it running in my driveway with the e-brake set. When I took the Herald out I noticed an apparent lack of TR3. Oh no, I must have forgotten to set the e-brake! My driveway has a bit of an incline just downstream from where I parked it. Fortunately there was a convenient bush just off to one side which stopped the TR3 with no damage. So I towed the TR3 off the bush and parked it back where it had been. This time I set the e-brake just like I did hundreds of times in the past without incident. But this time I stayed in the car to see what would happen. Sure enough, I heard the click of the lever and the car again started to roll all on its own.
I've never had this happen before, so a word to the wise.
I guess I'm in for a handle rebuild.

Lucky Tom

Yes it's time to replace the worn down pawl and ratchet in the handbrake.

 

[KVH]

You’re very lucky. It might have been much worse.

A friend of mine hurried over to his supervisor’s house to deliver an extremely late financial report. He said he’d promised it weeks earlier. He was at the front door apologizing when he noticed his supervisor was ignoring him and looking over his shoulder. He turned around to see his car rolling back down the driveway. He’d left his driver’s door open, and his parking brake failed.

As his car rolled back his open door tore through a row of hedges, toppled over a lighting post and shattered a large decorative pot. He told me he panicked and ran back down the slope just in time to stop the vehicle from rolling into the neighborhood street.

By then he saw that his supervisor had slammed the front door shut and had gone back inside.