Park your cars with wheels aligned straight?

joecherian · 6th August 2008, 16:30

Hi, I have a question regarding the way you park the cars.Will there be any effect on the steering system of the car ,(i mean the modern cars with all those fundu power steering stuff) in case I park my car with wheels aligned in any other direction other than being straight ?

nishantgandhi · 6th August 2008, 18:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by joecherian

Hi, I have a question regarding the way you park the cars.Will there be any effect on the steering system of the car ,(i mean the modern cars with all those fundu power steering stuff) in case I park my car with wheels aligned in any other direction other than being straight ?

??
Did not understand the question. Why should it have any effect on the power steering?

vikram_d · 6th August 2008, 19:36

There will be no effect on the power steering but a lot of other parts like drive shafts, ball joints etc will be under stress if the wheels are not straight.

dadu · 6th August 2008, 20:43

The "power" part of the vehicle "steering" disengages once you switch it off, whether electric or hydraulic actuated.

BaCkSeAtDrIVeR · 6th August 2008, 22:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by vikram_d

There will be no effect on the power steering but a lot of other parts like drive shafts, ball joints etc will be under stress if the wheels are not straight.

Why? Mind elaborating??

I confess to using subterfuge to byepass the 20character rule. My only question is "why?". |-)

vikram_d · 6th August 2008, 22:36

Ok. Let me see if I can explain this.

When you turn the steering, the steering column transfers that force onto the drive shaft and other related components to turn your wheels. So when you park with the wheels at an angle the steering parts exert an opposite force. Have you noticed how when you take a U Turn the steering tends to straighten out when you let go of yoru grip on it. This force is continously exerted on the steering column when you park with you wheels cross and not straight.

When the steering is straight there is no force being exerted on these parts. Therefore it is always ideal to park with your steering straight.

I could not explain it any better. Let me see if I can find something better to explain this.

vivekiny2k · 6th August 2008, 23:20

no vikram, that force only comes in play when the car is moving. in a stationary car there is no counter steering force.

there is another thread on this. and the conclusion was it really doesn't matter.

flipsyde · 7th August 2008, 02:31

Vikram, what you say hold true only when the car is moving. And besides that is also because the torque supplied to both of the driven wheels are more or less the same while the inner wheel has to move a lot lesser while the outer wheel has to move more to complete the same circle. Hence the steering straightens out.

mjothi · 7th August 2008, 08:11

I was told to always park it with the wheels straight by a cab driver back in Chennai. Reason he said was, when you keep it turned, there is a small inclination in the front and so its not good. The weight will be on the center of the wheel and not on the tyres. As if you have a bent wheel. Did I explained it clear? I doubt.

anupmathur · 7th August 2008, 08:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjothi

... The weight will be on the center of the wheel and not on the tyres. As if you have a bent wheel. Did I explained it clear? I doubt.

That explanation does not make much sense.
In any case, I do not recommend learning these things from cab drivers, who are, in our country, by and large illiterate!
There are well qualified people on this forum who'd give valid answers to such queries.

joecherian · 7th August 2008, 08:45

I too got a similar info from one of the TATA authorised service centres (btb I have an Indigo) and what he told was that if you park your car with the front wheels at an angle, it do have an adverse effect on the steering system.He told some facts to prove his point but I was in no mood to listen as I was busy planning my drive down to Cochin that evening.Anyways, I think this needs more research and fact findings to conclude.

speedzak · 7th August 2008, 08:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by anupmathur

In any case, I do not recommend learning these things from cab drivers, who are, in our country, by and large illiterate!

I disagree sir! Even illiterate people (not all) can teach us a very important lesson or 2 in our life. Literacy can never match experiences. It's better if one is literate too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by anupmathur

There are well qualified people on this forum who'd give valid answers to such queries.

I agree to this part. And the technical point of view on this matter can be explained well by the same. Where are they?
We've only had 2-3 technically correct responses here till now.

bblost · 7th August 2008, 09:07

In some countries for hilly roads there is a rule that the steering is kept in such a way that if the hand brake fails the car will hit the kerb and not roll down straight.

Am very sure this rule came in place after evaluating all the options.

Without power being supplied (as car is OFF) there should IMHO be no problem.

I prefer straight wheels in a level parking area because it looks good and also to cause lesser inconvenience to others. As the profile of the car is smoother.

sukiwa · 7th August 2008, 09:16

Quote:

In some countries for hilly roads there is a rule that the steering is kept in such a way that if the hand brake fails the car will hit the kerb and not roll down straight.

@ bblost:
It's discussed in this thread
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...k-incline.html

anupmathur · 7th August 2008, 09:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by speedzak

I disagree sir! Even illiterate people (not all) can teach us a very important lesson or 2 in our life. Literacy can never match experiences. It's better if one is literate too.

I guess that the way I worded it did not come across right. I made reference to 'these things', meaning the more tecnically complex or specific matters, which require thorough knowledge of the design principles underlying the specific assembly.
I am an engineer, and short of saying "I don't THINK it will lead to a problem", I cannot give a detailed answer, as I am not specifically an automobile engineer.

And yes, there are many car related issues on which I seek the opinion of car mechanics or taxi drivers, illiterate as they might be.

6th August 2008, 16:30	#1
joecherian BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Almhult,Sweden Posts: 552 Thanked: 80 Times View My Garage	Park your cars with wheels aligned straight? Hi, I have a question regarding the way you park the cars.Will there be any effect on the steering system of the car ,(i mean the modern cars with all those fundu power steering stuff) in case I park my car with wheels aligned in any other direction other than being straight ?
	() Thanks

6th August 2008, 19:36	#3
vikram_d Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,427 Thanked: 1,185 Times	There will be no effect on the power steering but a lot of other parts like drive shafts, ball joints etc will be under stress if the wheels are not straight.
	() Thanks

6th August 2008, 20:43	#4
dadu Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 3,803 Thanked: 463 Times View My Garage	The "power" part of the vehicle "steering" disengages once you switch it off, whether electric or hydraulic actuated.
	() Thanks

6th August 2008, 22:36	#6
vikram_d Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,427 Thanked: 1,185 Times	Ok. Let me see if I can explain this. When you turn the steering, the steering column transfers that force onto the drive shaft and other related components to turn your wheels. So when you park with the wheels at an angle the steering parts exert an opposite force. Have you noticed how when you take a U Turn the steering tends to straighten out when you let go of yoru grip on it. This force is continously exerted on the steering column when you park with you wheels cross and not straight. When the steering is straight there is no force being exerted on these parts. Therefore it is always ideal to park with your steering straight. I could not explain it any better. Let me see if I can find something better to explain this. Last edited by vikram_d : 6th August 2008 at 22:46.
	(1) Thanks

6th August 2008, 23:20	#7
vivekiny2k Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: cincinnati, jabalpur,chennai Posts: 1,264 Thanked: 211 Times View My Garage	no vikram, that force only comes in play when the car is moving. in a stationary car there is no counter steering force. there is another thread on this. and the conclusion was it really doesn't matter.
	() Thanks

7th August 2008, 02:31	#8
flipsyde BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Chennai Posts: 644 Thanked: 84 Times	Vikram, what you say hold true only when the car is moving. And besides that is also because the torque supplied to both of the driven wheels are more or less the same while the inner wheel has to move a lot lesser while the outer wheel has to move more to complete the same circle. Hence the steering straightens out.
	() Thanks

7th August 2008, 08:11	#9
mjothi Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 3,290 Thanked: 232 Times View My Garage	I was told to always park it with the wheels straight by a cab driver back in Chennai. Reason he said was, when you keep it turned, there is a small inclination in the front and so its not good. The weight will be on the center of the wheel and not on the tyres. As if you have a bent wheel. Did I explained it clear? I doubt.
	() Thanks

7th August 2008, 08:45	#11
joecherian BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Almhult,Sweden Posts: 552 Thanked: 80 Times View My Garage	I too got a similar info from one of the TATA authorised service centres (btb I have an Indigo) and what he told was that if you park your car with the front wheels at an angle, it do have an adverse effect on the steering system.He told some facts to prove his point but I was in no mood to listen as I was busy planning my drive down to Cochin that evening.Anyways, I think this needs more research and fact findings to conclude.
	() Thanks

7th August 2008, 09:07	#13
bblost Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 11,101 Thanked: 16,277 Times View My Garage	In some countries for hilly roads there is a rule that the steering is kept in such a way that if the hand brake fails the car will hit the kerb and not roll down straight. Am very sure this rule came in place after evaluating all the options. Without power being supplied (as car is OFF) there should IMHO be no problem. I prefer straight wheels in a level parking area because it looks good and also to cause lesser inconvenience to others. As the profile of the car is smoother.
	() Thanks