Parking on hill.

[Chris]

So someone told me that where I park my car is bad for the suspension....

Basically there isn't much room in my driveway, and I park in the forest. (which has problems like pine needles always on my car.... but anyway)

It is a steepish incline and sort of sideways. So the car is sitting rear down hill, and sort of sideways.

So he said it is putting uneven force on the shocks and springs, and it will improperly wear them, or something like that.

He also told me it is bad for the transmission... but I always set my e-brake, release the brakes (so the car is sitting on the e-brake) THEN put it in gear (incase the e-brake fails), so there is no force on the transmission. So I know that part of what he said is crap. Leading me to believe the suspension thing is crap...

But... those of you who know more than I (probably most of you), does what he has to say about unevenly wearing my suspension hold any truth?

 

[Redline]

I'd be more concerned on the strain it puts on some of your bushings than what it does to your springs and struts (which, btw... are at a state of relative rest...) true rest, fwiw would be uncompressed which simply isn't happening.

I wouldn't pay any heed myself. But, that's just IMO...

 

[Chris]

I wasn't paying much heed either... I'm asking more from a curious standpoint than anything...

This isn't a high performance WRX... it is a 1996 legacy I drive around like an old grandma. Most of the time....

Which bushings would you worry about?

 

[MAINIAC XV]

If you alternately park your car front down & rear down then you will even out any strains on your car

 

[Chris]

If you alternately park your car front down & rear down then you will even out any strains on your car

Haha

Perfect solution!!

 

[topdeeni]

If you alternately park your car front down & rear down then you will even out any strains on your car

absolute genius

 

[Nigel Prodrive]

did you also know that DRIVING your suby is bad for the partZ, things kin wear out??!!

 

[Chris]

So I gather that this dude is full of it and has no idea what he is talking about

it isn't like it is a special car or anything... it is just an old subaru I plan on driving till it drive no more.

 

[Evan]

i'd raise the bs flag as well. keep in mind that springs generally dont wear, although they can sag. usually stock springs are already sagged by the time they get to the driver though. wear on the shocks comes from sliding. once the car is parked its done sliding up and down and doesn't much matter. i'd say the biggest problem would be a twisting force on the whole chassis, causing more chassis flex years down the road. i'd guess that the chassis flex between a 13 year old car and a 13 year old car that's been parked on a hill isn't too noticable though