Howdy all!

I park with my wheels turned for 3 reasons: 1) I use "the club" so it's tougher to steal my car (I know, "if they want it they'll get it"), 2) it's tougher to illegally tow my car (yes, that happens here), 3) if my parking brake and 1st gear snap my car won't roll down a hill (okay, I know those're both long shots). Today my friend says doing so hurts a car's suspension (any car, not just p5s). She couldn't offer any justification -- has anyone heard that before??

I assume since the contact patch to the ground is the same on both sides there's equal load across the struts and while there technically might be more hydraulic fluid on one side than the other (power steering) it should be well within specs and not hurt anything.

Has anyone heard this? Am I an idiot for parking like this? Is everyone in San Francisco forced by law to damage their suspension (ticketed if you DON'T park with wheels turned)??

Thanks!
Josh

 

I can't imagine it would hurt the suspension. I think it is required by law everywhere that you turn your wheels towards the curb when parking on a hill. I've parked on hills for years in San Diego (it is surprisingly hilly here in San Diego) and for years before that in Ventura, and I have never had a suspension problem. If it did cause damage, I'm sure there would have been lawsuits (especially in San Fran) against the city, county, and state by people who don't turn their wheels to the curb on hills and get tickets.

-Jerry

 

Thanks. I didn't think it made sense either, but I'm no car guru so I'd figure I'd ask just in case.

 

you friend is nonsense, I learned to park with the wheels turned to one side when parking on hills in driver ed.

 

If you leave it parked for too long, parking with the wheels turned can cause the bushings to settle in a different position and screw up the alignment, but it takes a *LONG* time for this to happen. Like a matter of months or years If you move your car more often than once every 4-6 months, don't worry about it.