My advice is: leave the handbrake off and chock the wheels. If you leave the handbrake on, you can stretch the cable to the point where you will no longer be able to adjust it.
Incidentally, if you're leaving the van parked for any length of time, don't forget to rotate the tyres every couple of weeks or so, otherwise you can distort and weaken the sidewall.
Vic41 said
03:35 PM Jun 2, 2009
Good points Mike. Unfortunately I have a sloped yard with a sudden drop to the front of the house and if the van gets away it will end up in the lounge, so leave my brake on as an extra precaution as well.
Rotating I get a bit slack with, use the van at least once per month, however if I park it for any length of time put it on stands.
Vic
Wombat 280 said
04:34 PM Jun 2, 2009
Mate has the same parking problem sloping block so we put a tie down point into the parking bay and a short chain to the rear bumper bar just it case it decides to join him in his lounge room. I leave mine off to avoid the shoes growing to thew drums. I hope never to have the van parked long enough to worry about tyre walls getting out of shape but a good point to remember must move mine in the morning
Cruising Granny said
05:29 PM Jun 2, 2009
I thought this was a trick question. After some perusal I see you are serious.
I always use my brake and chocks. I don't want my home running off with me, while it's not hitched to my vehicle.
Safety and security first.
Are you sure you're not joking? Chris
Vic41 said
05:42 PM Jun 2, 2009
No joke Chris, read the links I posted, some of the posters there in the caravan repair industry among others. Varied opinions though.
Like the chain idea Wombat, lol!
Vic
Basil Faulty said
06:13 PM Jun 2, 2009
Handbrake off, chock the wheels. BECAUSE if you leave the handbrake fully on it can distort the drums by applying pressure to only portion of the drum.
Helena said
08:21 PM Jun 2, 2009
Thanks everyone for the info as we have never had a van before didn`t know of this. Always had a Hi Ace before so the problem of it sitting never arose. Helena.
To get the ball rolling here are some comments from elsewhere on the links below;
http://caravanersforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1964&p=22558&hilit=Handbrake#p22558
http://caravanersforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3633
Vic