[Raphael X4]

I was changing my front tires today.
The transmission was in Park with Emergency Brake activated.

With only 1 front wheel in the air, I thought the transmission would lock the front wheel from moving.
Why was I able to spin it?

[abbike18]

Originally Posted by Raphael X4

I was changing my front tires today.
The transmission was in Park with Emergency Brake activated.

With only 1 front wheel in the air, I thought the transmission would lock the front wheel from moving.
Why was I able to spin it?

The front wheels go in to the open front differential. The open front differential goes to the transfer case, where there is a viscous clutch that connects the front wheels to the output of the transmission. The rear wheels are mechanically connected to the output.

When you spun one front wheel, the power went through the differential and spun the differential input shaft at half the rpm you were spinning the single front wheel (bc that's how diffs work) which had no resistance when though the other front wheel was stopped (because it's an open diff). The diff input shaft went to the transfer case, where the fluid clutch was disconnected because you were in park. So it was allowed to spin with minimal resistance.

The parking brake is only on the back wheels.

[Raphael X4]

thanks, I was confused because my previous car was FWD only.

[deviation01]

Get some wheel blocks and you will be set.