No physical linkage between shifter and transmission???

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ClutchDisc
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Re: No physical linkage between shifter and transmission???

Post by ClutchDisc »

tankinbeans wrote:My dad used to drool about cars with the push button trannies. Could always put them on the steering wheel, I already have 18-21 buttons on my wheel, depending on how you count them.

Only half joking.
I don't have any buttons on my steering wheel. :mrgreen: Just the way I like it!
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potownrob
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Re: No physical linkage between shifter and transmission???

Post by potownrob »

i like cats
ClutchFork wrote:...So I started carrying a stick of firewood with me and that became my parking brake.
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Re: No physical linkage between shifter and transmission???

Post by tankinbeans »

potownrob wrote:i like cats
Me too. They're very clever.
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watkins
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Re: No physical linkage between shifter and transmission???

Post by watkins »

InlinePaul wrote:
Shadow wrote:....lots of newer cars don't have any physical connection between the gear selector and their automatic transmissions.
So then there is no advantage in having the selector lever on the floor taking up space. They should put it back on the steering column where it is out of the way, or better yet, go like my 1963 Dodge Dart had with the push buttons selectors on the dash board. But many think their car is cooler and/or faster with a big fancy knob on the floor? It sells.
Center console mounted shifters actually make a ton of sense. Your hatred of them is bizarrely intense. You bring it up every time you possibly can.

-For one, theyre way easier to be accurate when rapidly shifting between drive and reverse. Most column selectors are rather vague. It also becomes easier to add slapshift or similar gear selection features to a console selector.
-It is also far easier for different manufacturers to make a brand or model-identifiable selector. Theres only so much a stick from a column can be before it gets weird.
-Console selectors also distance passenger vehicles from utility vehicles like vans and trucks. This definitely falls into a marketing ploy, but its still valid.
-Unless the ergonomics are awful, console selectors are usually less intrusive to the cabin because they dont block anything on the dash.
-On a related ergonomic note: Lets face it, many people rest their arms on the armrest rather than holding the wheel. The selector is more convenient to reach.
-Having the selector in the center console helps prevent steering columns from becoming overcrowded. They also (unless we are talking about shift by wire) limit the adjustability of the steering wheel position because the cable has to maintain correct positioning.


The new Ram 1500s with the Pentastar have selector knobs on the dash. They are horrible. No vehicle should require so much thought to put in gear. Straightforward column and console shifters should not be f*cked around with.
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Re: No physical linkage between shifter and transmission???

Post by ClutchFork »

tankinbeans wrote:
potownrob wrote:i like cats
Me too. They're very clever.
Maybe we can teach them to work the PRND2L for us in automatic cars.
Stick shiftin since '77
theholycow wrote:Why in the world would you even want to be as smooth as an automatic? Might as well just drive an automatic...
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Shadow
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Re: No physical linkage between shifter and transmission???

Post by Shadow »

InlinePaul wrote:
Shadow wrote:....lots of newer cars don't have any physical connection between the gear selector and their automatic transmissions.
So then there is no advantage in having the selector lever on the floor taking up space. They should put it back on the steering column where it is out of the way, or better yet, go like my 1963 Dodge Dart had with the push buttons selectors on the dash board. But many think their car is cooler and/or faster with a big fancy knob on the floor? It sells.
Some newer cars with automatics have what looks like a small joystick (for lack of a better description) where you'd expect to see a traditional shifter/gear selector. Maybe pushbuttons on the dash aren't too far away. What's old is new again. Still though, carmakers tend to stick with familiarity when it comes to new tech, so I think the gear selector will stay put in most cars for now.
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ClutchFork
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Re: No physical linkage between shifter and transmission???

Post by ClutchFork »

watkins wrote:Center console mounted shifters actually make a ton of sense. Your hatred of them is bizarrely intense. You bring it up every time you possibly can.

-For one, theyre way easier to be accurate when rapidly shifting between drive and reverse. Most column selectors are rather vague. It also becomes easier to add slapshift or similar gear selection features to a console selector.
-It is also far easier for different manufacturers to make a brand or model-identifiable selector. Theres only so much a stick from a column can be before it gets weird.
-Console selectors also distance passenger vehicles from utility vehicles like vans and trucks. This definitely falls into a marketing ploy, but its still valid.
-Unless the ergonomics are awful, console selectors are usually less intrusive to the cabin because they dont block anything on the dash.
-On a related ergonomic note: Lets face it, many people rest their arms on the armrest rather than holding the wheel. The selector is more convenient to reach.
-Having the selector in the center console helps prevent steering columns from becoming overcrowded. They also (unless we are talking about shift by wire) limit the adjustability of the steering wheel position because the cable has to maintain correct positioning.
Actually I kind of prefer even manual transmission cars to have the shift lever on the steering column, but for me there is no good reason for the automatic selector lever to be in the middle taking up space. The push buttons in the '64 Dodge Dart were perfect. We don't see huge knobs on radios because a small knob does the job. Likewise, what is the point of a huge lever just to pick between the mode of reverse or drive, 2 or 1. Yeah, I forget about those who like to manually shift automatics, but even then, push buttons would be a very positive way to do it.
Stick shiftin since '77
theholycow wrote:Why in the world would you even want to be as smooth as an automatic? Might as well just drive an automatic...
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Re: No physical linkage between shifter and transmission???

Post by tankinbeans »

I kind of like the rotary shifters found in higher end models, I've seen them on Top Gear and can't think of them off the top of my brain mush. Just dispense with the stupid J or zigzag patterns. Those get tiresome.
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Shadow
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Re: No physical linkage between shifter and transmission???

Post by Shadow »

InlinePaul wrote: Actually I kind of prefer even manual transmission cars to have the shift lever on the steering column...
I have a hard time understanding why anyone would want a shift lever on the column (on a manual transmission vehicle) at all. Honestly, I've never driven one, but I can't imagine that I'd like it nearly as much as a traditional console shifter.
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ClutchFork
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Re: No physical linkage between shifter and transmission???

Post by ClutchFork »

Shadow wrote:I have a hard time understanding why anyone would want a shift lever on the column (on a manual transmission vehicle) at all. Honestly, I've never driven one, but I can't imagine that I'd like it nearly as much as a traditional console shifter.
It's a lot of fun:

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Stick shiftin since '77
theholycow wrote:Why in the world would you even want to be as smooth as an automatic? Might as well just drive an automatic...
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Shadow
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Re: No physical linkage between shifter and transmission???

Post by Shadow »

I dunno....looks awkward and uncomfortable. Plus, could you imagine the linkage? Realistically, a floor-mounted shift lever that goes right through the floor and into the transmission seems like a much better idea.
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Re: No physical linkage between shifter and transmission???

Post by IMBoring25 »

The only real benefit I see to this is the ability to properly implement remote start on a manual (provided there was a switch to make sure the parking brake was also sufficiently applied to hold the vehicle in place).
watkins wrote:-Console selectors also distance passenger vehicles from utility vehicles like vans and trucks. This definitely falls into a marketing ploy, but its still valid.
Floor/console/dash-protruberance shifters are becoming more common than not in trucks and vans too.
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Re: No physical linkage between shifter and transmission???

Post by watkins »

Absolutely. I see them all the time in Rams. I personally prefer it. I love having a big console for storage. I have no interest in having more room for passengers.
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Re: No physical linkage between shifter and transmission???

Post by tankinbeans »

InlinePaul wrote:
tankinbeans wrote:
potownrob wrote:i like cats
Me too. They're very clever.
Maybe we can teach them to work the PRND2L for us in automatic cars.
They'd be more interested in shredding our legs to ribbons.
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InlinePaul wrote:The driving force of new fangled features to sell more cars [is to] cater to the masses' abject laziness!
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potownrob
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Re: No physical linkage between shifter and transmission???

Post by potownrob »

InlinePaul wrote:
tankinbeans wrote:
potownrob wrote:i like cats
Me too. They're very clever.
Maybe we can teach them to work the PRND2L for us in automatic cars.
if toonces were still alive, he'd be the cat for the job

ClutchFork wrote:...So I started carrying a stick of firewood with me and that became my parking brake.
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