Keeping your hand on the shifter while driving (but not shifting)?

http://www.rogueengineering.com/Merc...gory_Code=SNNN

 

Sounds like someone trying to sell something.

 

They are not trying to sell anything. Rogue Engineering is one of the most respected shops not only for their products but for their motor swaps and great workmanship. These guys have done a lot of motor swaps and the latest thing they did was a put an M3 motor in a 330i ZHP.

Here's a link to more pictures of them at work http://www.eurowerkz.com/re

Not only have I heard about this for BMW's but for RX-7's also, they are known to have a bad 5th gear eventually and many people blame for riding with your hand on the shifter. It's a no-no like Rogue says.

 

I've heard before that it's not a great idea.

 

You shouldn't have your hand on the shifter or your foot on the clutch unless you are using them.

 

hmm this is good to know... I have a habit of occasionally holding the shifter while cruising along

 

I'm not sure this applies to us?

 

i've heard this being a problem for B13 sentras too. people rest their hand on the shifter while cruising on the highway, the car will eventually develop 5th gear pop-out. i cant see it being too much different for our cars.

 

i have also heard this is true. ive also heard that somtimes you can actaully hear the grinding, but i dont know if that happens in our car and im sure you have to push hard for that to happen.

 

I can hear very very slight grinding when I do that cruising @ city speeds in 4th gear. I'd push the level backwards more but it stops if I let go of the shifter though. I stopped doing that of course

 

or could be for tranny that have the shifter directly in the tranny

 

rear wheel drive cars

 

That's what I think. Our shifter is located so remotely from the transmission, there is no force transmitted to the tranny internals from a hand resting on it.

 

Sure it can, if you put your hand on it you can move it a little. If it moves you are doing something. Like the moderator above said if its not being used you shouldn't be touching it.

 

Oh, what does he know?

If our transmissions were built like BMW's trannies and if our shift lever came right out of the top of the transmission like a RWD car's does, then maybe I'd be worried. There's just too much slop in our shift linkage for me to believe that a little bit of motion actually translates into gears moving inside the tranny. I guess it depends on how heavy your hand is.

 

Eh, me personally. I'd rather be safe than sorry. If it can happen to sentras, it could happen to us. But that's just my opinion

 

Yeah, you need more force to move the shifter in/out of gear.

 

There is an article about this in this month's car and driver. Can post when I go home and look at it.

 

I think resting is fine (for our cars) as long as you don't apply pressure.

 

How can you do one without doing the other?

 

word

 

good post
liugyliugy

 

Bought car with 36k miles. Now has almost 106. I have been resting my hand on the shifter with elbow on the armrest for 70k miles with no problems. It may be a problem for BMW's (pieces of crap ) but not for Maximas in my experience.
Don't believe everything you read especially on the internet and doubly especially if someone is trying to sell you something.

 

seems like it makes sense.. and seeing how weak our trannies are i would take every precaution i can.

 

automatic wins again!!

ok, well, not really.

interesting info; in every car I've ever driven with a manual tranny I've kept my hand rested on the shifter. not anymore, I guess, just incase.

 

Ijust thought this would be good to bring to people's attn.

 

very unlikely...how many here have gotten under the car and studied the setup ? shifter rests on bushings number one and linkage number two. the weight is on the bushing. Second when its in gear unless your "holding" it and not just resting on it the shifter wont move due to the play in the linkage. And unless your yanking it like you havent had any in years its not gonna do anything. RWD i can see a possibility due to the shifter IN the tranny. but unlikely my buddies camaro has over 65K on it and still no issues and he only drives with a hand on shifter and hand at top of wheel.....

 

When ur car is in 2nd or 3rd gear and ur rolling, press the gas lightly and realease it a few times and watch the shifter, mine moves fwd/bkwd slighty on its own. I've notice this on a rear drive camaro and my max so I guess its normal, anything to do with this?