Resting hand on gear shift

I don't do it. While direct downward pressure won't hurt, there is always a tendency to put forward or rearward pressure on the lever, and this will cause the shifter fork to rub on the syncro ring. This should only be the case, while shifting.

 

There are different views (pros & nays).
The pros say that since the shift lever runs through linkage (3x8's) wear is not taking place.
The nays (the group I am in - although for different a reason) point out that it be next to impossible to just apply vertical pressure (the point of the pros).
I used to be a private pilot and any pressure on the yoke/stick once the aircraft was trimed
for level flight would result in change wheither it air speed or altitude. So I figure considering driving on the road with all the changes in the surface I can not be sure I would not transfer laterial pressure.
Just my 2 cents.

Stephen

 

While having one hand on the gear shift knob does not particular harm;

How are you going to react in an emergency with only one hand on the steering wheel?

 

Funny this just came up - just last week I asked my F-wrench Carlo (servicing
Ferraris for 40 years) and he also says "don't do it" just to help avoid forward
pressure and causing fork wear. I'm finding it a hard habit to break, but as another
poster said, nothing wrong with keeping both hands on the wheel.

Jedi

 

If you ever saw a shift fork worn down paper thin, or blue from overheating against the slider, then watched the owner drive with his hand on the lever, you wouldn't ever ask this question again. Any extra force is extra load. Extra load is extra wear. Its like riding a motorcycle dragging your shoes on the ground and wondering why your soles are worn off.

 

I put my hand on my 3.2 Mondial shifter recently. Gave it the slightest forward and backword force and felt my transmission spinning through the shifter, cool, stopped doing it immediately.

 

Driving a Testarossa w/ no power steering I find that I always have two hands on the wheel.. Just keep your hands on the wheel and you'll be fine..

R

 

Well, there we have it. My New Year's resolution this year was to keep my mit off the lever.

Though, with gum on my boots I do try to burn it off by dragging them on the ground riding my Harley .

 

I would think the ball detent on the shift fork would keep small amounts of pressure on the shifter from doing anything negative to the trans.

 

Resting your hand on the shift lever is no different than resting your foot on the clutch pedal.

 

i see much damage from resting a hand on shift lever. Just do not do it.

 

I haven't give this much thought.

For some reason, I don't cruise with my hand on the knob in the 308, but did with the 330 and other manual trans cars I've owned, have been told it's not a good habit.

I guess the particular seat adjustment & angle I need make it uncomfortable.

Lesson learned: Keep your hand off your knob while driving.

 

Guessing good advice with any tiptronic or Valeo style.

 

Aside from mechnical damage, it's also not very good to drive with just 1 hand. If you watch the pros drive on youtube, you'll see that they only rest their hands on the shift lever to pre-empt their shifts and quickly place that hand back on the steering wheel immediately after the shift.

 

+++. Same here. If you need to dodge a squirrel or a 2x4 off the back of a truck, you WILL need two hands. On the other hand, I think it would take a lot of pressure on that gated shifter to make anything happen in the gearbox - just resting your hand there for a moment prior to a shift is probably IMHO not that big a deal.

 

Isn't tiptronic an electrically controlled system, not mechanical? If so, then resting your hand on the shifter should make no difference at all, as long as you don't press hard enough to trigger a gear shift. Same with paddle shifters... resting fingers on them does nothing until you press hard enough to cause a shift.

But I do agree with not resting your hand on the mechanical manual transmission shifter or foot on the clutch pedal. "Riding the clutch" can burn it out really fast. And, while we are at it, when you are stopped, don't hold down the clutch pedal. Put it in neutral and let off on the clutch, otherwise you'll cause premature wear on the throwout bearing (or so several mechanics have told me).

 

thanks for this.

 

DON'T DO IT.

 

how long is your arm? i rest my hand on the handbrake grip. i have to reach out for the gear lever.

 

More than long enough. In my M I have trained myself to rest it by the base of the stick. That way it is close at hand and I can shift without thinking but I don't have my hand on the stick.