Explain why the gated shifter? | FerrariChat

Explain why the gated shifter?

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by RSraddo, Mar 10, 2004.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. RSraddo

    RSraddo Karting

    Feb 11, 2004
    76
    Battle Creek, MI
    Full Name:
    Kyle Davidson
    I have always wondered why these are present in the Italian cars. Having never driven one I can only imagine it being a bit difficult to drive, it seems if you don't get it rid your in a guarenteed mis-shift. They look very neat and sporty but why are they really there?

    Kyle
     
  2. sherpa23

    sherpa23 F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 28, 2003
    9,992
    Rocky Mountains
    Full Name:
    Bastuna

    There's not much to it. It takes a little getting used to but it's not that big of a deal. I don't know why you would think there's a guaranteed missed shift, though. If you don't miss shifts with a conventional shifter why would you miss shifts with a gated one?

    The gated shifter is such a great part of owning a Ferrari, though. It's one fo the parts of the car with which you always interact and one that always sets the car apart from everything else on the road.
     
  3. RSraddo

    RSraddo Karting

    Feb 11, 2004
    76
    Battle Creek, MI
    Full Name:
    Kyle Davidson
    Sorry I put that the wrong way... I meant if your a bit off at first the gate can catch and pull you into the wrong gear :)

    Kyle
     
  4. ragtop

    ragtop Rookie

    Feb 9, 2003
    29
    The gated shifter worried me until I actually drove a Ferrari. It really isn't all that different than what happens underneath the leather boot of non-gated shifters. Ask any Chevy LS1 driver about missing shifts and you will see it isn't a matter of gated/non-gated but more a matter of the geometry of the shift path.

    Plus, the gate makes a neat mechanical snick-snick sound as you shift. Drive one and you will understand.
     
  5. Jimmy540i

    Jimmy540i Formula 3
    BANNED

    Jan 11, 2004
    2,494
    Los Angeles / NYC
    Full Name:
    www.Jimmy540i.com
    aint's it a Beaut' ?
     
  6. TigerAce

    TigerAce Formula 3

    May 29, 2003
    1,793
    Dallas, TX
    Full Name:
    Yoshi Ace
    It's a good question. I liked the look & feel of gated shift, but never thought why. I saw some other cars have a gated shift now, but never wondered why.

    As others said in their posts, missing gear change shouldn't be the reason.

    Yoshi
     
  7. ross

    ross Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Mar 25, 2002
    36,208
    houston/geneva
    Full Name:
    Ross
    the gated shifter was originally designed to delay the gear shift by a fraction of a second because the old transmissions were not really up for speed-shifting all day long or during a race. it then became part of the cache of ferraris and was kept for that reason.

    they are not difficult to get used to, and i frankly like the click-clack and have now gotten so used to a gate that when i am not in a gated car, i get paranoid about not being in the right gear etc. so given a choice i'll take the gate (and since that pretty much guarantees that i'd be in a ferrari or lambo thats pretty good).
     
  8. gabriel

    gabriel Formula 3

    Every now and again, I see a gate shift plate for sale that has been slightly modded for smoother/faster shifting.

    Has anyone used one?
     
  9. I love gated shifters alot better then the leather boot, Looks cleaner and you can tell its italian.
     
  10. 134282

    134282 Four Time F1 World Champ
    BANNED

    Aug 3, 2002
    40,647
    California
    Full Name:
    Carbon McCoy
    When i first got my Saturn, i desperately searched for a gate for my car, but to no avail... i wanted it so i could practice...

    Turns out i didn't need it, anyway... First time i drove a Ferrari (Mondial 3.2 Cabriolet), shifting was a breeze... A Malibu breeze... :D
     
  11. Napolis

    Napolis Three Time F1 World Champ
    Honorary Owner

    Oct 23, 2002
    32,118
    Full Name:
    Jim Glickenhaus
    You can also tell what gear you're in by feeling the gate and on banked race courses such as Daytona it helped keep the lever in the gear you wanted. The gated shifter in the P4 is sequential as well you can't go from 5th to 3rd without going through 4th. This prevents accidental over speeding on downshifting. The Zf GT 40 boxes were also like this although many removed this feature. The T44 in the MK-IV is gated but not sequential. The Zf isn't gated but many race cars were.
     
  12. sherpa23

    sherpa23 F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 28, 2003
    9,992
    Rocky Mountains
    Full Name:
    Bastuna


    James,
    That's pretty damn cool. How is the shifter on the P4 configured? I can't picture a sequential gated shifter. Sorry if this is a dumb question.
     
  13. Uberpower

    Uberpower Formula 3
    Rossa Subscribed

    Feb 6, 2004
    1,043
    I assume that it's entirely because of the following:


    wwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-click-click-wwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

    There is no cooler sounding shift sequence on the planet.
     
  14. PSk

    PSk F1 World Champ

    Nov 20, 2002
    17,673
    Tauranga, NZ
    Full Name:
    Pete
    Hmmm shouldn't that be click-clack ;), actually seriously, have a look in any historic race car, most had gated shifters.

    My guess is that in the early days the designers thought that they needed it to ensure the selection of the appropriate shifter rod, and thus the shifter mechanisim was simplier.

    Then gearboxes advanced or this was proved redundant but Ferrari continued ...

    Ferrari were definitely NOT the first to use gated shifters, I think you could turn the clock back a good 30 years for the first.

    Villeneuve (the real one) used to get real pissed at Ferrari for their gated shifter in his 312T4, as it slowed his changes down ...

    While Jims comments would be relevant and there is nothing like confirming you are in the gear you thought you were in, they are now asthetically pleasing things that have no function ... other than that click-clack, which is good enough for me :D

    Pete
     
  15. Tennlee

    Tennlee Formula Junior

    Feb 10, 2002
    645
    Great Smoky Mountains
    What he said. I love it.
     
  16. Napolis

    Napolis Three Time F1 World Champ
    Honorary Owner

    Oct 23, 2002
    32,118
    Full Name:
    Jim Glickenhaus
    It looks like a regular gated 5 speed. The mechanism is inside the shifter.
    I'll shoot a photo. Remember the box is not sequential the shifter is.
    Pete
    At 3am. in the rain I bet I'm not the only one who didn't want to look away to make sure I was in the gear I thought I was in.
    Best
     
  17. Bryan

    Bryan Formula 3

    Not all Ferraris had gated shifters; essentially only those with transaxles.

    None of the 2+2s up to 412i had gated shifters.
     
  18. mbmike

    mbmike Formula Junior

    Oct 31, 2003
    752
    Never having driven a manual car before, it seems to be like a gated shifter would actaully be easier to use, because it would be easier to tell what gear you are in, and easier to not miss a shift since you can see where you are going....
     
  19. jdb

    jdb Formula Junior

    Nov 16, 2003
    273
    Northern California
    Full Name:
    Jeremy
    Anyone know of a sound file that captures this well (e.g., mic mounted near the gated shifter)?
     
  20. sherpa23

    sherpa23 F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 28, 2003
    9,992
    Rocky Mountains
    Full Name:
    Bastuna
    Thanks, James. I am looking forward to seeing a pic. I can sort of envision a mechanism on the shifter itself, preventing double changes.
     
  21. Throttleman

    Throttleman Formula Junior

    Sep 26, 2003
    340
    Pasadena,CA
    Full Name:
    Jay Ablett
    This is the sound I make up pending the purchase of my first F-car in my Mercedes (and any other car I happen to be in at the time). It sometimes keeps me awake at night. What does that say about hertiage? Definitely a part to the nostalgia of Ferrari.
     
  22. Mitch Alsup

    Mitch Alsup F1 Veteran

    Nov 4, 2003
    9,252
    Here I always thought it went:

    wwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-snick-snick-wwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
     
  23. Jimmy540i

    Jimmy540i Formula 3
    BANNED

    Jan 11, 2004
    2,494
    Los Angeles / NYC
    Full Name:
    www.Jimmy540i.com


    wwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-clang-clong-wwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh......... if you ask me :D
     
  24. enzoz

    enzoz Karting

    Nov 2, 2003
    162
    SF Bay Area
    Full Name:
    Rob
    Ferrari nerds....
     
  25. coolestkidever

    coolestkidever F1 Veteran

    Feb 28, 2004
    5,538
    NJ
    Full Name:
    Patrick
    hey did my icon work
     

Share This Page