Gave my pickup some TLC ...

[Hay Dude]

When I bought my Ram in 2020, I promised myself this will be the first truck I will let the dealer service it’s entire length of my ownership.

After 6 years, I have excellent service records and whoever buys my truck, will get one that was given impeccable service by only one technician, who went to Cummins diesel tech school and worked at my Ram dealer.

I hope it pays off, but my confidence level ain’t all that high….

 

[4570Man]

I dislike steering column shifters. A 1950’s design that takes up too much physical space for it’s purpose. It’s no longer a shift stalk connected to cables. It’s a giant electronic switch.
Time to go to an Allison style push button key pad.

View attachment 4416922


Or the Volvo truck shifter.

View attachment 4416923

But our smaller trucks need a park pawl.

My Volvo has a push button shifter and so did the Mack I drove. I honestly like the column shifter better. The button isn’t instant and you have to hold it down like 3 seconds.

 

[Hay Dude]

My Allison touchpad in my IH is instant.
No 3 second delay here.
2 foot long column shifter stalks that are simply an electric switch are a waste of space.

 

[4570Man]

My Allison touchpad in my IH is instant.
No 3 second delay here.
2 foot long column shifter stalks that are simply an electric switch are a waste of space.

What else were you going to put there? I think we can agree that the column shifter is a heck of a lot better than the console shifter.

 

[Hay Dude]

What else were you going to put there?

On the column? Nothing would suit me.

I think we can agree that the column shifter is a heck of a lot better than the console shifter.

I’d take a well placed Allison type pad on the dash, with a smaller +/- buttons on the steering wheel for manual shifting like my Ram has.

 

[4570Man]

My Allison touchpad in my IH is instant.
No 3 second delay here.
2 foot long column shifter stalks that are simply an electric switch are a waste of space.

I assume the Volvo one is shifting with air. I know it won’t take gear until it’s over 60 psi.

 

[Shawn T. W.]

The column shifter on my Kenworth, is on the right side of the steering column, twist it to shift to Drive, then flick it forward (away from you) to down shift one gear, pull back to up shift one gear ... Depress button on the end to lock it in gear.

My controls are electric, but the actual transmission is air operated, need at least 98 psi to go from neutral to either Drive, or Reverse ... Once in gear, if air pressure drops it will shift, until about 85 PSI ...

Yesterday morning I had to stop on a exit ramp, started to leave the stop sign and a car came, so back on the brakes, this has "hill assist" which spikes the brakes! Then I started to go again, another car came, did this four times ... Since it was already in gear, when I finally got going, I was down to 80 PSI! It would shift up until it built air up to 86 PSI

 

[dnw64]

smaller +/- buttons on the steering wheel for manual shifting like my Ram has.

That is one thing I miss on my F250. The +/- buttons on the column shift are not at all convenient.

 

[Oaktree]

I dislike steering column shifters. A 1950’s design that takes up too much physical space for it’s purpose. It’s no longer a shift stalk connected to cables. It’s a giant electronic switch.
Time to go to an Allison style push button key pad.

I don't mind the old-school column shifters, not sure how it "takes up too much physical space". Of course now that huge center consoles are pretty much the rule, might as well put the shifter there. I don't like it when automakers get "creative" with shifters...pushbuttons, knobs, that weird one on the pic of the Volvo truck you posted. My wife's car has one that works like a joystick, I find it really awkward and non-intuitive.
Yeah, I know it's all electronic now so a physical shifter isn't really necessary, but I find it much easier to use, and you can tell at a glance what "gear" you're in.

 

[Hay Dude]

I don't mind the old-school column shifters, not sure how it "takes up too much physical space". Of course now that huge center consoles are pretty much the rule, might as well put the shifter there. I don't like it when automakers get "creative" with shifters...pushbuttons, knobs, that weird one on the pic of the Volvo truck you posted. My wife's car has one that works like a joystick, I find it really awkward and non-intuitive.
Yeah, I know it's all electronic now so a physical shifter isn't really necessary, but I find it much easier to use, and you can tell at a glance what "gear" you're in.

I’ll tell you “how”. Try running 3 guys across the front of a regular cab, or 6 guys in a six pack cab. The front seat middle passenger’s left leg leaves little room for the automatic transmission column shifter. Especially bigger guys.

Plus it’s just an outdated stupid design to have a 24” long rod sticking off of the steering column to do the work a small electric stem, or touchpad could do.

Tractor trailers don’t have this problem, so why do pickups?