For those that do not like the Dial Shifter

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markusaf81

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In my nearly 19 years of driving I have never shut a vehicle with an automatic off while in gear.. until I bought this truck. I live 2 houses in off a main road and I back my vehicles in. On more than one occasion now I've had somebody come flying around the corner and as I go to quickly shift in R either the AC gets shut off or the volume to the stereo. I love the truck but damn is that a dumb design considering how many other knobs are in close proximity to the shift knob.

This, been driving for 20 years. I have never shut a vehicle off in park until this truck.

I used my column shifter to rest my hand, also, I could always tell what gear I was in without looking based on the feel when shifting.

My last complaint, I'm 6'3 and I have to bend forward to reach the knob, not a huge deal but if there was ever an emergency or a reason to throw the truck in par, reverse, or drive, it would take an extra second, not counting the time it would take for me to ensure I was in the right gear.

Had this truck for 14 months, still don't like it
 

Mazer

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For me the dial is a "deal breaker". I went to my RAM dealer thinking I wanted another 1/2 ton truck, but I see dials instead of a column or console shifter. I drive my trucks off-road, have done so for over 40 years...almost always used a Jeep though....well had a J10 too! So, what happens if you are camping and you run your battery dead running a bunch of camp stuff and forgot to turn something off?? Lets see, you have to remove a panel, have a tool so you can hopefully get this thing into neutral...will I have to rock the vehicle to get it into neutral? Not sure didn't say...so...okay, there is one negative...but lets see...again, battery dies for SOME reason...happened to me A LOT in the past..and always not near a battery store....can I put this into neutral and push the vehicle to "jump start it"? Umm....no? Not sure I want to try it, but if I did, I again, need to remove a panel and have a tool, or you are just out of luck!
So, bottom line, I went back to my dealer and purchased a 2018 Power Wagon, the only negative here is the thing is larger than I originally planned, and pushing this thing to get it started might require more peeps than I have when out in the woods! But usually there is at LEAST four of us so we should be able to get this thing moving. Plus, I can just put it in neutral and tow it out without requiring tools to even get me to this point! I think i'd have to remove that little panel and leave it off for ever! Did I mention my trucks get used a LOT and we go to some very remote places?
So...dial shifter....nope, negative....never!
Just my opinion of course!

PS - If I was ONLY going to use this on the road....then I could get used to it! But if you are going to dress a truck up for "offroad" I"M LOOKING AT YOU REBEL! Then maybe they should offer something a little more off road friendly? OR maybe publish some real world experience using this dial off road camping and having issues that ALWAYS seem to happen when you are out in the sticks?
 
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fraleywp

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As much as I didn't think I would like it, I do like it. It is much more useful having the space in the center console. I still find myself reaching for the shifter but I haven't had the truck a whole month yet.

My 66 Mustang has a floor shifter auto. I eventually plan on converting it to a T5 though.

I also have a 6 speed 2010 Camaro, so that solves any need I have for using a shifter.

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Gone

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I remember back in 2016 when i was truck shopping i really wanted a Ram 1500,walked into a Dodge dealership, as soon as i saw that stupid dial shifter thing walked out and got a new Silverado..
 

JB1

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I remember back in 2016 when i was truck shopping i really wanted a Ram 1500,walked into a Dodge dealership, as soon as i saw that stupid dial shifter thing walked out and got a new Silverado..

And 2 years later you sold that POS and bought a Ram anyway :happy175:
 

huntergreen

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For me the dial is a "deal breaker". I went to my RAM dealer thinking I wanted another 1/2 ton truck, but I see dials instead of a column or console shifter. I drive my trucks off-road, have done so for over 40 years...almost always used a Jeep though....well had a J10 too! So, what happens if you are camping and you run your battery dead running a bunch of camp stuff and forgot to turn something off?? Lets see, you have to remove a panel, have a tool so you can hopefully get this thing into neutral...will I have to rock the vehicle to get it into neutral? Not sure didn't say...so...okay, there is one negative...but lets see...again, battery dies for SOME reason...happened to me A LOT in the past..and always not near a battery store....can I put this into neutral and push the vehicle to "jump start it"? Umm....no? Not sure I want to try it, but if I did, I again, need to remove a panel and have a tool, or you are just out of luck!
So, bottom line, I went back to my dealer and purchased a 2018 Power Wagon, the only negative here is the thing is larger than I originally planned, and pushing this thing to get it started might require more peeps than I have when out in the woods! But usually there is at LEAST four of us so we should be able to get this thing moving. Plus, I can just put it in neutral and tow it out without requiring tools to even get me to this point! I think i'd have to remove that little panel and leave it off for ever! Did I mention my trucks get used a LOT and we go to some very remote places?
So...dial shifter....nope, negative....never!
Just my opinion of course!

PS - If I was ONLY going to use this on the road....then I could get used to it! But if you are going to dress a truck up for "offroad" I"M LOOKING AT YOU REBEL! Then maybe they should offer something a little more off road friendly? OR maybe publish some real world experience using this dial off road camping and having issues that ALWAYS seem to happen when you are out in the sticks?


Can you do a rolling jump start on you power wagon ?
 

huntergreen

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Took me about a month to get used to the shift knob. Keep in mind, in the 50s and 60s, push button shifter on the dash wasn't all that uncommon. This is just a different variations of that.
 

Mazer

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Can you do a rolling jump start on you power wagon ?
Ha! It is heavy....maybe....haven't tried it yet. Honestly, not sure if you can even do it or not, it IS an automatic after all. But at least I can just throw it in neutral and pull it with a tow strap without requiring a tool and removing a panel! Might be easier just to bring along an extra battery or two!
 

Sportznut

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Maybe it should be octagon or square shaped?

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crash68

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Honestly, not sure if you can even do it or not, it IS an automatic after all. But at least I can just throw it in neutral and pull it with a tow strap without requiring a tool and removing a panel! Might be easier just to bring along an extra battery or two!
You do realize you can use the vehicle key(or even a house key) to put the 8 speed into neutral. Who doesn't carry tools in their truck, especially if your planning on going way out into the backcountry?

Unfortunately the days of push starting a vehicle with a dead battery went away with fuel injection and automatic transmissions. The ECM has a start sequence that if sufficient engine rotation isn't detected at the right time, it will "time out" and the fuel is not injected.
 

Black W900

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These "I Hate The Dial Shifter" threads are hilarious!
The recurring thought that runs through my head is.....Did you test drive the truck before you bought it?
If the answer is yes, shut the hell up about it already.
If the answer is no, You're an idiot!
 

Jimmy07

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Ha! It is heavy....maybe....haven't tried it yet. Honestly, not sure if you can even do it or not, it IS an automatic after all. But at least I can just throw it in neutral and pull it with a tow strap without requiring a tool and removing a panel! Might be easier just to bring along an extra battery or two!
You can’t push start ANY modern day automatic transmission. You don’t have a screwdriver you keep in the truck with all the remote camping you do?
If you’re always running your battery dead, why lug extra batteries around, just buy one of these https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XY35D9...-ba5f-4d00cf6be912&tag=cumminsforumconvert-20
 

Mazer

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Yea, still working out the bugs (I am no mechanic, especially on the new electronic engines)...this is the first "auto" off road vehicle I've owned...so push starting the auto really isn't valid anymore I did "opt" for an auto so is what it is...but in my defense there was NO choice for a manual trans or I would have jumped on it!! I do always have tools, but the thought of opening the drivers door when the mud is up to the frame and trying to do things under the dash just did not appeal. Granted, I just looked at the "Dial shift" and said "hell no!' but, NOT because I had any real world experience of using it. I DID however get a loaner RAM that had the Dial shift after I bought the PW and honestly, glad I stuck with the wagon.
I haven't run a battery down to "dead" in quite a few years! I DO try to learn from my mistakes! But you know how it goes...sometimes having fun negates "logic" and the accompanying consequences!
 

markusaf81

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These "I Hate The Dial Shifter" threads are hilarious!
The recurring thought that runs through my head is.....Did you test drive the truck before you bought it?
If the answer is yes, shut the hell up about it already.
If the answer is no, You're an idiot!

Lol. So we can’t complain about anything or just the dial shifters?

In all reality, I’d love to be able to test drive a truck on a gravel road, paved, wet road, drive it in the snow, hook it to both my trailers, haul my camper to the mountains, and learn how to use every little item in a vehicle before I buy it, but that’s not an option.

People are allowed to complain about anything they want without some random guy on the internet telling them what to do.

Have a nice day sunshine.


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markusaf81

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Nothing humorous about it. People complaining about things leads to products being built.

Pedal lag=pedal commander

PCM Locked=diablo and a PCM

Want to change tunes=edge pulsar

Want running boards but don’t like the way they look=amp power steps

Don’t like the sag=here are aftermarket springs

Don’t like the look of the truck nose diving=leveling springs

If someone developed a product to alter the shift knob, I’d buy it. Hell, I just read a thread about a dead pedal being built.




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Jimmy07

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If someone developed a product to alter the shift knob, I’d buy it. Hell, I just read a thread about a dead pedal being built.




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I think you might be on to something. If someone could figure out how to attach a column shifter lever to the right side of the dial, that will solve all the problems that everyone is having in figuring out how to use it. I probably wouldn’t buy one though, as it took me about 10 seconds to figure the dial shifter out and get used to it.
 

Navy Six Zero

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Prefer a console or column shifter when shifting manually-the buttons on the steering wheel are not meant to drive aggressively.
 

Buck-One

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After owning two generations of Dakotas with the column shift, I decided to move up to a full size Ram. My son informed me that the newer 1500 series had the shifter knob and I thought "Awe Hell No!". So I considered buying a Chevy, for about an hour.
But I'm a Dodge/Ram guy and I told myself to suck it up and deal with it. It's been 8 months since I made the purchase and I never really think about the shifter because I'm too busy enjoying the truck.
 

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