Dial a shift pecularity

[JimGregory]

For the most part, the dial a shift seems pretty straight forward. But yesterday I was waiting at a light on a slight downhill incline. I dialed it into neutral as I have been doing all my life on other vehicles including standard transmission models. The light changes. I let off the brake and start rolling. The 10 cars behind me start rolling as well. Then I dialed it into drive and it just blinked at me. I had to come to a stop with my foot on the brake to get into drive.
I guess this is normal, but what a surprise and it made me very unpopular with the cars behind me. Particularly the care directly behind me as he almost hit me.
Any insight to this?

 

[cbsmith]

It will only shift if the truck is moving below a certain speed. If you try above that it won’t let you. Likely you were going above that limit when you shifted.

Next time just put it in drive when you start moving. Or just leave it in drive during the light.

 

[crash68]

I'm guessing you don't have the multi-page EVIC or it would have stated to press the brake to shift into drive.
You just need to put enough pressure on the brake to make the truck think the brakes are applied, then you can shift.

 

[JimGregory]

Dont know what a multi-page evic is but I will find out. I have the low end gauge set.
cbsmith leaving it in drive did occur to me.
I tried it this morning when I left my house with no one behind me. I could not duplicate the issue. So next time I try it, I will use different speeds and try a little brake. I surely wasn't going fast when I tried it yesterday so the threshold must be low.
None of this is earth shattering though. Seems like I am always trying to do things I shouldn't.

 

[David H]

With dial shift and 8 speed tranney it's 1.2 mph.

Same scenario when rolling out of the auto car wash. A light application of the brake pedal allows the shift to happen. No need to stop completely.

 

[Bondzai]

Out of curiosity, what is the point on putting an automatic transmission in neutral at a red light?

 

[JimGregory]

Out of curiosity, what is the point on putting an automatic transmission in neutral at a red light?

For my standard shift cars it's about the throwout bearing. For my automatics it's about clutch disk wearing. In my mind if it's try to pull and you don't let it, something is slipping against something else. Most likely in the torque converter.
I had a high stall converter put in my 01 Ram 1500 on the second tranny rebuild. I did NOT have to put it in neutral. It would roll backwards on an incline if I let it.
BTW the rebuilds occurred after I let them do a flush. Never again.

Do you need to do it? Definitely not. I just DO do it. Always have.

 

[cbsmith]

There isn’t any wear to clutch discs when sitting stopped in drive. The torque converter is a fluid coupling that slips to allow the car to stop. It will cause the fluid to heat up some but it isn’t really an issue unless you are going to be stopped for more than a 4-5 minutes.

 

[quietpeen]

this is normal behavior of the rotary shifter.

 

[BWL]

Thats a good heads up for me since I like to put the truck in neutral on long down grades and just ride it out at idle. I downshift on shorter or windy areas, but straightish downhills leading to an uphill I just let it build free speed at idle and let the upcoming hill do the braking.

 

[K-Dawg]

All of this shifting crap with the rotary shifter wouldn't be a problem if we had a manual transmission option in the trucks, or at least a console shifter, that you can just pop into neutral, any time you want, at any speed.....like in my Challenger. Needs a proper auto-stick for those who like to shift.

 

[JimGregory]

Cant replicate the issue. Oh well..just don't do it.

 

[Richmond2000]

I believe you NEED the brakes applied BELOW a set speed and NOT above as I have put it in N and back into drive at speed when I got it to see if it WOULD do that ind it does without needing brakes

 

[tap4154]

Only time I go occasionally to neutral in the Ram is waiting in slow line or at a window at a drive-thru fast food joint. Never when on the road. Probably a habit OP got into with manual transmission to avoid killing the throwout bearing, but not required with an auto.

However, I have noticed that the Ram has a quicker tendency to creep forward if I don't keep a firm foot on the brake. Never was an issue with my old Ford, but I have found myself creeping forward a few times when very slightly relaxing my brake foot at stop signs.