Pressure on the shifter

[Chocolate Thunder]

I got my Jeep yesterday and immediately took it on a 750 mile road trip. I noticed that in the driving position I sometimes press sideways against the shifter with my right leg, especially when using cruise control for extended periods. Is this something that will cause damage or problems down the road?

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[RockyMtnHigh]

Glad you finally got that thing! To answer your question, I think not. I assume your pressing against the transfer case shifter, which is the end of a series of linkages that go to the transfer case. The direction of pull that actually engages any of these gears is car forward and rearward. By pushing on the shifter towards the passenger side, all you're doing is torquing the last leg of the system, in a direction that has no affect on the gears themselves. That being said, I would still try to avoid pushing on it.

 

[Chocolate Thunder]

Thanks and thanks. Yeah, I’m not bearing on it with all my weight but driving with cruise engaged I move my legs/feet around to different positions periodically and sometimes I find my right knee/calf against it slightly. Not something I do intentionally and I try not to but on hours long stretches of cruise it’s bound to rest there some time.

 

[TheWingman]

I do this all the time, as well. Don't think it's going to hurt it.

 

[JeepDave]

Nice question. I was going to post about this and see if anyone else noticed this. I spent the 49 days waiting for my ship to come in going through the manual and spotted this little bit of advice. I don't know if you're talking about a manual or automatic, but this is in reference to the manual transmission. So I'm purposely keeping my hand off of it because of this. Sounds fragile...

 

[Chocolate Thunder]

I know not to hold onto a manual shifter while driving. I have an automatic and I was talking about the transfer case shifter.

 

[JeepDave]

I know not to hold onto a manual shifter while driving. I have an automatic and I was talking about the transfer case shifter.

Oh, I never heard that before, that's a thing?

 

[Chocolate Thunder]

Oh, I never heard that before, that's a thing?

You tend to put pressure on it with your hand while it’s in gear which ain’t great for it. Not necessarily horrible to touch it at all while driving, but regularly resting the weight of your hand on the manual shifter is s bad habit.

 

[JeepDave]

And here I thought I discovered a little known thing, it was news to me anyway. Haven't been doing that with my Jeep but sure would have been if I didn't read that.

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