2025 Ram Heavy Duty To Get New ZF Powerline® 8-Speed

[LegendaryLawman]

Definitely.
The knob shifter makes sense and will likely be the choice they go with. It’s readily available and also cleans up the dash and interior. No more rubber boots to wear out and no loose 10mm bolt causing a loose shifter.

As you already know, I’ll pass

 

[Brutal_HO]

Definitely.
The knob shifter makes sense and will likely be the choice they go with. It’s readily available and also cleans up the dash and interior. No more rubber boots to wear out and no loose 10mm bolt causing a loose shifter.

Rental car this week, Hyundai Sonata, has a little stubby column "shifter" that just twists back and forth. Nearly as dumb as some of the dash mounted push buttons or levers like Lincoln and anything else with a mini-van-ish sloped dash. Only saving grace is it self parks when you push the ignition button.

Personally, I wouldn't really have a problem with the current knob setup, have used it on some rentals and it does just fine. I would miss the tactile feedback from the leather column shift knob...

 

[mbarber84]

Rental car this week, Hyundai Sonata, has a little stubby column "shifter" that just twists back and forth. Nearly as dumb as some of the dash mounted push buttons or levers like Lincoln and anything else with a mini-van-ish sloped dash. Only saving grace is it self parks when you push the ignition button.

Personally, I wouldn't really have a problem with the current knob setup, have used it on some rentals and it does just fine. I would miss the tactile feedback from the leather column shift knob...

Check out the column shifter PACCAR is using in the trucks equipped with the TX-8 (ZF-Powerline)

Not sure if that’s actually a PACCAR product, or if it’s a rebranded ZF component the same as the transmission itself.

 

[Brutal_HO]

This thing is hideous and just plain weird to use.

 

[AH64ID]

I’m not the biggest fan of knob shifters, but that’s really not much different than what we have now.

What I really want back is a manual transfer case lever. I shift in and out of 4wd all the time on dirt roads and find the electronic transfer case annoying and slow, I also don’t trust it’ll last very long with constant use.

 

[LegendaryLawman]

I’m not the biggest fan of knob shifters, but that’s really not much different than what we have now.

What I really want back is a manual transfer case lever. I shift in and out of 4wd all the time on dirt roads and find the electronic transfer case annoying and slow, I also don’t trust it’ll last very long with constant use.

I’ll agree with you that I’ll miss my old t case shifter in my 3rd gen ram. The 2nd gen was kinda weird with the vacuum issues and with high miles they would rattle a lot

 

[Grateful Dad]

I actually liked having the manual lever tcase in my Tradesman though you still have to wait on the CAD to shift

 

[AH64ID]

I actually liked having the manual lever tcase in my Tradesman though you still have to wait on the CAD to shift

If I had a manual transfer case I’d want a manual CAD switch to leave it locked on all the back roads for quicker in and out of 4wd.

 

[jsalbre]

If I had a manual transfer case I’d want a manual CAD switch to leave it locked on all the back roads for quicker in and out of 4wd.

I’ve never seen a manual CAD shifter, but you can buy a one piece axle shaft and eliminate the CAD altogether.

 

[AH64ID]

I’ve never seen a manual CAD shifter, but you can buy a one piece axle shaft and eliminate the CAD altogether.

Yeah that’s an option too.

BD has their 2Lo kit, so I figure you could reverse engineer it to keep it locked instead of unlocked.

 

[jsalbre]

Yeah that’s an option too.

BD has their 2Lo kit, so I figure you could reverse engineer it to keep it locked instead of unlocked.

Hmm, that’s an interesting idea.

 

[Brutal_HO]

I’ve never seen a manual CAD shifter, but you can buy a one piece axle shaft and eliminate the CAD altogether.

Installed a manual CAD shifter on a buddy's 94 12 valve.

 

[gimmie11s]

Check out the column shifter PACCAR is using in the trucks equipped with the TX-8 (ZF-Powerline)
View attachment 71867
Not sure if that’s actually a PACCAR product, or if it’s a rebranded ZF component the same as the transmission itself.

Our new Peterbuilt Cummins x15 equipped trucks have this exact shifter.

It's weird.

 

[mbarber84]

Our new Peterbuilt Cummins x15 equipped trucks have this exact shifter.

It's weird.

Must be a PACCAR component specifically then. Which auto transmission is behind the X15?

 

[gimmie11s]

Must be a PACCAR component specifically then. Which auto transmission is behind the X15?

Eaton 12 speed Endurant.

 

[Nothotdog]

Thought I'd share a video with a diesel mechanic's thoughts. He seems to have fairly reasonable points (but I'm not well versed in any of this)