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Official 2025 Ram HD

I for one much prefer a column shifter (since we can't get a manual anymore). Even if it was just connected to an electronic switch at least it is familiar to a lot of us and it's not like it takes up any useful room. One of the small town police departments in my area has a Ram 1500 with the dial shifter and I always thought it must be inconvenient compared to the column shifter with that big lever you can just reach up and slap into the appropriate gear when there is a lot of other things going on. Call me old fashioned but newer isn't always better.
 
I have never owned the dial shifter, but I have a negative perspective of them. They seem fine if you're just slapping them in drive and you're done, but doing quick forward and reverse movements seems like a pain. Maybe I'd get used to it, but the column shifter never bothered me, takes up almost no space, and I can put it in reverse or drive blindfolded, not that I'm driving blind, but it's just a nice positive experience.
 
If the column shifter has actual mechanical linkage/cable to the transmision then retaining it makes sense if it can be used to put the truck in neutral when it is dead.
If it is all shift by wire then I'd prefer the dial.
 
jsalbre said:
Because there’s no need for it. The column shifter was there to pull a cable. The ZF transmissions are electronically shifted. It’s like if they put a crank on the front of the truck to start it. Just as pointless as the center console shifters on the TRX, RHO, and GT.

It’s also ugly and in the way.
Ok, if you say so, electronically shifted through the 8 gears, what's that got to do with PRND?
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Brutal_HO said:
I was hoping for a push button setup like the 59 Fury.

View attachment 79455

Add a high beam foot switch and I'm in.
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If you want push buttons, go drive a new Tahoe/Suburban. Push, pull, punch, kick…depending on what gear you’re trying to pick…I personally think it’s a terrible system.
 

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RKCRLR said:
If the column shifter has actual mechanical linkage/cable to the transmision then retaining it makes sense if it can be used to put the truck in neutral when it is dead.
If it is all shift by wire then I'd prefer the dial.
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The dial trucks have a rip cord that is used to manually override the park and put it into nuetral. IMG_9271.jpeg
 
mbarber84 said:
The dial trucks have a rip cord that is used to manually override the park and put it into nuetral. View attachment 79472
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So, do we know if this ZF for the Cummins is going to actually have a mechanical park release built into the column shifter neutral position? Or, is the column shifter just a fly by wire switch just like every other ZF, with the parking pawl ripcord stashed away? Keeping in mind ZF uses all different ways to electronically switch their transmissions, but all have the rip cord (ie, TRX has a center console shifter “switch”, etc).
 
Jimmy07 said:
So, do we know if this ZF for the Cummins is going to actually have a mechanical park release built into the column shifter neutral position? Or, is the column shifter just a fly by wire switch just like every other ZF, with the parking pawl ripcord stashed away? Keeping in mind ZF uses all different ways to electronically switch their transmissions, but all have the rip cord (ie, TRX has a center console shifter “switch”, etc).
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No idea on that one.
 
Jimmy07 said:
So, do we know if this ZF for the Cummins is going to actually have a mechanical park release built into the column shifter neutral position? Or, is the column shifter just a fly by wire switch just like every other ZF, with the parking pawl ripcord stashed away? Keeping in mind ZF uses all different ways to electronically switch their transmissions, but all have the rip cord (ie, TRX has a center console shifter “switch”, etc).
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Don't know. I can ask but I believe the "test mule" has been pulled apart for inspections and scattered to the 4 winds at this point.
 
NMRam said:
If you want push buttons, go drive a new Tahoe/Suburban. Push, pull, punch, kick…depending on what gear you’re trying to pick…I personally think it’s a terrible system.
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Driving a GMC Terrain rental this week and that's horizontal on the dash above the cubby. Same thing in the larger Acadia. Ugh. My wife's new KIA Sorento is SO much nicer than these. People wonder why so many don't buy "American." (the Kia was built in GA.) The Acadia comes close, but at $5K less, the Kia is a win.
 
Brutal_HO said:
Driving a GMC Terrain rental this week and that's horizontal on the dash above the cubby. Same thing in the larger Acadia. Ugh. My wife's new KIA Sorento is SO much nicer than these. People wonder why so many don't buy "American." (the Kia was built in GA.) The Acadia comes close, but at $5K less, the Kia is a win.
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Had a Terrain as a rental last week myself. I have the same opinion on the horizontal button shifter. It's inconsistent (push-pull) and in a weird place.
 
jsalbre said:
Had a Terrain as a rental last week myself. I have the same opinion on the horizontal button shifter. It's inconsistent (push-pull) and in a weird place.
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The rental overall was disappointing. I usually get the pick of the litter at National as an Elite member, but at SNA you have to go through a booth attendant and the choices were all sh*t. This thing nearly had crank windows. Everything manual. My last rental was a nicely equipped VW Atlas, I usually get Palisade's, Wagoneer's, etc..
 
justpassinthru said:
And the starter "pedal" !
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Gotta go back a few more years for those. My dad's 49 Chevy pickup had the foot starter and a 3-on-the-tree.

Almost rolled that thing taking a turn too fast with a load of cut up bus scrap metal I was taking to the scrapyard when I was 15. We did have to pick up a few pieces. LOL.

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