Resting a hand on the shift lever while driving

[Shel_B]

A very comfortable position for me when driving sometimes involves resting my arm on the padded center console and gently laying my hand on the shift lever. I've read that one shouldn't rest a hand on the lever because it causes some unnecessary wear on the components. I've also heard otherwise, that there is no additional wear to be concerned about. In my case, I'm talking about an automatic transmission.

So, what is your opinion about this practice?

 

[kschachn]

Not an issue for an automatic transmission. There are detents in the shifter mechanism and that's all you're pushing against.

 

[Leo99]

I've heard the same as you but I'm having difficulty thinking that resting my hand on the automatic shifter will resonate down to the transmission.

 

[Vercingetorix]

10 and 2 or 9 and 3.

 

[IndyIan]

How many automatics still have a physical shift cable still? Even with that, if your detents aren't super sloppy, I doubt it matters.

 

[HemiBenny]

I can’t imagine how you could cause any wear on anything other than the material on the shifter itself by doing this.

 

[simple_gifts]

10 and 2 or 9 and 3.

They are teaching 8 and 4 to avoid a "Moe" when the airbag deploys.

 

[MRC01]

They are teaching 8 and 4 to avoid a "Moe" when the airbag deploys.

If so, that seems silly. If you go to a high performance driving school one of the first things they'll tell you is 9 and 3. It has the best car control. That's what you use when autocrossing and on the race track. Might as well use it all the time. The improved car control is helpful every time you drive, while airbag deployment may never happen in your lifetime. And if it does, the position of your hands on the wheel is likely to be the least of your worries.

 

[samven]

You mean a knee at 6 is not acceptable.

 

[WylieCoyote]

After so many years driving a manual, my auto shifter's second function is to serve as a hand rest. Won't hurt a thing. I have read opinions that stated this is bad for a manual transmission, but it never caused me an issue.

 

[dumkid]

if you rest your hand on a manual shifer and put enough pressure on it, you can wear out transmission parts faster. on an automatic you might wear out some pieces of plastic in the shifter assembly.

 

[Shel_B]

if you rest your hand on a manual shifer and put enough pressure on it, you can wear out transmission parts faster. on an automatic you might wear out some pieces of plastic in the shifter assembly.

What parts get worn out? Why is wear on an auto different than with a manual? Doesnt a manual have a shifter assembly? If one LIGHTLY rests a hand on the lever will there be wear?

 

[dumkid]

many rwd manuals the shifter is directly attached to the transmission. all the automatics I've seen have a cable. the weight of your arm isn't transmitted through a cable the same way it's transmitted to a shifter rod that's directly attached to the internals of the transmission. and on an automatic the shift cable just goes to a hydraulic valve that changes which mode the transmission is in

 

[dishdude]

I didn't know Toyotas were so fragile that resting a hand on the shifter would destroy one.

 

[vavavroom]

Shift hand rests on the closest knee of the girl in the passenger seat.
"Who's calling? HR? Again? You gotta be kidding."

 

[skyactiv]

Life is too short to worry about dumb crap like this.

 

[TCL]

I wouldn't touch the steering wheel either. You might wear out that linkage sooner on that too. You have to be careful with these things.

 

[joekingcorvette]

I rest my hand on the shifter all the time and have never had a problem with the transmissions on anything.

 

[demarpaint]

In a car with a manual transmission, yes if you're pulling on it a little. Automatic I don't see how.

 

[Marcozi]

Life is too short to worry about dumb crap like this.

It's not crap if your car has a manual transmission and a shift without a cable. Pressure on the shifter increases wear on the current gear's synchro.