Gear stick: Difference between revisions

A '''gear stick''' (rarely spelled ''gearstick''),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/gear-lever|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150412155351/http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/gear-lever|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 12, 2015|title=gear lever -– Definition of gear lever in US English by Oxford Dictionaries|website=Oxford Dictionaries -– English}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/gear-lever?a=british|title=gear lever Meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary|website=dictionary.cambridge.org}}</ref> '''gear lever''' (both [[British English|UK English]]), '''gearshift''' or '''shifter''' (both [[American English|U.S. English]]), more formally known as a '''transmission lever''', is a [[metal]] lever attached to the [[transmission (mechanics)|transmission]] of an [[automobile]]. The term ''gear stick'' mostly refers to the shift lever of a [[manual transmission]], while in an [[automatic transmission]], a similar lever is known as a '''gear selector'''. A gear stick will normally be used to change gear whilst depressing the [[clutch]] pedal with the left foot to disengage the [[engine]] from the [[Powertrain|drivetrain]] and [[wheel]]s. Automatic transmission vehicles, including [[automatic transmission|hydraulic (torque converter) automatic transmissions]], [[automated manual transmission|automated manual]] and older [[semi-automatic transmission]]s (specifically clutchless manuals), like ''[[Autostick|VW Autostick]]'', and those with [[continuously variable transmission]]s, do not require a physical clutch pedal.

Gear sticks are most commonly found between the front seats of the vehicle, either on the [[Center console (automobile)|center console]] (sometimes even quite far up on the [[dashboard]]), the transmission tunnel (erroneously called a console shifter when the floor shifter mechanism is bolted to the transmission tunnel with the center console to cover up the shifter assembly when used with a rear or front-wheel drive vehicle), or directly on the floor. Some vehicles have a [[Manual transmission#columnColumn-mounted shifter|column shift]] where the lever is mounted on the [[steering column]] —{{snd}} in vehicles with a manual four-speed gearbox such as 1950s Mercedes-Benz cars and all two-stroke [[Trabant]]s, this is actually a manual gear lever connected to the gearbox with a linkage. In automatic transmission cars, the lever functions more like a gear selector, and, in modern cars, does not necessarily need to have a shifting linkage due to its shift-by-wire principle. It has the added benefit of allowing for a full width bench-type front seat (though some models with bucket seating as an option include it). It has since fallen out of favor, although it can still be found widely on North American-market [[pick-up truck]]s, vans, emergency vehicles (both law enforcement and EMS -{{snd}} the column shifter is retained where a floor shifter is unfeasible due to mounting the mobile data terminal and 2-way radio), and "full-size" US sedans such as the [[Ford Crown Victoria]]. A [[dashboard]] mounted shift was common on certain French models such as the [[Citroën 2CV]] and [[Renault 4]]. Both the [[Bentley Mark VI]] and the [[Riley Pathfinder]] had their gear lever to the right of the [[right-hand drive]] driver's seat, alongside the driver's door, where it was not unknown for British cars to also have their [[Hand brake|handbrake]]. ([[Left-hand drive]] models received a column shift.)

A knob, variously called gear knob, shift knob, gear shift knob or stick shift knob, forms the handle for the gear stick. Typically the gear knob includes a diagram of the ''shift pattern'' of the gear selection system, i.e. the positions to which the gear stick should be moved when selecting a gear. In some older manual transmission vehicles, the knob may incorporate a switch to engage an [[Overdrive (mechanics)|overdrive]]; in some automatic transmission vehicles it may incorporate a switch to engage a special mode such as a sports mode or to disengage overdrive. Both of the above-mentioned switches may also be found on the console or on steering column stalks instead. Manual shifters on the steering column, if having only three forward speeds, are typically called a "''three on the tree"'', and floor shifters having four forward speeds, are called ''four-on-the-floor''.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.autoweek.com/car-life/columns/a34301141/what-was-the-final-us-market-car-to-get-a-4-speed-manual-transmission/| title=What Was the Final US-Market Car to Get a 4-Speed Manual Transmission?| author=Murilee Martin| date=9 October 2020| access-date=1 February 2023| website=autoweek.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=https://royalexaminer.com/four-on-the-floor-once-cool-now-antique/| title=Four-on-the-floor: Once cool, now antique| author=Royal Examiner| date=17 October 2018| access-date=1 February 2023| website=royalexaminer.com}}</ref> The lowest of these gears, if set at a much lower ratio than a typical 1st-gear ratio, is often called a "''granny gear"''.

In some traditionalTraditional [[four-wheel drive]] vehicles therehave canone beor amore secondadditional gear"shift leverlevers" whichto engagesengage a [[gear ratio|low-ratio gearbox]], (used on tough [[terrain]]. Further), a similar-looking lever called a [[transfer case]] (which switches between two- and four-wheel drive), or engage [[Differential (mechanical device)|differential]] locks;. these areSome notmore "gearmodern leverstraditional vehicles combine the low-ratio gearbox and transfer case into one lever," howeverwith 3 positions: 2H (for 2-wheel drive in the standard high-ratio gearbox); 4H (for 4-wheel drive in the standard high-ratio gearbox); and 4L (for 4-wheel drive in the low-ratio gearbox).

[[File:Volkswagen_Passat_Estate_B8_6-speed_gear_shifter.jpg|thumb|6-speed gear shifter fromin a 2015 Volkswagen Passat Estate]]

[[File:Schalthebel.jpg|thumb|Dog-leg gear lever in a [[Porsche-Diesel 218]] tractor (1959)]]

[[File:FIAT 500L gear shift.jpg|thumb|[[Fiat 500L]]6-speed manual gear shift within 6a speeds[[Fiat 500L]]]]

A typical manual transmission vehicle, with (for example) five forward gears, will thus have seven possible positions: the five forwards gears, reverse gear, and a central "neutral" position. Some vehicles have a special button to prevent accidental engagement of reverse. Others require that the lever be lifted (e.g. [[Nissan]]), pressed down (e.g. [[Volkswagen]]), or moved with extra force (e.g. [[BMW]]) to engage reverse. In transmissions with reverse directly below fifth, there may be a mechanical lock-out preventing selection of reverse other than from neutral, thus preventing a driver used to a six-speed transmission from engaging reverse while trying to select sixth. Some transmissions also have an electronically controlled [[pokayoke|error-prevention safeguard]] that blocks the first and sometimes the second gear from being selected if the vehicle is moving fast enough to exceed the engine's maximum RPM.

| [[File:Manual Layout.svg|125px]]

| This shift pattern is the most common five-speed shift pattern. This layout is reasonably intuitive because it starts at the upper left and works left to right, top to bottom, with reverse at the end of the sequence and toward the rear of the car.

| [[File:Manual Layout 2.svg|125px]]

| [[File:Manual Dogleg.svg|125px]]

| This shift pattern, sometimes called a [[Dog dog-leg gearbox|Dog dog-leg]] shift pattern is used on many race cars and on older road vehicles with three-speed transmissions. The name derives from the up-and-over path between first and second gears. Its use is common in race cars and sports cars, but is diminishing as six-speed and sequential gearboxes are becoming more common. Having first gear across the dogleg is beneficial as first gear is traditionally only used for getting the car moving and hence it allows second and third gears to be aligned fore and aft of each other, which facilitates shifting between the two. As most racing gearboxes are non-synchromesh there is no appreciable delay when upshifting from first through the dogleg into second.

This gear pattern can also be found on some heavy vehicles –{{snd}} such as lorries and tractors –{{snd}} in which first gear is an extra-low ratio for use in extreme standing-start conditions, and would see little use in normal driving.

| [[File:Manual Layout6.svg|125px]]

| This shift pattern is a typical pattern for a six-speed transmission. Six speeds is the maximum usually seen in single range transmissions, however many semi-trucks and other large commercial vehicles have manual transmissions with 8, 16 or even 20 speeds, which is made possible due to multi-range gearboxes. In such a case, Reverse is placed outside of the "H," with a canted shift path, to prevent the shift lever from intruding too far into the driver's space (in [[driving on the left or right|left-hand drive]] cars) when reverse is selected. Higher number of speeds in automobiles are rare occurrences, although examples do exist, such as the [[Porsche 991992|Porsche 911]], which is equipped with a seven-speed manual transmission (since the 2019 model an 8-speed [[dual-clutch transmission|PDK]] [[transmission (mechanical device)|transmission]] is also available; the [[Porsche 911 (classic)|classic Porsche 911]] has only 5-speed available as manual).

| [[File:Manual Layout4d.svg|125px]]

| Shift pattern for a 4-speed car. Also found in column shift (Citroën DS/ID and Peugeot 404 from September 1967 onwards). In some British vehicles, namely the Triumph Herald, reverse is on the opposite side (left-left-up not right-down).

| [[File:Manual Layout 3.svg|125px]]

| [[File:Column4MT.svg|125px]]

* P = Park -– transmission is mechanically locked in position for parking, via a [[parking pawl]].

* R = Reverse -– reverse motion

* N = Neutral -– no drive applied to the wheels with the engine running

* D = Drive -– forward motion with fully-automatic operation in all gears.

SomeMost modern gearboxes, namely [[manumatic]]s, such as [[Alfa Romeo]]'s ''Sportronic'', and [[Porsche]]'s ''Tiptronic'', hashave a traditional automatic shift pattern toon the left or right side of the gear selector, along with a specialconnected positionlongitudinal togate with "+" and "-" positions on the leftother side in which movement of the stickshifter forwardsforward and backward increments the gears up and down, respectively. This can be useful in snow or dirt conditions, where it may be necessary to start from second gear.

[[File:2010 Jaguar XF (X250) sedan (2010-10-16).jpg|right|400px|thumb|Interior of a 2010 [[Jaguar XF]]; with a rotary knob style gear selector on the central console]]

With the advent of [[drive by wire]] (or more properly, [[shift by wire]]) computer-controlled transmissions (particularly in the case of automatics), the gear stick no longer needs to be mechanically connected to the transmission unit itself, and can, therefore, be made much smaller since there is no need to package either remote mechanisms or complex interlocking arrangements. This has allowed designers to replace the gear stick completely with either button, rotary knobs (current [[Jaguar Cars|Jaguar]], [[Land Rover]] and [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]] models are good examples of this), or a miniaturized gear stick on the center console. This can be seen in some [[Audi]]s, [[BMW]]s and the [[Lincoln Continental#Tenth generation (2017–2017–2020)|Lincoln Continental]]. Japanese finger shift is another example. It is a revival of an approach used in the 1950s by the [[Chrysler PowerFlite transmission|Chrysler push-button PowerFlite]] and the [[Ultramatic#1956: Ultramatic and Touchbutton Ultramatic|Packard Touchbutton Ultramatic]].

In recent years, manufacturers have increased the variety of shifts knobs available to the consumer from inexpensive plastics to diamond-studded white gold.<ref>Yamamoto, Mike. (2007-03-06) [http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-9694174-1.html The $150,000 shift knob] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025011426/http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-9694174-1.html |date=2012-10-25 }}. News.cnet.com. Retrieved on 2011-06-13.</ref>

== WeightedSee shift knobsalso ==