Resting your hand on the stick...
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Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Seattle, WA
Resting your hand on the shift knob is just bad driving technique, although most of us do it at times. My black anodized Muz knob just feels too nice to take off at times 
But yes, it's best to always keep it on the wheel except when you shift.
And keeping your foot on the clutch pedal is a huge no-no. My first manual car was a 00 civic si and I wore the clutch out in a year (it only had 36k miles on it) because I rested my foot there all the time.
But yes, it's best to always keep it on the wheel except when you shift.And keeping your foot on the clutch pedal is a huge no-no. My first manual car was a 00 civic si and I wore the clutch out in a year (it only had 36k miles on it) because I rested my foot there all the time.
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Joined: Jul 2004
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From: San Diego, Wess-Side!!
Yes it's bad and I recall reading it in the owners manual also.
Your hand should only be on the knob during the shifting sequence and then immediately back on the steering wheel.
Tim
Your hand should only be on the knob during the shifting sequence and then immediately back on the steering wheel.
Tim
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Joined: Dec 2005
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From: Brentwood NorCal
Originally Posted by jeggy,Nov 8 2006, 06:54 PM
resting your foot on the clutch pedal is baayed. mmkaay..... the reason is that while your foot is on the pedal it puts a slight, very slight pressure on the system and just enough to disengage the clutch to the point where you dont sense/see/feel it slipping but it does ever so slightly. and this means accelerated clutch wear.
10lbs worth of keys and knick knacks on your keychain is baayed, mmmkaay... and how that is bad for your ignition switch is that it add leverage on your ignition key. with the bouncy bounce of driving down the road this will add up to the equivelant to jamming a blade tip screwdriver into the key slot and prying at it. mmkaay?
resting your hand on the shift knob is the same as above 2 situations. if you still need explanation the read on it you can get pass my speeeling errors.
as you rest your hand on the shift knob, you put a slight pressure on it to move out of gear or into gear or into a different position. as with the clutch, the pressure you put on it is soo slight that you may not even know it. but your trans knows it beacuse the slight pressure you placed on the knob is multiplied through leverge in the shift rods. so what you feel is resting your hands on the knob is actually just enough pressure in the trans at the shift forks to push it up aginst the next gear. that in turn speed up wear on your transmission parts.
10lbs worth of keys and knick knacks on your keychain is baayed, mmmkaay... and how that is bad for your ignition switch is that it add leverage on your ignition key. with the bouncy bounce of driving down the road this will add up to the equivelant to jamming a blade tip screwdriver into the key slot and prying at it. mmkaay?
resting your hand on the shift knob is the same as above 2 situations. if you still need explanation the read on it you can get pass my speeeling errors.
as you rest your hand on the shift knob, you put a slight pressure on it to move out of gear or into gear or into a different position. as with the clutch, the pressure you put on it is soo slight that you may not even know it. but your trans knows it beacuse the slight pressure you placed on the knob is multiplied through leverge in the shift rods. so what you feel is resting your hands on the knob is actually just enough pressure in the trans at the shift forks to push it up aginst the next gear. that in turn speed up wear on your transmission parts.
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Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Arkansas
So much bad info 
Resting your hand on the gear selector is bad as it causes premature wear to the synchros.
A synchronizer is essentially just a miniature conical clutch for each gear. It helps rotate the next gear up to the speed of the input shaft by engaging two friction surfaces.
Look, a synchro starts engaging way before the car ever gets into gear. So, if you put pressure on the shifter and the pressure goes in the direction of any gear, you are lightly engaging that gear's synchronizer.
SO... banging a car into a gear is like dropping the mini clutch a.k.a. sychro. Putting light pressure on the shifter is like holding the car on a hill with the clutch. It is just wearing away at the friction surface and shortening the life of the part.
Resting your hand on the gear selector is bad as it causes premature wear to the synchros.
A synchronizer is essentially just a miniature conical clutch for each gear. It helps rotate the next gear up to the speed of the input shaft by engaging two friction surfaces.
Look, a synchro starts engaging way before the car ever gets into gear. So, if you put pressure on the shifter and the pressure goes in the direction of any gear, you are lightly engaging that gear's synchronizer.
SO... banging a car into a gear is like dropping the mini clutch a.k.a. sychro. Putting light pressure on the shifter is like holding the car on a hill with the clutch. It is just wearing away at the friction surface and shortening the life of the part.
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From: NOR*CAL
Originally Posted by dmw16,Nov 8 2006, 06:06 PM
Is resting your hand on the stick actually bad for the car/transmission?
I usually rest mine on the side of the shifter along the shift boot so I'm barely even holding onto it.
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Joined: Feb 2006
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From: IN THE HOOD
Originally Posted by TJF,Nov 8 2006, 09:30 PM
So much bad info
Resting your hand on the gear selector is bad as it causes premature wear to the synchros.
A synchronizer is essentially just a miniature conical clutch for each gear. It helps rotate the next gear up to the speed of the input shaft by engaging two friction surfaces.
Look, a synchro starts engaging way before the car ever gets into gear. So, if you put pressure on the shifter and the pressure goes in the direction of any gear, you are lightly engaging that gear's synchronizer.
SO... banging a car into a gear is like dropping the mini clutch a.k.a. sychro. Putting light pressure on the shifter is like holding the car on a hill with the clutch. It is just wearing away at the friction surface and shortening the life of the part.
Resting your hand on the gear selector is bad as it causes premature wear to the synchros.
A synchronizer is essentially just a miniature conical clutch for each gear. It helps rotate the next gear up to the speed of the input shaft by engaging two friction surfaces.
Look, a synchro starts engaging way before the car ever gets into gear. So, if you put pressure on the shifter and the pressure goes in the direction of any gear, you are lightly engaging that gear's synchronizer.
SO... banging a car into a gear is like dropping the mini clutch a.k.a. sychro. Putting light pressure on the shifter is like holding the car on a hill with the clutch. It is just wearing away at the friction surface and shortening the life of the part.
it all depends on how one defines "resting". a casual rest does nothing. a more heavy-handed forceful rest that places measurable pressure on the shifter will do ... something.