Console to Steering Column Shifter Conversion - $800 Pre-Order

[HI Zeus]

In my opinion Ford screwed the pooch with the OEM shifter, primarily because of the motors that put it into park and fold it. If they had made it without the motors I bet it would have a +90% lower failure rate.

I'm not spending $800 on the column shift, so not investigating it enough to know if it also has a motor for shifting it into park for me (funny thing is, for 40+ years I always managed to do this at the appropriate times on my own!)

I've NEVER been a fan of the dial set up. Like @JAXLightning, I like to be able to feel the shift points without having to look at anything. With that said I am converting to the dial because it is the lesser of two POS designs in my opinion (I REALLY hate having to divert my eyes 90 degrees from the windshield to shift though). I seriously considered a dash dial for that reason, but just not interested in that level of mod... at the moment.

The easiest GOOD fix in my opinion would be to re-engineer the OEM shifter to eliminate the motors. That would mean you can't use the fold down console piece, but since I don't trust the current shifter to pop back up, that wouldn't change anything for me. They could also, I believe just have a mechanical release button that would allow it to hinge down for said purpose.

Modern car engineers are WAAYYYY to enamored with "gee wiz" gadgets in my opinion, To quote Jeff Goldblum's character in Jurassic park: "Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should".

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[bmwhitetx]

I want to know what gear I’m in without the need to look so I hate rotary shifters.

I REALLY hate having to divert my eyes 90 degrees from the windshield to shift though

It would take some re-training for me - but you can see what gear you're in without looking down at the dial. It's like we had back in the old days when we had a column shifter.

 

[JAXLightning]

This pretty much sums up how I feel about it "A complicated solution to a nonexistent problem."

 

[theawesomegamer]

I've got the upgraded shifter, and I *think* it's the same, or very very close. The replacement started out feeling pretty solid, but is clunky again and makes a click when I put it in gear ... it's so frustratingly cheap and over-engineered. I've ordered the stuff for the rotary shifter conversion (but I will miss resting my hand on the stock shifter).

Agreed. I like resting my hand on the shifter, however it just feels cheap. Especially when you unlock it and you hear the noise.

Almost $1000 for the column shifter... no thanks. I was excited for this until I saw the price.

 

[halfbakedenchilada]

You’ll be surprised how quickly that ‘miss’ goes away.

Just to follow up, it took about 15 minutes for the 'miss' to go away.

 

[BurritoGrande]

I haven't even really looked at the dial shifter after the first few days. Give it a good ratcheting spin to the right, you're in drive. All the way back to the left, you're in park. One ratchet to the right, reverse. It doesn't loop around, at least not with the escape shifter variant. No more worrying about the console shifter locking out, not using the workspace, not using the cubby space out of fear, or throwing a wrench every startup. It was probably the best dollar for dollar upgrade you can make, considering all-in with the dial and 3d printed cubby it was sub-150. (Less than 20% of the cost of this column shifter) Just wish I'd done it sooner.

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