# Transmission **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** ram, dodge, 1500\ **Created:** [February 22, 2010, 12:09am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/transmission/44906 "2010-02-22T00:09:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![uffdabob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d6d6ee/32.png) [@uffdabob](https://community.cartalk.com/u/uffdabob)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 12:09am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/transmission/44906/1 "2010-02-22T00:09:11Z")
My daughter’s boyfriend has convinced her that to shift her 1998 Dodge Ram (A.T.) into neutral whenever she is stopped at a red light, etc. He says it will lenthen the transmissions life. I disagree. What is your opinion? ---
**Author:** ![waterboy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/waterboy/32/764_2.png) [@waterboy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/waterboy)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 12:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/transmission/44906/2 "2010-02-22T00:23:49Z")
If it is a manual transmission it will save the life of the clutch throwout bearing, if it is an automatic I agree with disagree. ---
**Author:** ![missileman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/missileman/32/1366_2.png) [@missileman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/missileman)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 12:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/transmission/44906/3 "2010-02-22T00:31:29Z")
It’s also against the law to shift into neutral at any intersection stoplight or stopsign. Little known law but it’s a fact. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 12:35am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/transmission/44906/4 "2010-02-22T00:35:09Z")
It’s also against the law to shift into neutral at … I suspect that is not universal (not every state, but it is a good idea not to shift an automatic into neutral as it can be harder on it than leaving it in drive. That said, normally it is not going to make a lot of difference nor is it likely you would receive a ticket. ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 1:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/transmission/44906/5 "2010-02-22T01:27:44Z")
What state? Also with a standard, how do you get it from a higher gear to first without shifting into neutral? ---
**Author:** ![UncleTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9a140/32.png) [@UncleTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/UncleTurbo)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 1:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/transmission/44906/6 "2010-02-22T01:48:45Z")
Shifting an automatic trans into neutral likely won’t help the trans last longer, nor will it cause damage sooner. I see no big difference. That she is following the boyfriends advice over the dad’s advice now that hurts. Lots of dad’s feel for you. ---
**Author:** ![geeaea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@geeaea](https://community.cartalk.com/u/geeaea)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 2:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/transmission/44906/7 "2010-02-22T02:08:36Z")
The original slap stick shifter from MOPAR (made the Hurst Dual-Gate obsolete overnight) was designed for just such action in the 70’s. That was with high powered V8’s. Often times on slick roads with the torque multiplication that occurs AND the lack of rear brake action, the rear tires would spin since the fronts were doing all the braking. It still happens in bigger RWD vans and pickups. There you have to train the driver to apply the brakes firmly when stopped. In any event, while there may be some merit to it in SOME instances, the vast majority don’t have to give it no mind. It would reduce some heat production since the turbine and impeller would be nearly matched with no load… just spinning the pump out, but it’s not all that big a deal anyway. ---
**Author:** ![EllyEllis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f14d63/32.png) [@EllyEllis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/EllyEllis)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 2:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/transmission/44906/8 "2010-02-22T02:54:39Z")
you can’t!!! ---
**Author:** ![EllyEllis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f14d63/32.png) [@EllyEllis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/EllyEllis)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 2:59am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/transmission/44906/9 "2010-02-22T02:59:01Z")
The “Shock” of putting an auto in Dtive is probably worse than leaving it in Drive. ---
**Author:** ![transman618](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/transman618/32/24_2.png) [@transman618](https://community.cartalk.com/u/transman618)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 4:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/transmission/44906/10 "2010-02-22T04:33:42Z")
It wont lengthen it at all, just leave it in Drive. transman