I put a Pro Bandit Shifter in my truck, bought used. It was quickly evident that the reverse lockout does not "latch open" in the truck like it does in the dragster.

Took both apart, and the only difference I can see is that the dragster shifter's pawl does not go all the way in the notch. When the lockout is released, the pawl tugs on the shifter, pulling it under the lockout (latching open).

On the truck shifter, the pawl goes all the way into the notch. When the lockout is released, it drops right back down. So it takes two hands to go into reverse - one to move the lockout, and a second to push the shifter from neutral to reverse.

Does anybody know if there was a design change, or if either way is "wrong"? We are thinking that my shifter's lockout lever might be just a smidge short.

Dragster on left (one handed reverse), made circa 2013
Truck on right (two handed reverse), age unknown, 2018ish maybe?

The pro bandit on my wife’s car “latches open” for one handed operation. I was driving a friends car and that shifter is like your new one, need to hold the lever to get reverse. That shifter is also newer. So I don’t know if the design was changed, but I’ve seen the difference too.

Switch around the spring on the shifters, see if that tugs on the shifter enough to hold the latch open.

It may just be, you need a tighter spring.

It looks like the shifter would need to rock back just a bit when the reverse lockout lever is pushed forward, and then the shifter should come forward again which would prevent the lockout mechanism from rocking back in place.

Is the new shifter tighter, and not returning forward as it should?

quote:

Originally posted by 183N:
The pro bandit on my wife’s car “latches open” for one handed operation. I was driving a friends car and that shifter is like your new one, need to hold the lever to get reverse. That shifter is also newer. So I don’t know if the design was changed, but I’ve seen the difference too.

Depending on how the shifter is mounted in the car that would be a PITA when buckled in tight

quote:

Originally posted by Big Steve:

quote:

Originally posted by 183N:
The pro bandit on my wife’s car “latches open” for one handed operation. I was driving a friends car and that shifter is like your new one, need to hold the lever to get reverse. That shifter is also newer. So I don’t know if the design was changed, but I’ve seen the difference too.

Depending on how the shifter is mounted in the car that would be a PITA when buckled in tight

Nah, you put the heel of your hand on the back of the handle then extend your fingers to push the R. Then push the handle forward with that same hand. Mine will start doing the same thing when I need to pull it apart to clean and re-grease it.