Monty

I am interested in incorporating or fabricating an F1
style paddle shifter solution for my car.

I am using a built 4L80E transmission in my Vette,
along with a F.A.S.T./TCI T-Com programmable
transmission controller. While it is fully
programmable via a laptop for shift rpm point, shift
firmness, convertor lockup etc, it also has optional
leads for manually activated, electronic shifts simply
by grounding the appropriate lead to upshift or
downshift. What I would like to do is
incorporate/build a paddle shifter setup into or
behind the steering wheel.

My intial thoughts were to use a Sparco/MOMO/etc
racing style steering wheel which comes with push
buttons on the steering wheel spokes. These buttons
are intended for the horn, but they are simple contact
switches and would work equally well for the shifter.
However, they are merely single pole, momentary
contact buttons on the steering wheel spoke, not
really a "paddle" and one button would be the upshift,
while the other would be the downshift. Most true
paddle shifters have a dual throw/pole switch that
would enable each paddle to both downshift and upshift
depending on which way it is pressed.

My reason for sending this message to the group is
to inquire if anyone knows of any OEM or aftermarket
switches which would fit these requirements, as well
as look somewhat close to OEM quality. I looked into
the BMW setup and besides being relatively expensive,
it would not easily work with the stock steering
column and steering wheel.

If anyone has any ideas, they would be greatly
appreciated. Thank you.

74droptop

I would think that the momentary switch would be ok,that way you can't get confused or make a missed shift.I would use one for up shifts and one for down shifts. Interesting idea to put in a old car though.

rainman69

The problem I see for having one button for the up shift and one for the down shift is what if you have the steering wheel in a turn and hit the wrong button. Bad things.

Let me see what I can dig up. I think the dual-action paddle situation would be much better.

rainman69

http://www.allelectronics.com/cgi-bi...108&type=store

CAT# RS-108

groovyjay

Would it be possible to use the paddles from a Alfa Romeo 156 Selespeed? I've driven it and I think it was very F1

gdh

rainman - thanks for that link, it looks like it would work. :thumbs:

Monty

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I've looked at similar double throw switches and they would definitely work well. I think I'll pick a couple up and start trying to fab some brackets/housings for them as a first attempt.

The challenge, I think, will be how to handle the rotation of the steering wheel and the how to run the wires to and from the switches.

Another idea I have that is similarly related is to incorporate a digital display console on the steering wheel. I saw a similar setup on a shifter kart at a recent World of Wheels car show. It's very similar to what the F1 guys use. The self contained unit is mounted on the steering wheel and incorporates digital display gauges, speedo, tach, etc. I thought it was neat, but I think it might be a little overboard for a street car, but it's still in the back of my mind.

rainman69

Just like the control yoke wires on the Beechjet I'm flying. They're bundled tight together and have enough slack to allow the yoke to rotate 90 degrees left and right. They enter the yoke portion at the top of the pedestal where the yoke is mounted to the pedestal.

Of course...you could go wireless. Build a wireless transmitter into the center hub of the wheel and have a wireless receiver actually hooked to the leads on the tranny. A little PCM to generate different pulses for up and downshifts and a controller to decode the PCM. Like a car alarm remote.

tersian

I'd like to see an STC for wireless controlls on the Beechjet, it would bring a whole new meaning to cockpit resource management :lol:

Schmucker

Mount the paddles to the column so you don't have to worry about the rotation. Having them fairly large would be helpful to reach them at more positions of the hands. You shouldn't be shifting in the middle of a turn anyway.

Turbo-Jet

Last year I designed and built a pneumatic shifting system for a racecar with a sequential gearbox. It was a lot of fun generating the code and fabricating the shifting mechanisms. We used two small paddles on the backside of the wheel (left frorm down, right for up), but it helps to have just one turn lock-lock. We were eventually able to get the system to perform full throttle up-shifts with a just a slight tap of clutch for the 1->2. The system also had automatic neutral finding, so if you where idling in 6th with the clutch disengaged, you just press the neutral button and the actuator would fire the correct number of times. We had to hack into the ECU and were able to find the ‘hidden’ gear position signal.

Three things we learned:
-Durability of the shift paddles was underestimated. Make them heavy duty.
-Allow lots of time for testing, both computer and mechanical systems.
-I also tested front mounted thumb buttons, but quickly discovered how easy it was to accidentally press the button when taking a hard corner. Paddles are the way to go.


[Modified by Turbo-Jet, 1:06 AM 2/13/2003]

Garys '68

Monty
I've got your wiring solution.
There is a steering wheel "collar" used in boating applications to handle the wiring. On boats the steering wheel mounted switches are commonly used for drive trim. No loose wires hanging around the column. It uses contacts that ride a circular conducting track mounted to the wheel. I installed one last year with 3 contacts. I thing they're available with up to 5 contacts though. Very clean installation, it just looks like a 1" thick, 3" round aluminum disk monted between the column and wheel.
If you're interested I could probably dig up a link.
Gary

Monty

Thanks for the continued feedback and recommendations - very good ideas. This is exactly what I had hoped would happen. There is such a diverse group of people here, with knowledge and expertise outside of the Corvette connection.

Turbojet, luckily for me, I don't really have to worry about any of the computer stuff in this case as the tranny controller and the tranny itself will accomodate this as designed. I just need to figure out a practical paddle/switch system.

Gary, if it's not too much trouble, I'd be interested in knowing who the manufacturere or retail source for that contact ring is. I had thought about fabricating something like that myself, but if there's an off-the-shelf component that works, it would certainly be alot easier.

Garys '68

Monty,
Check out this link for the wireless connector. It isn't the one I used, but it does the same thing. http://www.rexmar.com/page42.html
Also call these guys. They might have another style: http://www.teaguecustommarine.com/
Good luck.
Gary

Maurice

{Thinking out loud} Hmmm, make sure it is a different freq than the grocery store door openers, you drive by Krogers, you radar detector starts beeping, you car starts shifting.....You get radered by a policeman, but officer I had the car at 1/2 throttle and you set off my auto shifter, that is why I was doing a burnout at 45mph...

USAZR1

Let me get this straight,,you drive a Corvette with a 1200hp TT 427" SB and you think that shifter set-up might be a little "overboard". Hmmm,did I miss something here? :lolg:
Clint

Garys '68

One more link for the wireless connector. The teague link carries this one I think. http://www.howiedeanmarine.com/page11.html

Arto

Why not install a Heads Up Display (HUD) instead, like on the C5s? It would be easier to view than a display on the steering wheel, methinks...

Arto