Paddle Gear Changes

Post by **Supplanter** » Sat Oct 25, 2003 11:29 pm

Just floating an idea, but would it be possible to get a steering wheel with 2 buttons, and hook each one up to the (+) and (-) of the tip part of the auto gearbox... sounds kinda cool to me, and it means you can deal with the torque steer better with both hands on the wheel at all times.

GPXXX · Post by **GPXXX** » Sat Oct 25, 2003 11:34 pm

sounds like a good idea dude... i guess it can be done (don't see why not) plus it gives you the European flair too (ala Alfa 156).

D-TRAIN · Post by **D-TRAIN** » Sun Oct 26, 2003 11:18 am

D-Cuatro actually had a kit for this but I don't know if they still make them. Go to the Checkerflag website http://home.catv.any.jp/dd/checker/overs ... rflag.html, they have a listing for it there but it could be outdated. Email them, and ask for Teruo Miyazawa, he should be able to help you out.

The new Lancer VRX has shift buttons on the steering wheel as well (non-Momo though). If you could incorporate that, that would be pretty unique. Or if you can get the Lancer EVO VII GTA steering wheel (a Momo) one to fit, that would be even better!

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » Wed Dec 03, 2003 12:01 pm

I had thought of doing this, but what scares me is the airbag.
It would be easy to change wheels over but the computer controls the airbag and will make it more difficult. If anyone has done this please let us know.
PS Would taking off the airbag make it illeagle/
jeff

Post by **Supplanter** » Wed Dec 03, 2003 12:04 pm

I have a '95 GPX, so no airbag to worry about

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » Wed Dec 03, 2003 12:17 pm

Then go for it.

GPXXX · Post by **GPXXX** » Fri Dec 05, 2003 12:03 pm

i think frank (BLK_Jet) has tried this already.... details are sketchy atm, but will suss out more info from him...

Daz_FTO · Post by **Daz_FTO** » Fri Dec 05, 2003 12:17 pm

yes you can. The sensors on the tiptronic are just 'buttons' Rewire these to the buttons on a aftermarket steering wheel - like those used in fast n furious - cept their buttons were used for NOS.

On funky-fto site they have an article explaining how to swap gears on tip box...iot might be of some use. http://www.funky-fto.co.uk/gears.html

rxboy · Post by **rxboy** » Fri Dec 05, 2003 12:40 pm

My brother just bought an Alfa 156 and I can see how handy these shift buttons would really be. I drive on quite a few roads with tramtracks, and sometimes I'm a bit paranoid and want to have both hands on the steering wheel

Post by **Supplanter** » Fri Dec 05, 2003 12:54 pm

Daz_FTO wrote:On funky-fto site they have an article explaining how to swap gears on tip box...iot might be of some use. http://www.funky-fto.co.uk/gears.html

Yeah i saw that, that's what gave me the idea in the 1st place.

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » Sun Dec 07, 2003 1:43 pm

Supplanter,
Are you sure you don`t have an airbag. I thought all the FTO`s had one.
So by swapping steering wheels you would make the car illeagle. Yes the doing of it would be easy, but again playing with the airbag scares me.
Jeff

GPXXX · Post by **GPXXX** » Sun Dec 07, 2003 2:38 pm

not all FTOs come with airbags as standard but yes, removing them would be illegal. I believe post '96 cars come with factory airbag factory as std fitment (some with MOMO wheel option)

ruchi · Post by **ruchi** » Mon Dec 08, 2003 11:24 am

Something else to consider...

When paddle gear changers were first introduced into F1 cars, there was a lot of people blowing engines. The reason for this, was in a hard turn the paddles were reversed and when they went to change up, they were actually changing down and over reving.

i.e. if the "up" lever is on the right, and you do a hard turn with the steering wheel close to 180 degrees, then the "up" lever is now on the left hand side. Pressing the right hand lever would now result in the car changing down.

Thankfully the INVECS II system will not allow you to down change to a point where you would blow your engine, but you still could be down changing when you thought you were going up, and vice versa, and in an emergency or high speed situation this could cause problems as you would be in a different gear to what you wanted.

...just something to be aware of and consider

GPXXX · Post by **GPXXX** » Mon Dec 08, 2003 11:31 am

lol, we've been tossing back and forth between 'paddles' to 'steering wheel mounted shift buttons'... hehehehe

Post by **Supplanter** » Mon Dec 08, 2003 11:44 am

I was thinking of mounting buttons in the centre of the wheel, through the horn button cover, near the edges... don't know if that is feasable though.

ruchi · Post by **ruchi** » Mon Dec 08, 2003 11:54 am

The title of this topic was "paddles", but yes, you would be far safer using buttons than paddles.

Make it an up / down button on one side of the wheel, rather than up on one side and down on the other.

GPXXX · Post by **GPXXX** » Mon Dec 08, 2003 12:40 pm

how's this for a kick-arse idea: voice-activation!

ok, enough thread hi-jack for the day LOL...

Blk-Jet · Post by **Blk-Jet** » Sun Feb 08, 2004 12:43 am

Been a while but i've finally gotten around to the paddle shifters.

So far i've only made fiberglass painted moulds of the paddles and rough sketches for the mounting positions, but please feel free to check out my pics page and follow.

http://au.f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/fra ... m=40d8.jpg

Post by **Supplanter** » Sun Feb 08, 2004 12:53 am

Impressive

A U.K guy has done it with buttons in the steering wheel, used an alarm keyfob to control 2 relays wired in parallel to the microswitches at the bottom of the gear stick, I sourced a suitable kit at Jaycar, around $120 bucks.

FTO338 · Post by **FTO338** » Sun Feb 08, 2004 8:38 pm

Blk-Jet wrote:Been a while but i've finally gotten around to the paddle shifters.

So far i've only made fiberglass painted moulds of the paddles and rough sketches for the mounting positions, but please feel free to check out my pics page and follow.

http://au.f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/fra ... m=40d8.jpg

I assume these mounting are for standard steering wheel & won't fit on FTO with aftermarket steering wheel?????