Paddle shifter on the 818

[Quiny]

Has anyone considered this? There is a company out there making a manual transmission paddle shift conversion kit. It's a little to expensive for me at $2500.00 but it looks really cool. I would have to imagine that someone with a GTM must have tried one. I don't want to list the company name because I don't know if it violates FFR's policy about vendors. It seems like it would free up a lot of extra space and eliminate routing those long shifter cables. Just a thought. Back to cleaning donor parts (will it ever end).

[ehansen007]

I think it would be awesome and MasterShift would come to mind. A great solution and it would be perfect in my Techno EV 818 however $2500 is a bit steep. Still if I could scrape up the cash it would allow me to actually skip gears as I may not be needing 1st or 3rd. We'll find out on that one soon enough!

[Mechie3]

I don't think it would violate any policies, but not 100% sure. I've actually thought about this myself, but I have no ability to do the electronics.

[carbon fiber]

from what I understand they don't work well with H pattern transaxles. it's been tried on a gtm, with horrible results.

[Canadian818]

IMO, I would only want paddle shifters with a dual-clutch transmission.

[Bob_n_Cincy]

On a manually transmission, am I correct in thinking that you still need to operate the clutch with a paddle shifter?
I could see how air or electric solenoids could do the shifting. But it would be difficult to control the clutch engage rate.
Bob

[shinn497]

I would think you would still need a computer to blip the throttle to do it properly. Either that or retain clutch control.

[C.Plavan]

There is a reason why you do not see them on alot of cars......

[longislandwrx]

Run a newer auto, some of the jdm subarus have the paddle shifters, easy to retrofit it, just tie it in with the "sport" shifter.

[305mouse]

JDM Forester has a paddle shift assembly from 2008 and up if I recall the years correctly. There's a write up somewhere on the subaruforester.org site about it with the 4eat.

[longislandwrx]

courtesy of my buddy.

http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f104/paddle-shifter-forester-sh-xt-4eat-88078/

part numbers

#83156AG000
SW Assy Paddle

#34341FG030JC
Column Cover Assy

[Scargo]

The Forester paddle shift is of interest. I know nothing of Subaru automatics so this begs the question whether the automatic can stand up to the rigors of racing and what is the gearing (and how many gears)? Can they be upgraded to be more durable? Is this practical for racing and 330 WHP?

[CHOTIS BILL]

In the past SCCA didn’t allow automatics to race unless you had some handicap that required it but I haven’t checked recently.

I made a paddle shifter for an H pattern Hewland transmission but it had dog ring and was very quick shifting. I used three 3 position pneumatic cylinders and made a custom controller. I didn’t need to use a clutch to do up shifts and wouldn’t have needed a clutch on downshifts if I had installed a throttle bliper. But with a synchromesh type trans I would think the shift forks would take a beating trying to force gear engagement before all the parts were lined up. One thing that might help is removing ever other tooth off of the synchro ring.

Bill Lomenick

[The Race Line]

I can think of one way you could have a good paddle shift setup, but it would be expensive and require a redesign of the car I would imagine. Simply use a Cayman PDK gearbox and engine. The main problem with making these gearboxes work well in applications different from the intention is in the electronics. I can tell you that the Cayman S with the PDK is tearing up the 6MT car on the track. It is a huge advantage to the manual gearbox, but that is not to say there are not issues with it's running as well. They are pretty picky about heat, and will go into a safe mode if they get too hot. This is an issue that has been taken care of for the most part now through external oil coolers. The Audi R8 gearbox is also capable of using paddle shift, but again it comes with some pretty decent price requirements, and would not be idea for a application like the 818 in my opinion.

If you wanted to try to use a Mastershift system for your gearbox, I would absolutely recommend that you go all the way with it and have the gears replaced with dog engagement, to eliminate the synchronizers altogether. Yes you would still need to use the clutch on the down shifts with a set up like this, but potentially not on the up shifts. There are some Youtube vids of the dog box for Subaru WRX cars. Again pretty expensive, but possible.

Hope that this helpful.

Erik Johnson
The Race Line
(970) 344-7761 phone

[StatGSR]

The Forester paddle shift is of interest. I know nothing of Subaru automatics so this begs the question whether the automatic can stand up to the rigors of racing and what is the gearing (and how many gears)? Can they be upgraded to be more durable? Is this practical for racing and 330 WHP?

4EATs can be made into beasts, Drag racing guys have been using them for years.

[Greg G]

I venture to say that over the next 5+ years, we will all see these become available to the masses. They are standard equipment on many newer cars these days, though at the stupid-expensive end. I am not talking about an automatic with manual controls, I am talking a true manual gearbox with a clutch. Once the trickle-down of the technology makes it from supercars and races cars to the more "regular" cars, we wont even need to worry about it any more. Simply source the correct parts as we do now.

Personally, I would NOT want anything to do with modifying an existing transmission to "work" with this modification. If nothing else, the durability/drivability day-to-day would likely be tragic. Things are likely better today, but my first experience was about 10yrs ago as a crewman on a Grp N Subie Rally car w/dog box. I was the first one there (I drove the transporter too) and had to take the car through Tech. The owner told me, and I quote, "drive it like you stole it. Slam the gears EVERY SHIFT like you are mad at it...or you will blow it up...and it cost a stupid amount of $$$ and we have zero spares. Oh, and do NOT downshift until you come to a COMPLETE stop, or you will blow it up unless you know how to do it right...and you don't yet!" Gee, thanks boss...no pressure, right? LOL

Here is a simplistic outline of what would have to be done to "make" our own paddle-shifting transmission:
1: Source a good design transmission that will handle all of the mods (modified syncros/dog engagement, improved/redesigned shift fork/drum, etc.)
2: Design/purchase the mechanics/hydraulics/electronics to shift the transmission as directed
3: Design/purchase the paddles/electronics to activate #2 above
4: Design/integrate engine management into #3 above (assuming that is not already included) to control engine cut/blips/prevent mechanical over-revs from d/shifting too early
5: Design/purchase clutch control system to integrate into all the above.
6: Countless other things I am likely overlooking....
7: Once all of the above are complete, tested and PROVEN, buy two or three MORE of nearly everything above. You will likely have the only system like it, so there will be zero spares when something breaks!

There is way too much to go wrong for me. Besides, the cost of all this will come down drastically over the next several years, reliability will go up, AND your mods to make it work now will likely be outdated by then too.

If I want it bad enough now, I will adapt an already working/proven system to work, use an automatic with the same features.....or, I will just shift them myself :)