Electronic Paddle Shifter

[dev]

It was suggested that I start a new thread on this instead of posting on a incredibly old one and to elaborate on this...

Here is the way that I have used an electronic Paddle shift setup. I have only used it once on a homemade 250cc buggy. It was just a little thing but used a dirtbike engine and it worked good and IMO it is safer than having a standard shift lever as the hands are always on the wheel. Here goes....

also posted an extra link so it could be viewed in its full resolution and even downloaded!

 

[dev]

oops...lol when you mouse over the picture a box will pop up that ask if you want to go to Picasa web albums. Click that and then you have the option to download...

 

[dev]

The full discussion can be viewed here

 

[dev]

I like the idea, simple, yet effective and low cost, for the most part, but like someone in the discussion asked, neutral could be a huge hassle on newer bike engines with the half shift. For me, it would work great, as the old Honda engine I am using goes into neutral via downshifting from 1st gear.

Thank you for showing us a different way to do it other than a bulky air shifter or a 2 way electric motor, that wouldn't last, IMHO.

If I did this, I think I would opt for a set of buttons instead of the paddles, as the wheel I have is plastic.

Actually if you read all of the posts in the link I provided above Yoshi gave a solution for finding neutral. And there are buttons here. The paddles just push the buttons. Also just because you have a plastic wheel does not mean that you still cant use the steering wheel quick disconnect. or if you wanted to just weld the setup directly to your steering arm if it is a center bolt that holds the wheel itself or the 2 that clamp it to the shaft...

 

[dev]

As I said above, my quad engine does not require a half shift, rather you down shift to 1st, then down again to hit neutral. I'm not sure how you would position another solenoid on the up or down shift lever to get the half shift, but you could step the voltage down via a resistor hooked to a relay and 3rd button to cycle the solenoid 1/2-2/3 the original travel, that way you could downshift to neutral, or upshift from 1st to neutral. Just my thoughts, would be simpler in my mind.
Referring to the buttons, I was thinking something a little smaller, like thumb actuated shift buttons rather than shifter paddles.

Lol yeah I caught that after I posted...I did edit it to remove that part lol. By dropping the voltage on a standard solenoid you reduce the force that it exerts. This is why it would be better to offset it. The buttons that I used are actually the trunk release buttons off of a car. so they are roughly the size of a nickel...That should be an appropriate size for what you need right? I don't even know where to find anything smaller lol...

 

[dev]

I can understand why wires around the steering can make some nervous. But at the same time modern vehicles have butt loads of wires going to the steering column without any issues. I'm not saying it is the best thing to do but the steering does lock at some point so if the proper precautions are taken nothing will get pinched or broken. And I agree that monetary switches can be found a lot of places but the way I used it it was a single wire setup and the monetary switches that are installed in the vehicle to activate the solenoid were cheap and were already set p as a single wire system...made sense...

 

[fowler]

Interesting design

I wouldn't worry about wire running around the steering

As said, cars do it and they are sometimes 8 turns lock to lock
Karts are offen 2 turns if not a 3/4 turn from lock to lock

 

[fowler]

Hmm

True that

Talking of bike cable
Maybe best to run the wires though some tough conduit so they don't get stuck in fine pinch points