Paddle Shift Setup Diary (Automatic Transmission)

[usmc_butler]

Looks sweet
What guage wire are you using and is it solid or stranded?

Are you guys replicating the egear buttons? I have the plate pieces but no buttons :\

Tallon thanks for answering questions. I have been busy perfecting this setup and getting a good wiring harness built. As for the wire I am mostly using 18 to 20 gauge wire. However inside the box you will need to use the little electronics jumper wires like these on ebay  http://www.ebay.com/itm/280955809438?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649 . The rest of the wires I used from old computers and random wires and plugs from cars at the pick and pull.


On the e-gear buttons we are working on duplicating them, Digibem is working on it as well as SchulzeA. SchulzeA is actually working on aluminum button that the momentary switch will slide into and mount, It can be powder coated satin black to match OEM or polished, whatever you prefer. I have no idea on the cost yet. Hopefully we will find out soon, he got MARRIED this weekend so might be a week or so before we get any work out of him

[jb1]

looking good man,   I been so busy at work  I have not messed with any of this in a long time,  Glad to see you have it  up and  going....

[Onewickedsvt]

awsome set up!

So let me get this straight...

you have this moving only for everyday automatic tranmission shifting, like P,R,N,D,1-2 etc?

How do you control the movement from P to D? Paddle?

thanks, sorry for being a dummy.

[Tallon]

Looks sweet
What guage wire are you using and is it solid or stranded?

Are you guys replicating the egear buttons? I have the plate pieces but no buttons :\

[usmc_butler]

Here is a short video going from Park to 1st. I was running it from my laptop and didn't have my shift points set yet so this video is just one solid movement. (doesn't stop for any gears). I will finnish the programing of MY shift points and update with a new video this week. My axles will be done today or tomorrow so i should be able to do a running test 

BETA Testing Paddle shift E-Gear 2

[usmc_butler]

Here is the box that i used to mount the electronics in. Just so everybody knows the Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive and Paddle buttons are momentary switches and "cannot exceed" 5 volts to the Arduino board so with that being said you can do 2 things. Use the power from the Arduino board, it has 2 5 volt outputs (what I will be doing) or just put inline resistors on each switch.

[usmc_butler]

Here is pictures of the bracket that I will be using. Very simple design, just a piece of angle iron that bolts to the tranny and then to the actuator and I removed the factory shift lever and drilled out the factory stud and replaced it with a fine thread bolt and shim.

[usmc_butler]

Ok, got lots done this weekend on the setup and happy to say it works great! After further thought and reading the replies and concerns over the "Power Loss Park issue" I have decided to pull that line of code, so if there is a power loss or "Glitch" nothing would change, the car would stay in whatever gear it was in like nothing changed.

I have another small parts list of things that will need to be purchased to complete the setup. Everything at Radio Shack was less then $20 dollars total. See pictures below \/ \/ \/ \/ \/

[dratts]

Gotcha!  I'm still paranoid about my actuator getting the wrong signal somehow, like a short and deciding to go into park or reverse whle I'm cruising.

My only problem with that would be if you break down or loose power. As soon as power is regaind the code would put the car back into park. 99% of the time you would hit the park button when you park the car.

[usmc_butler]

Got a video of progress! This weekend I am going to make a small box for all of the electronics so hopefully it will fit under the e gear plate in the car. I gotta give Alan my programer some big thanks for the code if it wasn't for him we wouldn't have this done right now. He said "he accepts donations" or Redbull (PM me for his info if your interested!)

BETA Testing Paddle shift E-Gear

[usmc_butler]

Arduino will not run the actuator it is just a control board that takes low voltage and sends it. Similar a switch to a relay

[Tallon]

I am wondering what the controller is being used for. Can't the arduino run the actuator on it's own? I did buy it though so I hope I'll need it as my setup won't be as complicated. I only need to move the actuator 3 or 4 different positions and that's all.

[autopro]

This is great Dustin, hope you get this all sorted out soon so I can start working on it myself.  Do you have your e-gear setup and buttons yet?

[Onewickedsvt]

AWSOME stuff!

Keep it up bro!

I need to learn this ASAP!

[usmc_butler]

I changed the heading on this thread to further document how I will control my shift setup. JB1 has been helping me on the design and told me what to order. I ordered all of this from pololu.com (there customer support is fantastic). You will first need a Arduino Mega (has more outputs for LED display, etc), second you will need a actuator with feedback (Concentric LACT4P-12V-20) it is a 12 volt 4" actuator very heavy duty and last a controller. I called Pololu and they recommend using the JRK 21v3 it is a USB controller with feedback and fully assembled.

I will use the factory Reverse button located on the 5 button switch left of the column (thank you Digibeam for pointing that out) and the E-gear plate will have P (park) N (neutral) and haven't decided to go with M (manual) or D (drive) on the last button.

The way the code will be written is what ever button you push the actuator will go into that gear on the tranny. The only way the paddles will be functional will be in gears 1-Drive and Drive-1 (cant use the paddles to go into Neutral, Reverse or Park for safety reasons). The code will be written in which all a person will have to do is change the number in the code for the correct distance between the gears for there setup or delete a line if they don't have a gear (example 3 speed tranny vs. 4 speed tranny). VERY SIMPLE don't over think it...!

All electronics will run off your car battery everything is rated at 12 Volts. I am still looking for the correct LED or Dot Matrix display for the OEM dash overlay. JB1 is working on a OEM type digital miles counter and a few other things as well, so much more to come!

Here are a few pictures