Has anyone tried this? Maybe put 2 buttons on the rear of the steering wheel for upshift and downshift? Would this even be possible to rig up? A lot of cars have this nowadays (most have flappy paddles though).

I was actually thinking of this the other day. its quite do-able, especially if you can incorporate paddle shifters from another car...As far as getting them wired is not a big effort, but finding appropriate paddles to fabricate, ... now theres a challenge.

As far as getting them wired is not a big effort, but finding appropriate paddles to fabricate, ... now theres a challenge.
That's why i was thinking buttons might be better as the paddles would have to be attached to the back of the wheel some place where they would move with the steering wheel. What's required to hook up the wiring?

Given that the tiptronic shifter is just triggering an electronic switch (please correct me if I'm wrong), I guess it'd be do-able.

Realistic fitted paddles would be the difficult part, maybe just a couple of big red button switches like this... (fitted to the steering wheel somewhere?)

As far as wiring is concerned, you wouldn't put the buttons/controls behind the steering wheel itself, they would need to be positioned into the bottom half of the plastic capsule below each of the wiper and indicator stalks (this makes them static like the indicator stalk). Putting buttons (push on, leave off type) means taking your hands off the steering wheel to change gears to reach them...not very practical. This is why you would need to incorporate the paddle technology so they are within finger tip reach from the steering wheel. At least this is the way I would envisage it. Let me know of your opinion on this.

Yeh i was thinking maybe just attach a couple of buttons (one for upshift and one for downshift) on the rear of the steering wheel (on the back side of the steering wheel spokes) like in this Lexus IS300:

http://www.canadianautoreview.com/is300-upshift-med.jpg

But the wiring would need a lot of slack in it if the wheel is going to be turned from lock to lock. If the buttons were placed below the headlight and wiper stalks that would mean you'd have to move your hand away from the steering wheel to change gear (same as using the gear lever in tippy mode). The main reason i'd want steering wheel mounted buttons/paddles would be to not remove my hands from the wheel during gear changes.

Given that the tiptronic shifter is just triggering an electronic switch (please correct me if I'm wrong), I guess it'd be do-able.

Realistic fitted paddles would be the difficult part, maybe just a couple of big red button switches like this... (fitted to the steering wheel somewhere?)

Thats it! thats the one I've been looking for the one with the purple steering wheel :bowrofl:

But the wiring would need a lot of slack in it if the wheel is going to be turned from lock to lock.
I don't think they use wiring in the Lexus for this purpose, they use a constant ring connector, so they can turn lock to lock without the use of wires. This is why I thought having them on the column would be easier. I've pull my steering column off to try and figure it out, but there is no simple solution to this. ( as yet )

also how would the car know its in tippy mode?

also how would the car know its in tippy mode?
You would still have to knock the gear lever into the tippy gate first then use the buttons/paddles

you'd put it in tippy mode using the gear leaver. all the button is doing is duplicating the signal the leaver would normally make when its pushed up of down

You could use the clock spring from the radio control buttons off a KJ Xi to wire up the tippy control. Then you could reroute the wires to put the buttons in like you showed, or just use the radio control buttons as a proof of concept.

You could use the clock spring from the radio control buttons off a KJ Xi to wire up the tippy control. Then you could reroute the wires to put the buttons in like you showed, or just use the radio control buttons as a proof of concept.
I don't quite understand. Can you please elaborate? Am i gonna need a clock spring off an Xi steering wheel?

For the buttons, i was thinking of a couple of momentary on switches, something like this:

http://www.narva.com.au/Images/Switches/Pg3/60038BL.gif

And what about the wiring, where would i have to tap the wiring into?

I don't quite understand. Can you please elaborate? Am i gonna need a clock spring off an Xi steering wheel?

For the buttons, i was thinking of a couple of momentary on switches, something like this:

http://www.narva.com.au/Images/Switches/Pg3/60038BL.gif

And what about the wiring, where would i have to tap the wiring into?

Yep, so it would be hardish to find. Also, you have to take the wheel off to put it in. Ages ago there was a thread on here on how to install the factory audio controls on the steering wheel. Hopefully it didn't get lost in the last few database losses. So its like the one in this pic (sorry its so small). It should work though

http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/6648/07216lovf1.th.jpg (http://img169.imageshack.us/my.php?image=07216lovf1.jpg)

i have thought of doing this also but using an outlander paddle shift.Also the new lancer has paddles that could be used.

how bout the r34 ones:think:

i have thought of doing this also but using an outlander paddle shift.Also the new lancer has paddles that could be used.

soz to drag up a 2month old thread here, but i too am also thinking about this idea too.

prolly would be easiest to use something from the mitsu range, as it should in theory have a better chance of being a easier fit or really best case a straight swap and fit in..

the hardest part is getting the signal from the paddles on the steering wheel to the switches in the console to tell it shift up and down.

KJ Xi steering wheel audio slip rings would prolly be good for the slip ring itself, but then you have to minic the resistances that would isolate the steering wheel audio so it can be decoded at the bottom of the wheel and sent to the console switches for tippy..

might be time to hit the wreckers and see what we can find there - lancer / outlander paddle shifters and attempt to fit them up.

think a bit more thinking, then some trail and error work might be in order.
whoever gets this to work - is required to post up a how they did it!!!

an option i guess is to use a ring connector from something that has steering wheel controls for cruise control.

splice the wires from that onto the shifter wiring, and move the buttons for cruise control to a stagnant postion on the steering column?

there are about 6-8 wire channels on a cruise control car constant ring connector behind the wheel.

an option i guess is to use a ring connector from something that has steering wheel controls for cruise control.

splice the wires from that onto the shifter wiring, and move the buttons for cruise control to a stagnant postion on the steering column?

there are about 6-8 wire channels on a cruise control car constant ring connector behind the wheel.

i thought that cruise was standard issue for the 3rd gen radas at least?

i thought about possibly using the cruise tab for transmission shift buttons - flick up (accel) for upchange, and down (decel) for a downshift.
but then i would be without cruise control - and i really dont want to give that up...!!

for a non cruise issued car this could work i spose tho.

edit - after a re-read i understand, you mean use the steering wheel cruise control slip ring spots, but still have cruise on the car, just move the cruise to another spot - perhaps similar to a commodore where its on the indicator stalk?