Do you hate the shift buttons on column shifter?

[Paintor]

I have been pondering a project I think has mass market appeal. A stick shifter that drops in your trucks cup holder you can shift your transmission with. Plugs straight into the wiring harness, no cutting wires.

 

From what I have found googling the column shifter tow-haul button and upshift-downshift buttons functions are ran on two wires that plug into the harness behind your steering wheel. They work by using resistors to send a different resistance to the body control module that then tells the transmission control module. Corvettes are 634ohm resistors. GM uses same basic operation on all vehicles except there may be resistance differences. GM trucks column shifter has same part numbers for 2014-2018, will be same ohm resistors.

 

It’s $16 for an arcade joystick with necessary switches in it. $1 for resistors. 

 

If I build this thing with 3D printing of the base to fit the cupholder...what could I sell it for? Could have it on the market in 30 days.

 

Left-right funtion will be enable-disable Tow-Haul.

 

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9182

 

I am thinking a Y wire will be needed to keep factory colum shifter buttons working and so it could be easily unplugged and thrown into the center column storage when not towing and you need that cup holder.

 

[Paintor]

Before any of you try that, the example joystick I showed would send a resistance signal to both tow-haul and upshift-downshift if joystick was pushed to angles outside of 12 oclock-3 oclock-6 oclock-9 oclock. The bottom plastic pieces on it would need to be changed via new 3d printed plastic to limit range of motion.

 

This would be good to go:

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9136

[Capt Bob]

Interesting but let's take it one step further. How about a paddle shifter mounted/replacing  the radio control rockers. Maybe use the same rockers????? 

[14cris]

Interesting but let's take it one step further. How about a paddle shifter mounted/replacing  the radio control rockers. Maybe use the same rockers????? 

Ooooh yes!!!! Or fack it lets just add paddle shifters!!!!! Cause im not gonna lie i like my radio controls on my steering wheel


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[14cris]

So this may be new to yall but i own a mustang a 2003 to be exact

I remember a guy on the forum modified the cruise control buttons to serve as 2 functions
1 for cruise controls
2 for radio controls

If you could make the steering volume controls do the same that would be great


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[1SLOW1500]

I can see a appeal of a shifter in the center console for the rcsb guys that add the center console. It would need to do all the shifts and also have tow somewhere but manual shift buttons or slap stick. Big power trucks and pure race trucks would love it. Bet there is something out there that could just get and switch mounted to it and a mounting bracket and cover. Like a shifter. Issue would be the wheel lock setup. 

[Donstar]

I think this sounds like a potentially popular and lucrative idea.  Perhaps the portability can be increased through use of Bluetooth.  (I don't know how but I wouldn't be surprised if it is possible)   Years ago when manual transmissions were being phased out I often wondered if there couldn't be a better compromise.  I imagined a vehicle that could be shifted manually c/w driver operated clutch  or shifted automatically at the drivers discretion.  (Sort of like switching to auto pilot!)   However this would have defeated car manufacturers ability to control our driving habits and meet emission standards.   

[wforrest08]

I’M ALL IN as long as you can make mine a original NES controller! 

[KARNUT]

More and more I read in the review mags that humans can’t manually out shift the automatic of today. I’m not talking about manual trans to automatic. I’m referring to manually shifting a automatic. So I wouldn’t mind a the Ram set up.


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[pickmeup]

22 minutes ago, Donstar said:

I think this sounds like a potentially popular and lucrative idea.  Perhaps the portability can be increased through use of Bluetooth.  (I don't know how but I wouldn't be surprised if it is possible)   Years ago when manual transmissions were being phased out I often wondered if there couldn't be a better compromise.  I imagined a vehicle that could be shifted manually c/w driver operated clutch  or shifted automatically at the drivers discretion.  (Sort of like switching to auto pilot!)   However this would have defeated car manufacturers ability to control our driving habits and meet emission standards.   

Actually their are cars that shift either way . Kia soul comes to mind .Let it shift by itself or turn knob on shifter and you manually control the shifts.

[rkj__]

I like my shift buttons on the column shifter.

[Nick The Great]

This is a neat idea.  My wife's Enclave has the console shift and sometimes I'll drive it "manually" just for kicks.  

[MaverickZ71]

Nothing wrong with the shift buttons on the end of the shifter.  But I much prefer the shift knob on the new Rams. 

 

In the near future, we won't be able to shift anyway, as if GM Chairperson Mary Barra gets her way, we'll all be in robot-driven George Jetson-type electro-mobiles, and trucks will be outlawed unless for commercial uses.  

[Donstar]

1 hour ago, pickmeup said:

Actually their are cars that shift either way . Kia soul comes to mind .Let it shift by itself or turn knob on shifter and you manually control the shifts.

This feature has been available in various forms for several years.  You have no control of the clutch and has little resemblance to an actual manual transmission.  I tried this on a Toyota for awhile and I felt kind of silly.  There is no skill involved and the transmission can do a far better job automatically.  

[Grumpy Bear]

I run in M6 a good deal for the reason that it allows me to down shift on the off ramps quicker than the TCM is programed. Brake saver. Grade logic in not in play nor speed limiter from the cruise control. Up shifting I almost never used it except in passing from normal m5 to TH M6 to keep the AFM active while in 5th gear. (6L80E)