smo Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 Heres one for all you electro-mechanical guru's. Is it possible to replace the standard auto gearbox selector with a linear actuator and some sort of rotary switch arrangement? The reason is i need a selector for the d-lander but dont really have room, because of cable lengths and other stuff it would end up in a less than ideal position so im looking for alternatives and thought replacing the cable with a linear actuator, and controlling it via (a circuit?) and a rotary or even linear slide switch would be a much neater and really cool solution. So, is it possible, how, and does anyone want to help me make it work?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SIMEXSLAVE Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 Heres one for all you electro-mechanical guru's.Is it possible to replace the standard auto gearbox selector with a linear actuator and some sort of rotary switch arrangement? The reason is i need a selector for the d-lander but dont really have room, because of cable lengths and other stuff it would end up in a less than ideal position so im looking for alternatives and thought replacing the cable with a linear actuator, and controlling it via (a circuit?) and a rotary or even linear slide switch would be a much neater and really cool solution. So, is it possible, how, and does anyone want to help me make it work?? Hi Me again , why not use the std switch but connect it to the pivot of the auto selector so it will marry up with the auto pattern and the wiring. A simple "D" shaped shaft should be able to attached to the pivot point to actuate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smo Posted March 21, 2009 Author Share Posted March 21, 2009 Not sure i get what you mean mate??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SIMEXSLAVE Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 Not sure i get what you mean mate??? Hi SMO which gearbox are you using ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smo Posted March 21, 2009 Author Share Posted March 21, 2009 4HP22 from a Disco II Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SIMEXSLAVE Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 4HP22 from a Disco II Ah!! there lies my mistake I was talking about an earlier G/box with a rotary auto selector switch, no wonder it didn't make sense to you sorry !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoggyN Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 See here or Google 'electronic shifter' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smo Posted March 22, 2009 Author Share Posted March 22, 2009 See here or Google 'electronic shifter' Looks to be pretty much what i am after but $995 is a lot of money especially with the poor exchange rate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoggyN Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Have a look at this... Looks remarkably like a Smiths wiper motor to me. Funnily enough I have a similar set up on a locking ATV diff at work. It switches between no drive > open diff > locked diff. It's very neat. The actuator is removable but, unfortunately, the contact board is built into the diff casing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SIMEXSLAVE Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Hi SMO I've been having a think about what you need , when I worked on touring cars we used sequential Xtrac gearboxes and I have just been on thier site and they still make the simple sensor and display unit that can be configured for any shift pattern. Potentiometer and Gear Display Kit '00P-192-063' Xtrac sequential gearboxes are generally fitted with sensors so they can be integrated into the cars management and telemetry systems. This is a new stand-alone product that can be fitted to our sequential transmission. It measures the gearchange barrel position to display the current selected gear to the driver. The device uses a state of the art microcontroller technology to give a reliable, lightweight unit that displays the selected gear on a high intensity LED display. The display incorporates a light sensor which automatically adjusts the display brightness to match the ambient light conditions, ideal for endurance racing. The unit is simple to install. All that is required are for connections to be made to the 12v vehicle supply and ground. The connections to the potentiometer are made using the high quality wiring harness supplied, which uses environmentally sealed automotive connectors. In addition, the unit is fully reverse polarity protected and cannot be damaged by incorrect wiring. Hope this helps. Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smo Posted March 22, 2009 Author Share Posted March 22, 2009 Interesting stuff, thanks Jon - do you think it could be coupled to an actuator as well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SIMEXSLAVE Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Interesting stuff, thanks Jon - do you think it could be coupled to an actuator as well? Not sure we always used bowden cables with remote lever, the system we used in the Prodrive rally cars was steering wheel mounted buttons and air actuated with a very small double acting ram with the same Xtrac sensor to monitor position and a RS timing relay to regulate how long the air valve stayed open and how much pressure was allowed through, bloody complicated though. Cant you have a small custom selector lever tucked away operrating via a bowden cable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smo Posted March 22, 2009 Author Share Posted March 22, 2009 Possibly, it would certainly be easier, however i looked at customising the TD5 shifter and its all plastic and crappy so it would mean making one from scratch possibly???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SIMEXSLAVE Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Possibly, it would certainly be easier, however i looked at customising the TD5 shifter and its all plastic and crappy so it would mean making one from scratch possibly???? It would be more straight forward and cheaper than all the kit we've been looking at. At the end of the day with an auto you only put it gear at the start of the journey and take it out at the end so it's position isn't as critical as a manual lever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smo Posted March 23, 2009 Author Share Posted March 23, 2009 Had an email from xtrac and they only fit things like tht to their own transmission - he did recommend that i try proshift though who look interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyb Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 SMO, look at 'switch-shift' feature in your CompuShift. In full manual mode you can change gear with two push buttons (like paddle shift in F1). There are no safe guards in this mode, so you can put it in 1st at 70 or leave it in 4th all the time......both would be bad .....was thinking that that would eliminate the need for a selector....or simplify the selector some what. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smo Posted March 23, 2009 Author Share Posted March 23, 2009 Thing is i still have to engage park, drive and reverse as a minumum manually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyb Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 The selector cable moves a rotatory switch on the side of the box......surely it's just a case of wiring that into the cab so that you can select D-N-R-P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smo Posted March 23, 2009 Author Share Posted March 23, 2009 The selector cable moves a rotatory switch on the side of the box......surely it's just a case of wiring that into the cab so that you can select D-N-R-P I dont know.....you tell me?? I thought it was a mechanical process of selecting the park/drive/reverse etc?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boothy Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Try cable manfactures, who will if you take a old cable make a new one to your length from the ends of your old cables for a fraction of the cost of a new LR one. Have a ring around and you'll find one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyb Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 I dont know.....you tell me?? I thought it was a mechanical process of selecting the park/drive/reverse etc?? I think you might be right....there is a mechanical link inside the box as well as the X-Y switch that tells the ECU what gear you are in. In answer to Boothy suggestion try http://www.cable-tec.co.uk/. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smo Posted March 23, 2009 Author Share Posted March 23, 2009 Whilst the cable is a problem a bigger one is simply fitting and nicely mounting the lever. As you can see in the photo imagine where ones arm is when sitting, the space between the hi-lo and it being un-usably far back isnt much hence wanting an alternative solution... EDIT: Unless of course i remove the auto, sell it and the compushift and return it to a manual as originally intended??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boothy Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Glynn Yates and John Sales have the auto shifter built into the dash, high up to avoid it getting full of sludge etc, I've mounted mine on a frame affair above the high/low shifter for the same reasons, working on the principle its very rare it moves out of low/difflock so doesn't cause a big problem moving it. Andb is bob on when he says it's mechanical link, the lever on the outside of the box acts directly onto the valve block and the park position is a mechanical linkage inside the box to the rachet pawl on the back of the box, if you've seen the pawl and it's strength you would certainly take it out of park when using it as an anchor in a comp etc and rely on chocks or the handbrake, it's not the strongest bit of kit in the world, but then again I don't supose it was meant to be. Don't put the manual back in it will be a massive step in the wrong direction. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 If I were going to do something like this - I'd use a large RC servo to move the actuator / Push/Pull the cable. Servos are very reliable and waterproof - so should be pretty reliable. For control, I'd use a microcontroller which spits out the right PWM for the servo positions associated with the different gears. Then use a series of push buttons to select the individual gears as required. Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smo Posted March 23, 2009 Author Share Posted March 23, 2009 I was wondering when you would see this Si, i thought you might have an idea for a solution Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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