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MoboostWRX
09-14-2005, 02:09 PM
I was wondering who has ran hand clutches near the steering wheel on their cars before and if they could post or link to some pictures for insight.
MoboostWRX
09-14-2005, 02:09 PM
I was wondering who has ran hand clutches near the steering wheel on their cars before and if they could post or link to some pictures for insight.
Homemade WRX
09-14-2005, 03:08 PM
when you say near, are you talking about mounted to or just like the clutch is in close proximity to the wheel?
we have run the hand clutch on the shifter...and last year was relatively close to the wheel, I can post pics if you would like.
take it easy, Micah
kwancho
09-14-2005, 04:45 PM
Yeah, I'd like to see pics. I've seen a few but more is always better.
MoboostWRX
09-14-2005, 06:21 PM
I was think that the clutch was mounted on the support shaft or metal bushing that the steering columb runs through. I want to keep the clutch separate from the shifter.
Homemade WRX
09-14-2005, 08:50 PM
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by MoboostWRX:
I was think that the clutch was mounted on the support shaft or metal bushing that the steering columb runs through. I want to keep the clutch separate from the shifter. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I have seen pics of those before...much like a padel shifter...but a clutch. I don't have any of the pics, but they are around...start looking for threads from '05 competition. I'm sure a few are bound to be in there.

and alex, I'll get the pics tomorrow and then load them
raska
09-15-2005, 02:43 AM
The black lever on the right side behind the steering wheel.

http://www.formulaubc.com/gallery/cacc3/DSC00696_Medium
Dan G
09-15-2005, 05:56 AM
I saw a GA Tech car a few years back that integrated the clutch actuation with the shifter. When you pushed the lever forward to downshift, it engaged the clutch. Pulling for upshifts did nothing for the clutch. So with the car in neutral, you just pushed the shifter forward into 1st and held it there. When you were ready to go, you'd let off on the shifter to disengage the clutch. Really slick. Clutched the downshifts automatically too. It would require some good tweaking to get it to work right, but I thought it was a great idea.
kwancho
09-15-2005, 06:41 AM
Like this!
http://www.v6performance.net/gallery/uploads/9276/Hand_Clutch_2.JPG
Anyone know who's this is? That's what I want to do.
KevinD
09-15-2005, 07:04 AM
Texas A&M in the pic above. there are a few teams running the butterfly shifter. us included (UTA).
Dan G
09-15-2005, 09:47 AM
Alex, the GATech one I saw was just a single lever that did both tasks. Push forward to downshift or launch, pull back to upshift. There was no "Ok, I gotta grab the clutch lever too" going on. Only on the launch where you had to keep forward pressure on the shifter.
kwancho
09-15-2005, 10:09 AM
Kevin: Is a butterfly shifter the same thing as paddles? Did you shift with air or by cable?

Dan: Wow. So, did the driver feather the shifter itself to launch?
Dan G
09-15-2005, 12:50 PM
bingo
kwancho
09-15-2005, 01:35 PM
Any idea how it works?
KevinD
09-15-2005, 01:39 PM
Alex: no, the butterfly shifter is not controlled by air. it uses a clutch cable and a push/pull mechanical linkage (i.e. tubes, not a cable) for the gear selection on our car. A&M apparently uses a push pull cable for gear selection, and a clutch cable for clutching.
Dan G
09-15-2005, 05:29 PM
Super-simplified diagram...

http://evilallianceracing.com/ipw-web/gallery/albums/dansmisc/Clutch_Shifter.jpg
kwancho
09-15-2005, 06:06 PM
Alright, looks straightforward. Thanks.
Chris Boyden
09-16-2005, 07:29 AM
The diagram doesn't match the description in an earlier post, it's backwards. You want clutch on the downshift and no clutch on the upshift.
Lift the throttle before upshifting, which will unload the transmission, or just jam it in, the gear dogs can take it for a while. However, an ignition kill on upshift for ~100ms may help keep the tranny in good shape if you don't want to lift.
Faterooski
09-16-2005, 07:36 AM
I know Oklahoma had a really slick behind-the-steering wheel clutch with push button shifters on the wheel itself. I don't remember if the shifter was air or solenoid though. I'll try and post a picture tomorrow or Sunday when I go home and get back to my Detroit stash off my old camera.
Dan G
09-16-2005, 08:15 AM
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Chris Boyden:
The diagram doesn't match the description in an earlier post, it's backwards. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

D'oh, you're right! I went in and changed it, if you reload/refresh it, it should read correctly now.

Also, obviously every team is going to have a different setup, so its not like that above diagram would work for everone. Clutches are most often a "pull" but the "push/pull" verses "up/down" shifting could change depending on your car and how you lay out your linkages.