Reprogram Paddle Shift?
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 15
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Reprogram Paddle Shift?
Is there any way to change the paddle shifter so that I can press down to down shift and pull up to up shift? I ride a motorcycle as well and I find this whole backwards shift feature frustrating.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 82,175
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From: McKinney TX
St. Jude Donor '21-'22-'23-'24
No way that GM has documented & told us about. Don't think I've seen a thread on this before. It could possibly be done, I suppose, but there doesn't seem to be much demand for it.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 339
Likes: 2
From: Simi Valley, CA
Originally Posted by JimTN
No way that GM has documented & told us about. Don't think I've seen a thread on this before. It could possibly be done, I suppose, but there doesn't seem to be much demand for it.
I try to use the Paddles as much as possible and I still find myself pulling back on the paddle to upshift. It has a lot to do with riding a motorcycle. Your hand just wants to pull back (like on the clutch lever) or your foot wants to Pull up on the toe and then just Push down to drop the gears down. If it's a switch, then maybe it's just 2 little wires, cut and reverse...
Pro
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 551
Likes: 9
From: Rockville MD
Originally Posted by mhorn
Is there any way to change the paddle shifter so that I can press down to down shift and pull up to up shift? I ride a motorcycle as well and I find this whole backwards shift feature frustrating.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,409
Likes: 129
From: Fairview Heights IL
Originally Posted by donsar
It ain't no motorcycle. The Engineers studied this arrangement in great detail and found that this was the ergonomic way to do it. Suits me.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,905
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Originally Posted by Eritosthenes
I have to agree with Velocty on this. I don't care if GM's engineers wear their watches on their right wrists and squeeze their toothpaste tubes from the ends. For me the most natural way to upshift under heavy acceleration is to "squeeze the wheel", which is of course the exact opposite of the way GM's engineers have designed the switches.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 849
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From: Southern Florida
I pulled up the schematics of the paddle shifters and up/down can be reversed - kind of. Battery voltage is supplied through a 4.4k ohm resistor for the up shift and a 1.5k ohm resistor for the down shift. The only wires that can be changed, go from the right paddle to the left paddle. If the tan and purple wires from the right paddle are reversed then the right paddle will then up-shift with a pull and down-shift with a push. But the left paddle with still operate normaly (personally I like that idea anyway, pull the right paddle to up-shift and pull the left paddle to down-shift, I think that's like the F1 cars). To change the left paddle it would have to be disassembled to even see if it can be changed internally (the resistors are in the left paddle switch). I don't have access to one to try this on. But if I did I would like to change that too. 
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,745
Likes: 35
From: Turlock CA
Originally Posted by GMautotech
I pulled up the schematics of the paddle shifters and up/down can be reversed - kind of. Battery voltage is supplied through a 4.4k ohm resistor for the up shift and a 1.5k ohm resistor for the down shift. The only wires that can be changed, go from the right paddle to the left paddle. If the tan and purple wires from the right paddle are reversed then the right paddle will then up-shift with a pull and down-shift with a push. But the left paddle with still operate normaly (personally I like that idea anyway, pull the right paddle to up-shift and pull the left paddle to down-shift, I think that's like the F1 cars). To change the left paddle it would have to be disassembled to even see if it can be changed internally (the resistors are in the left paddle switch). I don't have access to one to try this on. But if I did I would like to change that too.
I found this thread on working around the steering wheel -- http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...+wheel+removal
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 53,524
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From: Arizona
Originally Posted by donsar
It ain't no motorcycle. The Engineers studied this arrangement in great detail and found that this was the ergonomic way to do it. Suits me.
When you accelerate your car, you are thrown back in your seat.
This makes pulling for upshift more sensible.
When you slow down, the momentum pushes you forward, making pushing more sensible for downshifting.
This is the way my daughter's Mini Cooper is, and seems more natural to me.
Of course with time either way can be learned.
My next Corvette will be paddle, and I'm hoping this will be solved by then.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 67,022
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From: Beats UD regularly playing 3D chess, and at life
Originally Posted by mhorn
Is there any way to change the paddle shifter so that I can press down to down shift and pull up to up shift? I ride a motorcycle as well and I find this whole backwards shift feature frustrating.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,690
Likes: 1
From: Northern Calif
actually making the shifters more natural would make less liability. After all grabing a shift and expecting to be pushed backwards and having you head hit the steering wheel instead is more dangerous. (downshifted instead) But I agree with Black 04
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
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From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
Originally Posted by knkali
actually making the shifters more natural would make less liability. After all grabing a shift and expecting to be pushed backwards and having you head hit the steering wheel instead is more dangerous. (downshifted instead) But I agree with Black 04
If you change things, then the liability falls on you.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 25,015
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From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
Originally Posted by knkali
C'mon guys FIX IT!! Also GM mess up with the shifters on the wheel They should be off the column like the Ferrari. Makes shifting while steering a bit easier
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 53,524
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From: Arizona
Originally Posted by Gearhead Jim
Yes, trying to find that tiny upshift paddle while unwinding the wheel as you power out of a tight corner is a major PITA. If nothing else, the upshift paddles should be bigger.
Also don't forget that most of these systems allow you to shift with a nudge of the console shifter, so it might more approximate a manuals ergonomics during your unwinding wheel problem.