Klicktronic....

[laserblues2]

Does anyone have any experience of the Klicktronic gearchange system?? Just considering buying one for an R1 engined MK GTR...

Thanks for help in advance!

Nick

[chrille]

laserblues2 said:

Does anyone have any experience of the Klicktronic gearchange system?? Just considering buying one for an R1 engined MK GTR... Thanks for help in advance! Nick

I suppose you’re after quick gear changes. For a bike engine it's quit easy. Put a micro switch on the gear change and some easy electronics which shortcuts the ignition for maybe one or two tens of a second (just test what will be OK). You could also buy such device (but that’s cheating). Quit common for motorcycles. Having done this you could change gear with full throttle (shifting up this is, shifting down with full throttle and without clutch is not recommended).

[laserblues2]

Hmmmm but how hard would it be to make my own kit? Sounds like it might be a lot of hassle.... just found www.translogicuk.com they look like they have nice kits & easish to fit!!

Have you ever tried one??

So i'd be able to change up without clutch but not down without clutch.... sounds great!!

Thanks

Nick

PS. have u heard of a electronic throttle system??

[Mikey G]

Ive been thinking of doing this for a while, i have drawn up a little circuit for it but just needs a little fine tuning before i buy the bits and make it up. very simple but i will need to use 2 solenoids as opposed to a single dual acting actuator (i cant find a supplier). the system will be adjustable for ignition cut. It will be operated by either push buttons or a paddle shift of some sort on the steering wheel.
Once i have the time to complete it i will probably tell everyone about it if it works

[chrille]

I can’t see the point of using solenoids. Add weight and complicate things a lot. Just use the mechanical linkage. If you have driven motorcycles you know it is easy to shift gears without using the clutch. You just need to ease the throttle a bit so you won’t have torque through the gearbox when shifting. This is why you need to turn of the ignition for a very short time when quick shifting. This is instead of lifting the throttle.

[laserblues2]

Mikey G... sounds cool - but then you'll just produce the one for yourself?? Sounds complicated & will prob take a while to do?!?

Chrille - the reason we would use solenoids - never built a kitcar before... the gear linkage is on the rear side of the engine... so the linkage would need to come out the centre to the right then along then up then back across & then change gear!! We've got no chance of getting this right witha nice shift - reasoning for thinking that a solenoid type version might be better. We were considering building our own but do not have ther expertise or know how or equipment - so thought maybe buying a kit was a good idea?!?!

The throttle also needs 2 cables - one to pull open & one to shut the throttle!! As a result might be kinda hard for 1st time builders to do successfully?!? But looking into the options....

Thanks....

[chrille]

You can easily find such device I am talking about at a motorcycle dealer but it wouldn’t be too hard to do if you are familiar with electronics but I understand if not everybody is. I don’t think they are too expensive to buy, though.
The one you are talking about is a little bit trickier. I haven’t seen anything like it but on the other side I haven’t seen everything….
I’ve got another idea. Since you have a sequential gearbox the linkage should just move in one dimension (two directions). It should be possible to manage by a push pull rod like they have for radio controlled aircrafts between the servos and the rudder. You should probably use something a bit bigger than they have but it would be a solution. Another way to do it is with some hydraulics where the hydraulic fluid works like a rod. Just like the brake fluids in the brake system, but you need it to work in both directions. Even though I have a master degree in electronics I think I would have chosen that one instead.
Good luck.

[Jon Ison]

if its an MK GTR your building have a word in Martins brothers ear, he made one for his own car wich worked well useing two solenoids and push buttons on the wheel.

[Mikey G]

My car will still be fitted with the standard push/pull gearlever. But the idea of the system is to allow you to keep your hands on the wheel while changing gear, and on the plus side it allows a quicker gearchange as the system will do the ignition cut for you and change gear quicker than you can think about it. I would estimate i could halve the gearchange time this way with no backing off the throttle or waiting for the revlimiter to cut in(which is what i do now). also been thinking of tying it into a shift light for fully auto upshifts but cant think of a simple way to stop it changing higher than 6th!
I have a simple circuit drawing but no time to put it into practice to test it. Quick calculations say it will cost me £50-60 to build if it works

[chrille]

Some motorcycles have an indicator telling you what gear you’re in. This means that there must be some sensors in the gearbox. If you should have automatic gear change you will need some electronics. Couldn’t be difficult to let it count the gear changes. The question is, do you really want it to change gear automatically? Think what would happens if it change gear in a corner! Could be very exciting. Certainly more than I would like.

[spartan_andy]

As i understand this problem u want a semi auto gear change without lifting the throttle.

IIRC The Proshift kit does exactly what you are talking about ie press a button and the kit cuts the throttle the changes gear not sure on price tho.

HTH

Andrew

[The DJ 27]

£1095 for a DIY installation, or they'll fit it for an extra £100. Pretty good value IMHO

[nemesisv8]

We have the Kliktronic unit fitted to our Mission race car, seems to work very well, we also have the Techtronics Trickshifter that allows you to do clutchless downshifting as well.

The down shifter uses a throttle blipper which uses engine manifold vacumn to syncronize the downshift.

There are several different types of gear indicators, mostly the electronic version need no gearbox sensors as they "Learn" which gear they are in by comparing road speed and engine revolutions.

Some bike engines do have gear selection sensors which would be reasonably simple to interface to normally this involves creating a resistor chain to produce a potential divider that you can monitor with a A/D convertor on something like a PIC micro.

As for the amount of work to develope this type of systems its never easy beleive me I know its what I do for a living.

John