Paddle shift ↓

Formula paddles to mount between the wheel and quick-release with bespoke carbon-fibre brackets. These neat and ultra lightweight assemblies are fitted with carbon fibre flippers and have an extremely positive tactile feel. These paddles can be supplied with a hand-made 'Raychem' coiled cable at extra cost. Weight: 165g. (without cable) Please note: We do not supply these paddles for use with competitors systems.

Saloon cars generally require larger paddles, and this 'GT' paddle assembly is for a 330mm steering wheel, including a carbon fibre bracket to mount to a standard 6 bolt hub. Other brackets can be made to customer specification. These paddles feature the same switch assembly as our 'formula' paddles, offering an extremely tactile 'clicky' feel through the use of high-powered neodymium magnet technology.

Shift paddles for rally cars require a different approach. Designed to be mounted to the steering column, the 'rally' paddle remains in the same position, regardless of steering wheel position. The two-way actuation is pulled for upshifts & pushed for downshifts. No more comprimising with twin paddles and hitting the wrong one when entering or exiting corners! Please note that we do not supply this unit as a separate item, and it is only available as part of a complete system.

Our GCU is specifically made for paddleshift operation and is designed and assembled in-house. Geartronics don't use electronics from 3rd party suppliers and brand it as our own. Hand assembled prototypes undergo extensive bench & field testing before being put into production. The GCU is constructed using state-of-the-art multi-layer surface-mount technology. The PCB is also conformal coated to ensure the highest levels of relaibility in harsh enviroments.

Customers requiring a high-end solution now have the option of choosing our latest CANbus based 'professional' GCU. This latest development takes high-performance gearshifting to the next level. Designed to integrate with the latest engine management, power switching and data acquisition systems, the unit can send and receive up to 80 channels of CANbus data at speeds of up to 1000Hz.

The calibration software has an array of user definable parameters to ensure that the correct shift strategy is achieved for every installation. Note that this is not a timer based system, and unlike some other systems, you do not need to adjust numerous timer parameters for engine cut, actuator & blip durations! All events in the shift sequence are dynamically controlled in real-time to ensure fast, reliable and consistent shifts under all conditions. The GCU also features a detailed datalogging system that allows the race engineer to fine tune the system.

The quality of the wiring harness is extremely important in a serious racecar application. That's why all Geartronics harnessesare manufactured to very high standards using Raychem spec-55 wire, DR25 sleeving and Deutsch Autosport (AS) connectors (where budgets permit). For customers who are concious of the cost of a full Autosport spec loom, we can also provide looms using Sureseal or Deutsch 'DTM' connectors. We NEVER use cheap braided sleeving or 'bullet' & 'spade' connectors in the construction of any of our looms!

This is our standard gearbox actuator. Weighing just 300g, it's considerably smaller and lighter than an equivalent electric solenoid and presents no packaging issues around the gearbox. Furthermore, being pneumatic, it maintains a consistent performance across the full operating temperature range. It provides a shift force of up to 750N at a maximum operating temperature of 230C.

The Geartronics remote valve assembly uses direct operating 'poppet' valves for reduced susceptibility to dirt ingress. The valve performance allows 5 down-shifts in less than 1 second (depending upon engine response). Valve electrical connections are fully sealed and use Raychem Spec55 wire and DR25 sleeving for ultimate reliability. Weight: 480g.

The 'professional' valve assembly offers increased performance and high temperature consistency. Electrical connection is via a Deutsch Autosport 'ASL' connector, giving the highest levels of reliability available to the professional market. Endurance reliability is further enhanced by the use of integral AV mountings. A 2-way version is also available for DBW applications.

Throttle blipping for clutchless down-shifting is often one of the more challenging aspects of an installation. Every car is different, and we need to cater for all eventualities. In the ideal world we would use a small cylinder like this to operate the engine throttles directly. It provides a force of up to 180N from a weight of just 75g.

An alternative to the 'push-type' blipper is this cable operating unit. It's designed to mount directly onto most throttle bodies and operates with a standard 7mm OD cable. The blip magnitude is easily adjustable by means of the 'K' nut on the rear of the unit. Pull force up to 220N.

The Geartronics system uses a purpose designed air accumulator so that the compressor only needs to operate intermittently (typically 20-25% duty cycle). The accumulator pressure is controlled by the GCU, based on feedback from the high-quality pressure sensor. The advantage that our accumulator has over other air systems is that the output regulator maintains the shift pressure for consistent shift performance, even during a rapid downshift sequence. The unit is also fully rebuildable, unlike tanks of welded construction. The volume of the accumulator allows up to 15 shifts between compressor operations.

For circuit race & rally cars, a small on-board compressor is used to provide the power to make the shifts. This high specification unit is fully stripped, inspected and modified to provide very high levels of reliability. Operating at typically 20-25% duty cycle, the compressor current is just 13 amps, and therefore does not place any high transient demands on the vehicle electrical system. For hillclimb and sprint applications the compressor is replaced with a lightweight high-pressure (300bar) air bottle that can provide enough air for more than 500 shifts.