Allison Paddle Shifter Retrofit?

[TomAndPeg]

Hi All,

Has anyone ever heard of retrofitting a paddle shift system onto an Allison 6 speed? I'm driving a 1998 Discovery pushed by a Cummins 5.9 ISB. After a recent trip through a hilly region, I've begun to realize that paddle shifting up and down would be a lot easier (and safer) than pushing buttons.

I did a brief web search on this topic, but came up empty. Any suggestions as to source for a retrofit kit?

Thanks,

Tom Ryan

[Skip426]

Tom, I'll tag along on your post to see what answers you get, I was looking at extending my control pad 3" out of the dash for easier access , but this may be a better idea.

[Elictrix]

Converting an Allison automatic to Tiptronic like modern cars is a nice idea, but there are a few problems.
The main problem is that the driver can only select the highest gear that the transmission can attain. The ECU will decide what gear the transmission should be in for the current speed and throttle position etc. If you request a higher or lower gear than the current gear, the transmission won't change until conditions are suitable for the requested gear.

[TomAndPeg]

That probably means if there is a solution, it would be prohibitively expensive. A bridge too far?

[ShapeShifter]

Originally Posted by Elictrix

Converting an Allison automatic to Tiptronic like modern cars is a nice idea, but there are a few problems.

But all that means is that it won't behave the same as a paddle shifter on a car, it doesn't mean it can't work in a motorhome.

Right now, there are up/down buttons on the shifter keypad, which you can use to set your desired gear selection. Yes, it's true that you can ask for a gear that is not safely attainable under the current conditions, and the transmission won't shift until it's safe to do so, but that doesn't mean you can't press the buttons.

If a paddle shifter could be retrofitted, I imagine it would work just like like the up/down buttons on the keypad, it would just be easier to reach. True, it won't turn the motorhome into sports car with a high performance transmission that can shift in milliseconds with just a tap of a lever. It would still drive the way it always has, it would just be easier to tap those up/down buttons.

My keypad is pretty much where my left hand naturally rests, and I'm pretty much a flat-lander, so it's not a big deal for me. But I've seen some keypads located where it's more than a bit of a stretch to reach it, and I can see the benefit in those cases, especially if you live in mountainous region.

[TomAndPeg]

Thanks for the optimism. I do understand the limiting factors you have listed, and my goals are exclusively ergonomic.

I have sent a note to Allison support to see if they can provide any information.

[ShapeShifter]

Originally Posted by thomaspryan

That probably means if there is a solution, it would be prohibitively expensive. A bridge too far?

Mechanically, it's simple: mount a paddle with a pair of switches to detect push and pull, or two paddles with a single switch each.

Electrically, it's simple: connect the two normally open switches in parallel with the up/down keypad buttons.

Logistically, it's a nightmare: Getting Allison to sign off on it will likely be nigh impossible. That means cracking open the keypad, hacking the connections to the up/down buttons, and taking full responsibility for repairs if anything goes wrong.

[Gordon Dewald]

This is an interesting thread so I would like to tag along.

We have a 7 speed SUV with paddle shift. The shift works well with some of the limitations noted above.

We can shift down to the next gear if it is physically attainable which is what I would expect the Allison to do.

We can shift up until we are asking for top gear without the transmission shifting but if we push up once more the transmission will shift up a gear at least momentarily. It the throttle position is asking for a lower gear it will soon shift back down. I would hope the Allison would do the same thing.

[ShapeShifter]

Originally Posted by Gordon Dewald

I would hope the Allison would do the same thing.

Assuming that such a paddle shifter would behave the same as the up/down buttons on the transmission keypad, it would do almost the same thing.

but if we push up once more the transmission will shift up a gear at least momentarily. It the throttle position is asking for a lower gear it will soon shift back down.

This wouldn't happen. If you press UP and the conditions aren't right, it won't shift, but it will remember that you wanted a higher gear when the conditions are right. If you press UP while already asking for the highest gear, it does nothing. If there were (or ever would be) a paddle shifter, I assume it would work the same as the existing UP/DOWN buttons - it's a rather bullet proof system.

[TomAndPeg]

Originally Posted by ShapeShifter

Mechanically, it's simple: mount a paddle with a pair of switches to detect push and pull, or two paddles with a single switch each.

Electrically, it's simple: connect the two normally open switches in parallel with the up/down keypad buttons.

Logistically, it's a nightmare: Getting Allison to sign off on it will likely be nigh impossible. That means cracking open the keypad, hacking the connections to the up/down buttons, and taking full responsibility for repairs if anything goes wrong.

Rolling my own is a very interesting idea. In the past I've hacked momentary switches for other applications for testing/trouble-shooting purposes. That said, I've never had the Allison keypad off, so I'm not yet sure what I might be dealing with. My fear would be frying something and then having to replace the entire assembly, no closer to my goal (but maybe a little wiser).

[Annierufus]

Get a second hand piece from a salvage yard as a Guinea Pig ?


Joe 1998 Itasca Sunflyer Ford 460

[Skip426]

[QUOTE=Annierufus;2120511]Get a second hand piece from a salvage yard as a Guinea Pig ?
QUOTE]
It would still be some expensive ham. Salvage yard price is usually 50% of new.
In an old post I saw the name of a Texas company that rebuilds the touch pads, I'll see if I can track it down.

[Gordon Dewald]

We were looking at a Freighliner Sport Chassis briefly when we were purchasing our 5er. It was on diplay at a motorcycle shop during Sturgis.

The truck had a paddle shift and I will assume it also had an Allison transmission.

Would that setup be much different that the setup on a MH?

[TomAndPeg]

Hey Gordon: Not sure how Freightliner is implementing paddle shifters on the newer custom chassis, but I suppose it would be similar to what you saw.