The answer to crisper DSG shifting - Hot Glue... Seriously!

[Bikel]

Before you fall over laughing, give this a read as I was surprised what I found with a little investigative curiosity. I stumbled onto a fix for the lifeless response of the DSG paddle shifters. This is especially true if you have any sort of extensions on the OE paddles, as most seem to flex slightly before any positive contact with the shifting switch. I won't go into removing the switch itself from the steering wheel as that has been covered elsewhere.

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...78#post8828278

So what is this secret sauce? Simply applying a 2mm drop of hot glue to the inside of the paddle itself gives a positive contact and corrects that lifeless response while providing excellent tactile feedback.

Here we go... After the paddle is removed, lever the pivot pin with a small screwdriver to exit from the bottom.



Next-remove the pin with some flatnose pliers.



Now separate the switch from the paddle. Careful not to lose the small return spring.



Place a small drop of hot glue on the + and let cool slightly.



When glue is almost cool, take a punch or flat steel rod and mash the glue to just above the profile of the +.



This is the end result.



Now reverse the instructions above to reassemble, reinstall in the steering wheel and Voilà... Crisper shifting with excellent tactical feedback. Enjoy...

[waxxonMTL]

you have to remove the air bag to remove the paddle ? I'm not messing with that thing.. but nice hack if it works for most. Never though mine had a ''play'', but it could be. just not willing to go through that process.

One way to test it is to shift using the shfiter instead and see if you think theres a lag between shifting with shifter and paddle, I will check carefully this weekend :) But maybe its a b8 thing ?

[IceSilverS4]

possibly a B8... mine does have some play in it.. i find myself playing with it... tapping on it to the music without actually shifting

[Bikel]

I don't believe this is just a b8 thing as I have tried new shift paddles switches and various paddle extensions. It is just a poor design without enough of a pad to feel the snap of the switch when it is depressed. I can't make you feel it via words on the internet... it is just something you have to experience to appreciate just how lifelessness the stock paddle setup is.

[fmzip]

Nice post.

I put some B8 paddles on my B8.5 wheel and added some ECS extended paddles. I love this setup up way more than the factory B8.5 extended paddles. They are perfect in regards to touching the extensions anywhere, they shift just fine.

Does this mod add to a more snappy feel of the paddle? Can you describe it for me? Would a heavier spring accomplish the same thing? What does the glue actually do? Shorten the throw slightly?

[Bikel]

Nice post.

I put some B8 paddles on my B8.5 wheel and added some ECS extended paddles. I love this setup up way more than the factory B8.5 extended paddles. They are perfect in regards to touching the extensions anywhere, they shift just fine.

Does this mod add to a more snappy feel of the paddle? Can you describe it for me? Would a heavier spring accomplish the same thing? What does the glue actually do? Shorten the throw slightly?

yes. I found that the hot glue provides a positive platform for contact with the switch, which is immediate and has a very positive snap to the shifter. When the stock shift paddles have extensions, there tends to be too much slop or flex (especially when your fingers pull from the top). You have to pull fairly hard on the paddle extension because of the amount of torque from the offset of the additional leverage (see the photo below). This results in a poor or weak shift. Don't believe a heavier spring would accomplish what I have described above (may actually work against the effect as you'd just have to pull harder). Love to hear your feedback & experience what I have found to be a most positive improvement to the shift paddle....

[fmzip]

Thanks bud....

I don't feel that I have to pull hard on the paddles at all and they are accurate from every position. The paddle extension I bought encapsulate the entire factory paddle. Does yours do the same? I'd imagine stick on ones cause quit a bit of flex, these don't




Maybe I will take them apart again

[Jeagle]

Thanks bud....

I don't feel that I have to pull hard on the paddles at all and they are accurate from every position. The paddle extension I bought encapsulate the entire factory paddle. Does yours do the same?




Maybe I will take them apart again

Where did you get those paddle extensions?

[fmzip]

Where did you get those paddle extensions?

ECS

They were launched to fit B8.5's but that was incorrect. I bought the B8 paddles and sold my B8.5 extended paddles to make them work on my 2015

https://www.ecstuning.com/News/Audi_...8paddles_feb18

[Jeagle]

ECS

They were launched to fit B8.5's but that was incorrect. I bought the B8 paddles and sold my B8.5 extended paddles to make them work on my 2015

https://www.ecstuning.com/News/Audi_...8paddles_feb18

Thanks.

[fmzip]

I had my wheel off so I tried this last night.

I got the pin out but I could not figure out how to separate the two pieces. I could open it up like a clam shell but could figure out why I couldn't separate them.

I was able to look inside and mine looked different than yours. The area where you added the hot glue, mine already had a raised cylindrical plastic boss that would make contact with the switch. Where yours simple to take a part after removing the pin?

[Bikel]

I had my wheel off so I tried this last night.

I got the pin out but I could not figure out how to separate the two pieces. I could open it up like a clam shell but could figure out why I couldn't separate them.

I was able to look inside and mine looked different than yours. The area where you added the hot glue, mine already had a raised cylindrical plastic boss that would make contact with the switch. Where yours simple to take a part after removing the pin?

Interesting... Love to see a pic when you get it open. I found you need to pop it open from the pin/hinge side as well, otherwise it will just clam-shell back and forth even though the pin is removed.

[fmzip]

Interesting... Love to see a pic when you get it open. I found you need to pop it open from the pin/hinge side as well, otherwise it will just clam-shell back and forth even though the pin is removed.

Found this youtube video explaining the"catch" I was referring to. I need to take my wheel off again tonight as one of my paddles is hanging up, may have over-tightened it slightly. I work at a company the assembles electronic printed circuit boards, may try to find an alternate switch to replace the one in the paddle that is more "clicky".

[fmzip]

Still couldn’t get this thing apart... realized mine is slightly different, maybe that’s why. I have no spring either. Nevertheless you can see the raised boss so the hot glue wouldn’t help. The switch itself takes quite a bit of force so I don’t see a way to get a clickier switch feel


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[Bikel]

Still couldn’t get this thing apart... realized mine is slightly different, maybe that’s why. I have no spring either. Nevertheless you can see the raised boss so the hot glue wouldn’t help. The switch itself takes quite a bit of force so I don’t see a way to get a clickier switch feel.


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Interesting! So somewhere between 2010 & 15' Audi made the improvement to the switch as was needed. Maybe they read my OP and generated a product improvement (lol) cuz their original design is listless and weak!

Thank you fmzip for contributing to our understanding...

[fmzip]

You’re welcome.


Unfortunately, I feel the design still,sucks! I’d like more of a click feel.


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[if6ws9]

Do you think the glue will wear down over time?

[Bikel]

Do you think the glue will wear down over time?

Can't really say, but it has been 3 yrs and it has the same crisp feel as when I originally did it. The button on the switch doesn't actually require much force to trip it. It is just that the flatness of the paddle leaves a lot of play between its contact to the button. Hot glue when it is cooled is of a fairly medium density.

[if6ws9]

Thanks!

[fmzip]

I like how ECS designed a housing with a metal boss to resolve the problem. If I could get my paddles apart, I'd tried these to see how they feel

http://bd8ba3c866c8cbc330ab-7b26c6f3...llation_r1.pdf