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Tutorial DIY steptronic sequential shifter

Discussion in 'DIY peripherals' started by RacingMat, Jun 1, 2015.

  1. RacingMat

    RacingMat Well-Known Member Gold Contributor

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    You wish to have a really immersive shifter? and low cost?

    Why don't you use a real shifter? a steptronic!
    between 30 to 50€

    I followed Akai_fr tutorial as an example

    Here is a "full" steptronic device you can buy on eBay

    559397shifterRacingMatSteptronic12.jpg 639873shifterRacingMatSteptronic10.jpg

    First steps : removing the unecessary stuff

    remove the cables
    471608shifterRacingMatSteptronic1.jpg 502214shifterRacingMatSteptronic2.jpg 497306shifterRacingMatSteptronic23.jpg

    you can cut the cable to ease the removing (optionnal)
    557928shifterRacingMatSteptronic7.jpg

    remove the cover
    843876shifterRacingMatSteptronic15.jpg

    If you want to clean the insides : remove the axle and be careful not loosing the smal "spring and ball"
    987116shifterRacingMatSteptronic4.jpg 824536shifterRacingMatSteptronic8.jpg 903408shifterRacingMatSteptronic9.jpg 798663shifterRacingMatSteptronic5.jpg

    Once done, you get a rather simple device:

    781201shifterRacingMatSteptronic18.jpg 199544shifterRacingMatSteptronic17.jpg

    Check which wires are connected to the micro-switches inside up and down shift
    (probably one common)
    754781shifterRacingMatSteptronic20.jpg
    I used a A-B USB cable and kept this end (in order to prevent any computer connexion) images.jpeg
    300860shifter3.jpg 244000cbleshifter2.jpg

    You can shrink the overall size by cutting bits
    915978shifterRacingMatSteptronic16.jpg

    you can achieve a compact size:
    140754shifter3.jpg 726361shifter2.jpg

    I fixed the steptronic in the box with screws:
    734495shifter6.jpg
    I blocked the disengagement sequential/manual (tilt left) with a screw (some people don't)

    I covered the box with Carbon look adhesive
    952342shifter2.jpg

    Here is the final result:

    688619shifter1.jpg 297051shifter10.jpg 613928shifter8.jpg

    yours
    Mat
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  2. Pit

    Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Gold Contributor

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    Great Mat as usual best of DIY thank you for sharing your work :thumbs
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  3. leaedman

    leaedman Active Member

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    Terrible. Ca doit être super réaliste :thumbs
    Je tenterai bien le coup un de ces 4.
    Tu aurais la référence exact de ce shifter RacingMat ? A moins que qu'il n'y ai qu'un seul model qui s'appel steptronic ? C'est pour pas se tromper de modèle :p
    ________________________________________________________________

    Terrible. It must be super realistic
    You would have the exact reference of this shifter RacingMat? Unless there was only one model that steptronic call? That's not the wrong model
  4. RacingMat

    RacingMat Well-Known Member Gold Contributor

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  5. leaedman

    leaedman Active Member

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    OK ! Thanks RacingMat :thumbs
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  6. tombo

    tombo Active Member

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    Hi,
    i already have one wired up. Thanks for showing how to remove the not needed parts :) I don't want to dissemble it because i was afraid of losing some springs or so :)
  7. RacingMat

    RacingMat Well-Known Member Gold Contributor

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    You're welcome guys! :cheers
  8. Helium

    Helium New Member

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    Nice work. I built one myself using a slightly newer version of the shifter.

    Why did you block the path to the right?
    I use the right position as a 3rd button (most of the time I use it as reverse) and the right front position as some kind of parking position when the shifter is not in use.
  9. RacingMat

    RacingMat Well-Known Member Gold Contributor

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    Thanks

    It's a good idea as well to keep the right position!
  10. Helium

    Helium New Member

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    The Shifter is awesome to use and I'm still impressed how sturdy it actually is. It really can take a beating. But to be honest I never used any "gaming" shifter so I have no idea how those would compare.
    But I am sure that it's impossible to get something comparable that cheap. With a bit of patience you can get the newer version of the shifter I used and an Arduino UNO (you need to flash a different bootloader and solder some pins to make it a USB host) for less than 15 €. The newer version looks a bit different though and might not be as well constructed (but still more than good enough).

    I even wrote a sketch to use all possible positions but then realized that it doesn't make any sense because all those buttons are dependant. I implemented it anyway because I didn't want to back down :D.

    You could map less important functions to it (switch headlights on e.g.) but activating the button takes a while (move the shifter to the right and then move it to the desired position. Since I got one with the original "lock-knob" you have four possible positions on the right side) and you cannot shift in the meantime. And you have to find a way to make sure that a button is not pressed if you just fly over the position.
    For some functions you can live with that but a buttonbox is much more comfortable and depending on the arduino you are using you got a lot of pins for buttons left.

    Mine has the part number 1 422 834.

    Hebel mit farbe.jpg
  11. haroldjames

    haroldjames Active Member Gold Contributor

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    Nicely done. Im also interested in building a shifter. Im in the process of building my 3dof rig now and would like to know if you can tell me what i need to do electrically (wiring) to hook one to my rig. (schematic with parts list) Unfortunately have have no experience at this point with simtools, (just learning) But on the plus side, I am a industrial electrician. thanks!
  12. RacingMat

    RacingMat Well-Known Member Gold Contributor

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    you can wire the shifter to many boards it depends on what you plan to have: DIY steering wheel, DIY or Leobodnar pedals, dashboard, dynamic simulator...
  13. Dave Irwin

    Dave Irwin New Member Gold Contributor

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    Which driver gets installed when you splice the shifter to the usb cable? How does it know it is a game controller?

    I have already followed this tutorial, but I used a USB Encoder PC to Joystick control board I found on amazon instead of splicing directly to a USB cable. Initially it worked correctly, but after a few hours it has malfunctioned and does not work on either computer I tried. I am going to rewire it but I want to try to directly wire to USB. My concern is that I will have to find a driver to use that may or may not work. Thanks for the help.

    Dave
  14. RacingMat

    RacingMat Well-Known Member Gold Contributor

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  15. Dave Irwin

    Dave Irwin New Member Gold Contributor

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    I have a few arduino's laying around, would that work? I have a board that I got on amazon and it works for an hour or so and then it "malfunctions". It has done this twice so far and I am looking to make a more stable solution.
  16. RacingMat

    RacingMat Well-Known Member Gold Contributor

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  17. Dave Irwin

    Dave Irwin New Member Gold Contributor

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    Thanks for the information RacingMat.

    I will start by rewiring the board that I am already using. It worked for about 2 hours, so maybe the wires are just faulty. If that doesn't work, I will be ordering the Cthulhu board used in the second link you provided. Thanks for the help.

    Dave
  18. razzor13bt

    razzor13bt Member

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