Flatshifter max solenoid feedback?

[99sh]

I'm thinking about picking up the flatshifter paddles and the electronic solenoid. Any feedback on the solenoid? I'm currently running a paddle cable actuated setup which is a bit straining on my fingers.

Is the electric solenoid quick?

[JakeL]

Heya Arax,

The feedback I've generally heard, and my own experience, is that the open-loop systems such as the FlatShifter (ProShift, Pingel, etc) are not very reliable. They certainly do shift fast, but they are very prone to missed shifts. Each car I've ever driven with one, and other folks have told me the same, they will very frequently miss downshifts, especially when you're braking hard. I've also been told they are heat sensitive so you need to make sure to duct cooling fresh air to them, but I'm not 100% sure on that.

The solution to this is the expensive Geartronics stuff that has a sensor that actually measures rotation of the drum to know when the shift is complete, but...they're expensive and a bit finicky.

I also found the Stohr paddles very tiring for my forearms, so I converted my F1000 to a bump shifter with a FlatShifter for the cut on upshifts, and used that for many years and liked it. I still have the kit around if you are interested. I had to drill a hole in the frame rail (sort of near your right knee) and have it bushed so that the shift lever had a place to pivot. As you can see, at our home track HPR, it works quite well - it's not awkward for shifts etc.

Happy to talk more if you'd like, you know where to find me

That's my experience anyway, others may chime in...

-Jake

[lowside67]

I'm thinking about picking up the flatshifter paddles and the electronic solenoid. Any feedback on the solenoid? I'm currently running a paddle cable actuated setup which is a bit straining on my fingers.

Is the electric solenoid quick?

Just wondering, are you running the original dual shift cable setup or the newer "push/pull" single cable?

-Mark

[99sh]

I'm running the larger single cable setup from Stan(Stohr). The strain is not terrible but you do feel it at the end of the day. If there's a plus, my keyboard typing skills got a bit quicker now that I've worked those muscles

I do have the load cell mounted directly to the paddle to keep it away from heat soak. Geartronics may be in my future. I did take a look at Jeff's car to see how the geartronics is mounted up. There is a good amount of bracketry going on!

[Farrout48]

I'm running the larger single cable setup from Stan(Stohr). The strain is not terrible but you do feel it at the end of the day. If there's a plus, my keyboard typing skills got a bit quicker now that I've worked those muscles

I do have the load cell mounted directly to the paddle to keep it away from heat soak. Geartronics may be in my future. I did take a look at Jeff's car to see how the geartronics is mounted up. There is a good amount of bracketry going on!

In my WF1, I also have the single cable but it was installed 10 years ago. My Flatshifter load Cell is mounted back beside the engine. I have not experienced any heat related issues with it. Richard at RillTech has told me he prefers the load cell to be mounted at the paddle end so as to be out of the greasy area near the chain.

You could move the cable mounting hole on the paddle to change the pull force required but it also changes the amount of travel needed.

Previously, I had a Pingel in my AMAC. It definitely experienced heat related issues later in a race. It would take 2-3 initiations to get from 5-6 gear. I removed it, installed a Stohr paddle, and went manual for a few years. When it worked correctly, the PIngel was quick in upshift. I think the Flatshifter Expert works better overall.

[JakeL]

Mark,

I also ran the single cable that Arax describes. It's miles better than the old 2-cable setups, but I had the same experience as Arax - tired hands at the end of the day/race. Maybe we are just weenie computer programmers or something, but that's how it was for me ;-)

-J