Paddle shifting 101 - 2021 GT Premium

[davemeyer]

I've never had a car with paddle shifters before ..............
I bought a 2021 GT Premium with auto trans recently, read the manual, and decided to try them.

When I pull in on the + or - 'tab' (per manual) nothing happens, but if I pull in the 'plate' (attached to the tab) located behind the steering wheel at the 3 - 9 o'clock position, they work.
I assume this is normal behavior, right ?

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[GTP]

Do you mean to ask if there is a difference in behavior between pulling back at the upper end of the paddle or from the center of the paddle?

 

[davemeyer]

Wondering if pulling the ‘tab

Do you mean to ask if there is a difference in behavior between pulling back at the upper end of the paddle or from the center of the paddle?

Wondering if pulling the ‘tab’ should activate a shift (mine does not)

By pulling at the 9/3 steering wheel position (ie behind the steering wheel) does activate a shift.

 

[engineermike]

I don’t think anyone knows what “tab” you’re talking about. Pic?

 

[GTP]

Wondering if pulling the ‘tab’ should activate a shift (mine does not)

By pulling at the 9/3 steering wheel position (ie behind the steering wheel) does activate a shift.

When you pull back on the paddle at the upper tip it puts the internal switch into a bind and it will not activate. Pulling at the center does not impart this off-center torque to the switch and then it works normally.

I purchased aftermarket magnet paddles from ebay to replace my Ford paddles. This was so I could paddle shift on track from the 10/2 hand position. Look for a link to the install process in my build log, link is below in my signature. It is rather involved.

 

[Ironhorse17]

This my first car with paddle-shift capability.

I grew up with muscle cars from the late 60's and early 70's. I worked for a custom engine rebuilder and speed shop. I won more races with an automatic/shift kit/3000 stall converter than my friends with manual transmissions.

Every car I owned had a gated automatic shifter in the console. It was easy to go from a donut, to a side-slide, and then pull away with a little fishtailing going on. I just gave the shifter a tap and we're in another gear. It didn't matter what I was doing with the steering wheel.

Here's my beef. While transitioning from the donut to the side slide. You had to be fast turning the steering wheel while shifting to second. I find it impossible to use the paddle shifters while violently and quickly turning steering the wheel to recover from any troubles that might catch you off-guard. Especially if you had to change hand positions on the wheel.

I'm starting to figure out why there are so many Mustang crash videos on Youtube.

I'm now of the opinion that paddle shifters are best on Indy cars that rarely go past half a turn on the steering wheel.

 

[davemeyer]

I don’t think anyone knows what “tab” you’re talking about. Pic?

Here is a pic of what I mean by a ‘tab’

 

[CrazyHippie]

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