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Paddles on a WRX?!

2827 Views 15 Replies 4 Participants Last post by  MainFrame
Hey guys,
New to this forum, so sorry if I'm kind of a newb. Is it possible to put paddle shifters on a 2002 WRX manual tranny?


rAiN Twist - YouTube
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how would that work? Just trying to plug your youtube channel?
how would that work? Just trying to plug your youtube channel?
Plug my YouTube channel, what does that mean? And I don't know how it would work, that's why I'm asking. I guess you would have to push in the clutch, and then hit the paddle. But is that even possible?


rAiN Twist - YouTube
Plug my YouTube channel, what does that mean? And I don't know how it would work, that's why I'm asking. I guess you would have to push in the clutch, and then hit the paddle. But is that even possible?


rAiN Twist - YouTube

Sorry, didn't mean to seem Brash, it was just your first post with an odd question and then your youtube channel listed, thought it was spam.

I don't think paddle shifters could work with a manual transmission without some crazy modification. Any specific reason? I'm sure there's a handicap option or something similar out there, but most would just go auto before devising some inventive paddle setup.
Sorry, didn't mean to seem Brash, it was just your first post with an odd question and then your youtube channel listed, thought it was spam.

I don't think paddle shifters could work with a manual transmission without some crazy modification. Any specific reason? I'm sure there's a handicap option or something similar out there, but most would just go auto before devising some inventive paddle setup.
I didn't even know that it said my YouTube down there. It just asked me for a tag line, so I put that there. Anyways, I just thought it would be cool to have a manual tranny, with paddle shifters. I like paddle shifters, and I would like a manual transmission for racing. So I thought it would be cool to have them both. Almost like a toggle able system, if you wanted to use paddles, you use those. Or you can switch to the shifter.


rAiN Twist - YouTube
If I recall correctly, Subaru did exactly this at one point, but it was a stop-gap solution until they could develop a suitable sequential gearbox. I believe their intial Group A/8 cars used a conventional H-pattern gear shift but it was somehow actuated by paddles. By the time the Subaru era had come and gone, the Imprezas were using sequentials with paddles like everyone else though. The H-pattern/paddle shift design was early and in retrospect it did smack a bit of desparation.

At the time, Subarus were mostly thought of as comedic relief while people tried to figure out how to defeat Lancia Martini (and I don't think anyone did quite figure that out; FIAT just decided to spend the money elsewhere so they withdrew). By the time Subaru had reached the end of the Impreza's evolution, people were all using sequentials with paddles and everyone was trying to figure out how to beat Ford. Then Peugeot and Citroen sorted that issue out, and everyone spent years trying to beat them.

Subaru did the right thing: they quit.

In any case the system was never offered on civilian cars.

Earlier, Audi (a better team than Subaru in many respects, and certainly with better cars than the Imprezas -- we're talking on the stages, NOT on the street, since I'd never consider an Audi as my road car) had used a conventional shifter H pattern but instead of paddles, to save time they placed a clutch BUTTON on the shifter itself.
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If I recall correctly, Subaru did exactly this at one point, but it was a stop-gap solution until they could develop a suitable sequential gearbox. I believe their intial Group A/8 cars used a conventional H-pattern gear shift but it was somehow actuated by paddles.

At the time, Subarus were mostly thought of as comedic relief while people tried to figure out how to defeat Lancia Martini (and I don't think anyone did quite figure that out; FIAT just decided to spend the money elsewhere so they withdrew).

In any case the system was never offered on civilian cars.
Hm, interesting. I read up on the 2014 Corvette C7 Generationhttp://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/...manual-transmission-with-paddle-shifters.html. They installed essentially a RPM slip clutch while turning, so novice drivers don't have to learn the "heal-toeing" technique. They created a paddle shifter sensor sort thing. It predicted what gear you were going into. Pretty neat technology, but not necessarily the same thing as a option paddle shifter.


rAiN Twist - YouTube
Have a look at this, onboard from 1000 Lakes in 99. I can't tell if this is a pure sequential system or a cobbled H-pattern as I tried to describe. However, looking at it, I wonder if I am hallucinating in thinking Subaru did a paddled H-pattern, because I've looked at everything they did in the 90s with the GrA/8 Impreza and can't find it. They were using floor shifting H-patterns until end of 98, then this, then by the turn of the century they were on paddles, but I could swear the news item I think I recall was from much earlier -- mid 90s, not late 90s. Anyway, see my disclaimer...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfiCxAE5rQs

McRae had enough at that point, and he went to Ford. Here's Solberg in the bugeye car, notice the shifting arrangement has changed a year later:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBbIpl1dX5Y

And at the bitter end, paddles for sure: This is Solberg at the 04 1000 Lakes (unless they changed the name by then; I still use the old name to this day... Neste who?).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMLbn4PmGes
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Have a look at this, onboard from 1000 Lakes in 99. I can't tell if this is a pure sequential system or a cobbled H-pattern as I tried to describe. However, looking at it, I wonder if I am hallucinating in thinking Subaru did a paddled H-pattern, because I've looked at everything they did in the 90s with the GrA/8 Impreza and can't find it. They were using floor shifting H-patterns until end of 98, then this, then by the turn of the century they were on paddles, but I could swear the news item I think I recall was from much earlier -- mid 90s, not late 90s. Anyway, see my disclaimer...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfiCxAE5rQs

McRae had enough at that point, and he went to Ford. Here's Solberg in the bugeye car, notice the shifting arrangement has changed a year later:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBbIpl1dX5Y

And at the bitter end, paddles for sure: This is Solberg at the 04 1000 Lakes (unless they changed the name by then; I still use the old name to this day... Neste who?).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMLbn4PmGes
Very interesting, the shifter in the second video almost looks like the shifter they put in the Subaru XT6 for the EJ engine in the early 90s I believe, Can't remember the exact year. The picture is hard to tell in the first video (top video), but from the looks of the shifter, it looks heavily modified. Subaru used Jatco transmissions all the way till 89, in pretty sure, and kept basing there transmission off of the Jatco design, and picked Jatco up after their B11S design. I'm not for sure on that, so don't quote me. But if that's the case, it wouldn't be anything from Subaru.


rAiN Twist - YouTube
I think Jatco was supplying lots of stuff in Japan at the time -- Nissan, Mazda, Suzuki, Subaru -- and they also supplied Austin Rover. Wow it's been a while!
I think Jatco was supplying lots of stuff in Japan at the time -- Nissan, Mazda, Suzuki, Subaru -- and they also supplied Austin Rover. Wow it's been a while!
Yeah, I'm kind of new to the Subaru world. I'm definitely don't have as much knowledge as you about this kind of stuff. Just thought it would be cool to learn about a standard transmission, with optional paddle shifters. But I think the only way you would be able to do it is with a sequential gear box. If you were to actually make one, it would be heavy. Anyways, just popped up in my deranged 16 year old mind (I have a lot of random questions like this that interest me, especially about cars. So thought I would use the Internet, as my helpful knowledge tool). Thanks for the help!


rAiN Twist - YouTube
Is it possible to put paddle shifters on a 2002 WRX manual tranny?


Yes, it's possible.. people have done it in the past. You could use either a KAPS or Modena sequential gearbox. The gearbox itself will run you about $13,000.. plus you will need a six speed transmission from a STI to put it in, the electronics to run it, and of course the paddles themselves. I would guess you could get it all set up and working for around $20,000, assuming you do most of the work yourself.


KAPS R4 Sequential 6 Speed Gearbox Conversion Kit For 2004-15 Subaru STI
Yes, it's possible.. people have done it in the past. You could use either a KAPS or Modena sequential gearbox. The gearbox itself will run you about $13,000.. plus you will need a six speed transmission from a STI to put it in, the electronics to run it, and of course the paddles themselves. I would guess you could get it all set up and working for around $20,000, assuming you do most of the work yourself.


KAPS R4 Sequential 6 Speed Gearbox Conversion Kit For 2004-15 Subaru STI
But can you choose whether to use the shifter, or the paddles?


rAiN Twist - YouTube
But can you choose whether to use the shifter, or the paddles?

I'm sure you could use either, or both. With the proper electronics setup it's just a button push.. doesn't really matter where you put the button.
I'm sure you could use either, or both. With the proper electronics setup it's just a button push.. doesn't really matter where you put the button.
True, kind of an expensive paddle shifter setup, lol.


rAiN Twist - YouTube
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