Simracing DIY Sequential Shifter

So I’ve really enjoyed using the homemade handbrake for drifting and messing around, it’s a nice touch for fun but I’ve taken a shine to agressive hillclimb and DTM circuit racing. I decided it was time to make a sequential shifter box

It was super handy for rally games but not really for much else, Correcting for lack of rotation in corner entry or when getting bashed by another racer and having to lock up the rear to correct spin were the only frequent uses.

The paddles shifters on the g920 are, well… lifeless. I considered the £10 magnetic paddle mod to increase the tactile feel. Instead I decided to spend the tenner on some more micro roller switches and build myself a sequential shifter tower.

DIY Sequential Shifter Tower first test concept made in wood

After two or three layout attempts, I finalised on this arrangement, still to be refined and eventually translated into an aluminium housing instead of wood, but it works, the action is decent although I want to work a little more tension and a slightly more pronounced throw and engagement. I’m considering installing a large spring bearing at the bottom on the handle. This would give the handle a more mechanical engagement when moved.

First iteration of the idea using springs and a pair of roller lever microswitches

Once i get the this setup and tested on a few laps im sure ill need to make some adjustments. once i get it all ironed out ill be making the whole thing out of alluminium plate bolted together with spacers and some proper mounting for the springs.

Sequential Shifter 3D concept

The only thing missing in this concept drawing is the springs used to tention the lever in its central position, They need to have a fairly strong tension so that they can pull the lever back over the sprung ball bearing. Im also considering using some super strong neodimium magnets in the center to futher aid in snapping back the lever center without any wobble from the springs. I thin this will give the sequential shifter a really nice movement and engament with the microswitches.

i also feel already that it needs to be a little more engaging and stiff to pull on, maybe not so much on pushing as you tend to snap the lever forward and let go fairly quickly, the opposite i feel on the reverse when pulling back you want to feel some tention and a nice heavy engament. I have an idea I’ve kind of stolen on how i can achieve a nice mechanical feel to the whole thing quite easily, using the bottom round edge of the lever i can seat a ball bearing on each side in a sprung pocket (the concept video shows them in red). When the lever pivots, at its maximum angle it will ride over the ball bearing which is seated over a spring, I need to add some fairly heavy duty centering springs to this design, they will center the lever and give it the tension to pull back center when it latches over the ball bearing catch. It should also add some weight to the “throw” and add to the overall feel.

Here is the working mechanism. You can see how the ball bearings engage at the maximum rotation and the switches are positioned at an angle to slighly roll on the lever as it catches which should add to a more engaging and mechnical feel to the sequential shifter. The neo magnets stacked in the center add a centering mass and should snap the lever center giving the centering springs some dampening when letting go of the lever agressively.