Nelson Racing Wheel Paddle Shifter Development

[AUbeast86]

In addition to this, one of you electrical gurus needs to post a DIY on how to modify the existing paddle wiring harness from 3 wires to 2 wires instead of having to buy the $600 DCT paddles. I read in one very old thread (pics were deleted) where resistors are needed to be soldered inline.

 

[Snelson3003]

Update: I have gotten preliminary approval to acquire some new equipment that will help me not only develop these adapters, but it has the capacity to create items beyond the paddles.

With a significant investment into NRW this last week I hope to start prototyping these within 2 weeks time and launch them in about 30-45 days. This will be a step by step process i document here in this thread.

But a small teaser is the equipment SHOULD allow me to use carbon fiber flakes (yes that is a thing) combined with a proprietary expoy/fiberglass that will be 5x stronger than ABS plastics while also maintaining a low production cost. The goal is to make my "lower end" products "higher end" than anything composite on the market. Including OEM spec.

And cost wise is still pending but expect a reasonable price point since I do this as a one person army with several part timers to help. - Keeps my costs low and I consider my labor free to me.

 

[Snelson3003]

In addition to this, one of you electrical gurus needs to post a DIY on how to modify the existing paddle wiring harness from 3 wires to 2 wires instead of having to buy the $600 DCT paddles. I read in one very old thread (pics were deleted) where resistors are needed to be soldered inline.

I have several engineers and experts in the Colorado market who are assisting me in the process plus some items i want to tackle. If i had more time and mental space id do it myself. But my direct focus is on the product itself. All will come in time, i have another month or so to finish those aspects

 

[ASquared]

Definitely interested in switching up my paddles once all the options are completed and laid out, especially if they are gonna be plug n play. You plan on getting back to making wheels too Steven? Never had the chance to pick one up earlier and still have my donor wheel collecting dust lol.

 

[Snelson3003]

I am absolutely coming back with wheels, however i may go a new direction with them as I have been in a legal battle with a company in China who I used to cast my initial 3 mold prototypes (yes they where cheapest, which was my mistake).

I am seeing NRW replica wheels (on several platforms now) and have had several people reach me stating they have one of my wheels with severe issues. Consequently they lack my engraved signature and serial number so I cannot help them. They bought a replica for the price I charge for a USA official NRW.

They also turned me onto the company in China who has been selling them and ive found that their parent company was the one i used to create my molds. So now its a matter of shutting them down and getting my designs redone to avoid this again.

I will be creating a post with my actual claims soon to caution everybody from these imitations. I will also be showing for the first time me creating wheels and the CAD design since i will be changing it up to prevent replication, again.

 

[doublespaces]

Look forward to it! I know you've got lots of news

 

[JuniorB]

Sorry to hear your situation, there is always someone trying to cash in on someone else's work...

 

[DaZuc]

This would be dope if people start making paddles for our cars.

 

[Snelson3003]

Lol it's what I'm doing now, and unfortunately courtesy of you, nobody on the BB/E90 realms will ever get to see these be made.

I remember you

 

[Snelson3003]

Just checking in with you all!

We have been heavily distracted due to several vendors in this community reaching out to us to assist them in prototyping items i wont disclose, but its been hectic!

While we have been busy designing items for them we have NOT forgotten about the paddle shifters.

These are roughly 75% completed with the hardest part being the trigger mechanism in the paddle itself. However we are confident after rounds of testing that we are good to go and will begin the paddle style design next!

Here are some development pics and prototypes - long awaited! Please know that we replicated the old paddles down to about 1 micron accuracy and did that to first ensure we can create the OEM paddle before we started to design the new paddles and the adapters. Our goal is an OEM like fitment so we created the OEM paddle in CAD and tested a prototype which was a success!

 

[tkong]

Just checking in with you all!

We have been heavily distracted due to several vendors in this community reaching out to us to assist them in prototyping items i wont disclose, but its been hectic!

While we have been busy designing items for them we have NOT forgotten about the paddle shifters.

These are roughly 75% completed with the hardest part being the trigger mechanism in the paddle itself. However we are confident after rounds of testing that we are good to go and will begin the paddle style design next!

Here are some development pics and prototypes - long awaited! Please know that we replicated the old paddles down to about 1 micron accuracy and did that to first ensure we can create the OEM paddle before we started to design the new paddles and the adapters. Our goal is an OEM like fitment so we created the OEM paddle in CAD and tested a prototype which was a success!

View attachment 4574 View attachment 4575 View attachment 4576 View attachment 4577

awesome, can't wait for big lambo paddle shifters

 

[Jeffman]

I wish you luck, Nelson. While I really like the pre-lci push downshift / pull upshift paddles and the designs, what I really want is a big grippy squishy supple Alcantara-covered Msport steering wheel. Maybe you can help me out, @Snelson3003?

 

[08_335i]

I wish you luck, Nelson. While I really like the pre-lci push downshift / pull upshift paddles and the designs, what I really want is a big grippy squishy supple Alcantara-covered Msport steering wheel. Maybe you can help me out, @Snelson3003?

You're talking to the steering wheel god, I'm sure he can do something for you

 

[Jeffman]

Exactly!

 

[9krpmrx8]

Now this is something I have been wanting for a while.

 

[Kenjermen]

Very nice a sweet set of paddles to put on a potentially new wheel

 

[Jeffman]

Can Nelson turn my steering wheel into this?

 

[Snelson3003]

Jeff: Yes I sure can. I have done a few all materials wheels recently. Some get a little crazy though, hitting a Alcantara with Perf Leather sides and a Smooth Leather top. Sewing is the key here and marking using a white chalk marker is also the skill.

The paddles are being fast tracked now that the NRW Turbo Snout for the ST community is 95% completed. - Thank god.

I have both my SolidWorks Engineers working on this as well, its not a simple process but we are on variant #9 which has worked perfectly. Now i am having them redo the paddle styles. And FYI, these are my employees, not contract workers.

 

[Snelson3003]

Here is what i hope will be the final internal mechanisms to the Sport 6AT Paddle Wheels.

My other designer is working on the paddle itself and we will merge the 2 files into 1 once each member gets the final fitment to OEM spec. After that, my hands are on deck to fiber wrap these or do a CeraKote finish.

 

[Snelson3003]

And here is the initial render of the paddle that I had to basically tell my designer: "This is not what i asked you to design, this is worse than the initial thumb paddle" LOL.

He is a good sport and knows that I am not easy to work with. I sketched the design i want to see next and he will get me the new revision tomorrow. So know this is only to show proof of work not what the paddles will look like.

Ive realized now working with actual NRW employees that my vision for items is not what they can understand yet. But as we continue to develop they will slowly figure it out.