I have always wanted a sequential or double clutch transmission in my race car but they are so damn expensive. The double clutch style SMG transmission from BMW are plentiful and cheap on EBay, how hard would it be to hack the electronics so these could be used in a standalone application? Anybody know if this has been done?
It couldn't be a standalone job- it would have to integrate with the engine controller to be really effective- so that the shifts were quick and seamless.
The SMG is NOT a dual clutch transmission.
How hard? Its got German electronics. Created by German engineers. Built in Germany.
Berkeleying hard, I should think.
z31maniac wrote: The SMG is NOT a dual clutch transmission.
THIS. It's just a normal 6 speed with wide gates and a control valve assembly doing the shifting. Even if you just wanted to use it anyway - it runs off the ECU so you would be developing your own solution to actuating the valve body.
z31maniac wrote: The SMG is NOT a dual clutch transmission.
Not only is it not a dual clutch, it's very slow. Driving one it auto mode is like driving with a teenager driving a stick. Too much slipping and clunky shifts.
Just shift like real men do.... Or at least "used to do". 
If you can find someone who can change the shift mechanism from the forks to a barrel system- like motorcycles- you can do much faster shifting sequentially that way. To make it work well, you could send a signal when it notes the change of the lever location to either cut spark (upshift) or add throttle (downshift). Which is how a lot of the power on sequential shifting race cars worked. Pretty simple, and theoretically easier than integrating some other OEM's transmission.
alfadriver wrote: If you can find someone who can change the shift mechanism from the forks to a barrel system- like motorcycles- you can do much faster shifting sequentially that way. To make it work well, you could send a signal when it notes the change of the lever location to either cut spark (upshift) or add throttle (downshift). Which is how a lot of the power on sequential shifting race cars worked. Pretty simple, and theoretically easier than integrating some other OEM's transmission.
You would also need to drop the syncros in favor of dog rings.
There was a guy here who had developed a solution for use on a Honda or Mini transaxle I believe. Essentially a series of actuators controlled via an ECU. Pretty ingenious and fairly simple in its component make up, but the software and fine tuning is where the time and money are.
Stefan (Not Bruce) wrote: There was a guy here who had developed a solution for use on a Honda or Mini transaxle I believe.
It was a Lotus Two Eleven IIRC
Huckleberry wrote:Stefan (Not Bruce) wrote: There was a guy here who had developed a solution for use on a Honda or Mini transaxle I believe.It was a Lotus Two Eleven IIRC
VW Golf was the car. That guy, plus the russian with his home brew ECU both amaze me with their projects.
The Hoff wrote:z31maniac wrote: The SMG is NOT a dual clutch transmission.Not only is it not a dual clutch, it's very slow. Driving one it auto mode is like driving with a teenager driving a stick. Too much slipping and clunky shifts.
Weren't they prone to failure too?
NickD wrote:The Hoff wrote:Weren't they prone to failure too?z31maniac wrote: The SMG is NOT a dual clutch transmission.Not only is it not a dual clutch, it's very slow. Driving one it auto mode is like driving with a teenager driving a stick. Too much slipping and clunky shifts.
The hydraulic pump, yes.
Depending on your budget and what your racecar is why not consider similar options that are more do-able such as an automatic with fully manual valvebody/paddle shift set up or if you can afford it a Quaife sequential trans? One is not so expensive and one isn't but can work better than the SMG. I drove one in a friends M3 and wasn't impressed. It either shifted too slowly or shifted so harshly that it would suck for anything but drag racing.
A Quaife sequential trans is $15000
http://www.tunersgroup.com/tunerwire_live/sss_sequential.html
They have one for the Mustang, which should be a T5 or T56
There are other kits available as well:
http://www.s1sequential.com/t56-sequential-shifter/
Plus some for the ford top loader, BW T10 and Muncie 4-speed:
http://www.renagate.com/info.htm
Good luck!
In reply to Stefan (Not Bruce):
Funny you should list the Renagate, I e-mailed them Friday about their shifter and am waiting for a reply. If it's not crazy expensive, I'll get one
i could get flappy paddles to control the T5 in my 86 Camaro????
loosecannon wrote: In reply to Stefan (Not Bruce): Funny you should list the Renagate, I e-mailed them Friday about their shifter and am waiting for a reply. If it's not crazy expensive, I'll get one
Great minds? Heh, you'll need dog rings to make best use of it, but that isn't too bad for a race car.
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