The project is all done and the kit gives you factory installed quality. I had some fun tonight playing around with the paddles. It took a lot of time because the I was on the phone with Chris for most of the time trading pictures while he edited his instructions as I went. The install really isn't hard as long as you have the few specialized tools which are not expensive at all and can be picked up at the hardware store or autoparts store. The only tool that most people won't have are a set of security torx bits. These are torx with a hollow center to fit over a center stud in the torx head screw.

I will share a few pictures here but Chris will have all the pictures you need along with step by step instruction.

After having installed the paddles last week the first thing I did today was to remove the airbag and plug in the harness. My torx for removing the air bag are unmarked so the debate of T25 or T27 rages on. All can say it is the torx that fits nice and snug. Installing this little harness is just unpluging the two horn conections and pluging them into the new harness. Then plug in the paddle shifters and the two remaining go to the two horn connections. Super simple




the next step for me was to open the hood and remove the cover on the next to the battery that contains the ECU, BCM and K40 relay. The D connection on the K 40 is the only one with only two wires. You cut the yellow one and add two connectors. the other wire is just tapped with the blue connector in the picture. Again very easy. The other end of the harness goes into the hole at the bottom rear of the box that drops into the foot well. I didn't have to move the ECU or anything. Just push it through as much as you can and you will find the other end in the top right corner of the passenger footwell.

Oops in this picture I had the black and green wires reversed. I didn't take a picture after correcting this. This picture is to show how easy it is pay no attention to the wire colors!




In the footwell remove the mat and then pull the carpet back from the very top and you will see a large piece of styrofoam. Remove the foam and there are three plastic 10mm nuts to remove. One at the top and two at the bottom. The raise to clear the bottom threaded studs and let it drop towards the seat. To make it easier to find the cable from the engine compartment I removed two phillips screw from the upper black panel. this is the large peice you remove to change your cabin filter. You can mount the module with a couple of zip ties on top of the black TCU next to the stereo amplifier. Pull the cable from where it comes through the firewall and plug it into the module.





Next is the real fun. It is easier to do this work with the shifter out of park. First remove the rubber on the e brake and then remove the two 10mm nut in the back of the arm rest compartment. They are at the very beck under the carpet which pulls foward.




Next remove the shifter **** by unscrewing the bottom part and then pull the **** straight up. next pry up the silver panel that contains the window buttons. Use a plastic wedge smillar to the type used to work on cell phones or something you can find around the house. I used a thin but stiff piece of plastic. Using a screw diver will probably leave visible marks. Once you have this piece coming up you can drop it a bit and remove the ring around the shifter. I think this is easier than trying to pull the ring up first by itself.




to get panel with the window switches all the way out I have to next remove the silver part that on top of the shifter. This is the part that the shifter lever follows and surrounds the W S swithc. There are four clips with two on each side. Pop this up and the window switch panel will come right out.






To get the shifter out you have to remove three 5mm allen heads. You will also see int he picture above a black meteal bridge across the front and a grey plastic bridge across the rear. At this point you can follow the manual and keep taking things apart or you can save many hours by cutting the plastic grey bridge as seen below. You also want to remove the four screws which is two from each bridge. Also remove two very small scres that are below the change holder and the 12 volt socket. remove the two 10mm nuts that hold the yaw sensor. doing this allows you to spread the center console enough to get the shifter out. At this point you can raise it enough to get to the clip holdeing the shift rod on. Remove the clip and the rod. You can now pull back enough to get to the front electrical connections. The round one must be squeezed and rotated 1/4 turn counter clockwise. the other plug just gets pyred out. Now the whole shifter can come out. Next use the security torx to remove the four torx scews. Normal torx will not work for this. the top of the shifter will now come off. At this point you are just uncliping and taking it apart. Not hard but you have to get to the circuit board. In the curcuit board there are three small holes that are read to solder wires into. You only use two of them. Be sure you solder the wires to the right holes our you will become an expert at taking apart the shifter like me. BTW, on my first road test I had no down shift because I screwed up and soldered to the wrong hole. I discovered this after getting the whole car back together. so I got to repeat all of this. Btw, on the second attempt I discovered I could just remove the top section of the shifter and not even have to screw with the shift rod. That said, I am not sure people should attempt this if you have not already had one of these apart. It is probably best to remove the shift rod if this is your first attempt.

I don't have a lot of pictures of taking apart the shifter but it is straight forward and Chris has all the pictures anyone will need. In the next few pictures some are what Chris sent me and some I took.



Two of the empty hole get wires soldered into them. Just make sure you use the right holes!


Foam mounting tape added to protect the new wires that were soldered on




You will see above that I added a stick on zip tie mount to protect the wires and keep them in place.


Now put the shifter back together. Before installing back in the car. Take the harness that goes to the shifter and attach the grond eyelet to the central ground lug in front of where the shifter was and push the conector that will connect to the module down the passenger side of the center console so that it is hanging in the side foot well area. reinstall everything and dont't drop the clip for the shifter rod. connect the harness to the shifter and put everything related to the console back togther. Now run the harness cable toward the module stuffing it into the side of the console as you go. Plug this into the module and put the footwell area back together. You are now ready to have some real FUN!!!


There are many imprtant small things I skipped but this is the jist of of it. Chris will have much more detailed step by step availale very soon. YOU CAN DO THIS if you have ever taken anything apart on a car and successfully put it back together. This is a great kit and it is nice to have something that is so cool and only for us automatic guys.

 

Great post Bob. I have had a lot of fun with the paddle shifters since Wednesday. This is a very cool mod and we are lucky to have such a professional and high quality kit from Chris. See ya at the Dragon.

 

bob do you have a pic of were the other wire hole is soldered into? i thought it would be more diffucult but im thinking i may try this myself!!

 

In the picture with the foam tape on the circuit board, you can see the white wire. Under the foam tape is the black wire and it is soldered into a hole just like the white wire. Sorry for not taking a picture. I didn't bother taking pictures when I knew I had a Chris picture. I should have taken pictures of taking apart the shifter but I was on the phone with Chris. Taking apart the shifter is easy. It is just seeing which clips hold which piece you are taking apart. I am sure we can talk about it at the Dragon.

 

i was thinking it was under the tape just dont want to solder the wrong thing. if it can go wrong for me it will!!

 

come on Steve .... you need to be a bit more positive than that!




Bob, you did a great job on this! . My apologies that you had to do it before the instructions were finished, but you just had to have it for the Dragon ....

I am grateful for your contribution to this project and your input that has helped to shape the instructions which I am finishing up right now.



Steve, here is a pic without the faom ... the black wire is a bit blocked by the white, but you should be able to tell where it is going

 

oh im positive chris, positive this car will fight me!! its been a tough 3 months. car has been on jackstands getting modded more than on its wheels! its getting into the prime race season so i need to get everything done and try to break into the 11's only have 2 months of prime weather

 

In the last picture Chris posted, you can see the little empty hole. There are three of them and you only use two of them. Don't use the empty one in the picture. This is a fantastic kit and it is only a matter of time before MB wonders why there has been a run on the paddles. If anyone is considering this set up, you better order the paddles while they last.

 

Thanks for the write-up and pics, great job! Ironically, I had most of the interior trim out of the SRT and only just got it back together in time for WDC! Here I go again.............

 

I'm geting excited! Now that I have a spare car, I can pull my TCM for eurocharged to flash and do this mod... I think the 2 will be a perfect combo!

BIG thanks to Chris for making this happen and with such great quality!

 

Nice pics Bob! When I did mine, I thought taking the shifter apart was the most challenging. But if you take your time its not that bad. Chris made an excellent product!

 

Hey Bob,
Thanks for the write up and pic's. I was a little concerned about the install but your post put me at ease some, I don't have the warm fuzzy's but I'm pretty sure I can do it now. I hope you can make it back down for a GTG again soon.

Paul

 

I'm one that likes to have instructions clear enough that a 2 year old can understand ...... ie lots of pictures too. The more the better for electrically and wire soldering challenged Put me on the list for this amazing upgrade. I'll be in touch by PM in the near future.

Les

 

Chris,

If you are having a hard time deciding, you are welcome to send me a PDF with high resolution pictures of the install procedure. I'd be more than willing to host it and a lower resolution version on my commercial space along with the rest of the Crossfire Documentation.

Just let me know.

 

I cant think of a good reason not to say yes to that great idea.

the instructions are essentially done. All that is left is to add captions to the pictures.

Chris

 

yea! i love pictures!! can you make them look like cartoons?

 

Yeah, but that costs extra...

 

Were the instructions ever finalized? I received my kit today and was going to start on this project.

 

HI Bryan, I am still adding some arrows and text to pictures. the written instructions are done.

I am still wanting to gather a couple of pictures that will make a couple parts of the instructions clearer.

check your email,
Chris

 

No problem, I did the under hood wiring already and mounted the module since I had the panel down already for an EGS upgrade and cabin filter replacement. I removed the console and got most of the bolts pulled out of the shifter (still have the 2 in front of the shifter to pull) and decided to eat and watch the hockey game.