SL/R230: DIY: G-paddles upgrade for R230
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SL55
DIY: G-paddles upgrade for R230
Quick and easy DIY. I picked up a pair of G-paddles from Gordon over in the UK for my SL55 to replace the factory buttons.
Could've done the other swap that's mentioned on here, but I don't like making non-reversible changes. Plus the work and cost (all added up) was daunting.
Happy with this upgrade. 95 GBP and 10 minutes of work.
To install the new shift buttons, there's really not much to it. You just have to be a little careful not to break the existing plastic housing.
Tools needed:
1. Small flat head screwdriver
2. Regular flat head screwdriver
3. Dremel (optional)
4. Needle nose pliers
Step 1: remove existing buttons
1. Take the small Philips screwdriver and wiggle it between the plastic holder and the steering wheel. Be careful not to damage the finish of either.
2. The holder will simply pop out. Pull on the wire a little to give you a bit more space to work with. I found a couple inches was fine. Don't go overboard, you'll have to get it all back in place later.
3. As described in
, use the Dremel (easiest) or needle nose pliers to remove some of the supporting material in the 'channels' of the existing buttons. Reason for doing is so that we get a little extra room when we try and pop the button out later.
4. CAREFUL: With the channel freed up, take your needle nose pliers and squeeze the two 'tabs' together, compressing the button side-to-side. Now with your other hand, take your regular sized flat head screwdriver and wiggle it on the left and right side of the pin holding the existing button in the holder.
BE CAREFUL - it's easy to snap the plastic on the holder. My car sat outside in 100F heat so everything was pretty flexible. Other people have heated up the holder with a heat gun beforehand and had good success with that. Whatever you do, take it slow and try to wiggle the button out, rather than exerting too much pressure on a particular point of the holder.
5. Hopefully you managed to pop the button without too much hassle. Now it's time to insert the new G-paddle shift button.
Insert the new shift button from the outside through into the housing. Before inserting the locating/hinge pin in its locating hole on the housing, ensure the end tab is on the inside of the housing.
6. Now line up the bottom pin with its hole in the housing. Doing this now will again give us a little bit more room to work with, thus reducing stress on the existing plastic housing.
7. Take your regular flat head screwdriver and use it to wiggle the top pin into place in the housing. With the pin partly in, simply push it in to secure it in place.
8. Now feed the wiring back you pulled out in step #2. This will prevent binding and shifts not to register. I found it easiest to just feed it back one wire at a time.
9. You're done! Step back and admire your handiwork.
Before:
After:
Side profile:
Could've done the other swap that's mentioned on here, but I don't like making non-reversible changes. Plus the work and cost (all added up) was daunting.
Happy with this upgrade. 95 GBP and 10 minutes of work.
To install the new shift buttons, there's really not much to it. You just have to be a little careful not to break the existing plastic housing.
Tools needed:
1. Small flat head screwdriver
2. Regular flat head screwdriver
3. Dremel (optional)
4. Needle nose pliers
Step 1: remove existing buttons
1. Take the small Philips screwdriver and wiggle it between the plastic holder and the steering wheel. Be careful not to damage the finish of either.
2. The holder will simply pop out. Pull on the wire a little to give you a bit more space to work with. I found a couple inches was fine. Don't go overboard, you'll have to get it all back in place later.
3. As described in
4. CAREFUL: With the channel freed up, take your needle nose pliers and squeeze the two 'tabs' together, compressing the button side-to-side. Now with your other hand, take your regular sized flat head screwdriver and wiggle it on the left and right side of the pin holding the existing button in the holder.
BE CAREFUL - it's easy to snap the plastic on the holder. My car sat outside in 100F heat so everything was pretty flexible. Other people have heated up the holder with a heat gun beforehand and had good success with that. Whatever you do, take it slow and try to wiggle the button out, rather than exerting too much pressure on a particular point of the holder.
5. Hopefully you managed to pop the button without too much hassle. Now it's time to insert the new G-paddle shift button.
Insert the new shift button from the outside through into the housing. Before inserting the locating/hinge pin in its locating hole on the housing, ensure the end tab is on the inside of the housing.
6. Now line up the bottom pin with its hole in the housing. Doing this now will again give us a little bit more room to work with, thus reducing stress on the existing plastic housing.
7. Take your regular flat head screwdriver and use it to wiggle the top pin into place in the housing. With the pin partly in, simply push it in to secure it in place.
8. Now feed the wiring back you pulled out in step #2. This will prevent binding and shifts not to register. I found it easiest to just feed it back one wire at a time.
9. You're done! Step back and admire your handiwork.
Before:
After:
Side profile:
