SL-Class (R230) 2003 -- 2012: Discussion on the SL500, SL550, SL600

SL/R230: For those of you that have steeriing wheel mounted buttons but wish you had paddles

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Old Nov 12, 2017 | 09:44 AM
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Smile For those of you that have steeriing wheel mounted buttons but wish you had paddles

This might be old news but i thought i would mention this here since i have read that there are several that have the steering wheel mounted shift buttons but wish that you had paddle shifters

Doing it using these paddle shifters you do not change out the shift switches but replace the plastic part you touch when changing gear with the shift paddles from Gordon
These shift paddles is made for the original button shifters and snaps on the shift switches like the outer plastc parts on the shift switches

Gordon Wright in the UK makes these paddles shifters that fit the switch shifters

You can buy paddle shifters that will fit your OEM steering wheel shift buttons from Gordon Wright. Homepage: g-paddles.com
Here are the email address: gpaddles@gmail.com

Here is a video that show you to do this 10 minutes job

Last edited by TheSaint; Nov 12, 2017 at 09:54 AM.
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Old Nov 13, 2017 | 03:35 PM
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The silver colored part is the only part that is going to be changed


Here are the button shifter after the shift switch is taken off


So you simply replace the silver colored plaastic switch with the paddle shiffters
These 3 pictures shows how to do this job
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Old Nov 14, 2017 | 03:47 PM
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I like our SL without paddles. I have an 06 Benz that came with paddle shifters. What I do prefer is the MB algorithms on the car way more than the steering wheel buttons/paddles. It holds lower gears, and goes 7-4 first tap
By adding a larger trigger it would improve accessibility but not improve overall transmission action
We owned a Golf GTI w DSG and I wish the SL was similarly equipped
Good Luck

Last edited by Hary Gahtoe; Nov 15, 2017 at 10:37 PM. Reason: WiFi miscue
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Old Nov 14, 2017 | 03:48 PM
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I like my car without paddles. I have an 06 MB that came paddle shifters. Not sure you’d feel happy about driving a non factory designed trans with just paddles added
Good Luck
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Old Nov 14, 2017 | 04:44 PM
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Originally Posted by Hary Gahtoe
I like my car without paddles. I have an 06 MB that came paddle shifters. Not sure you’d feel happy about driving a non factory designed trans with just paddles added
Good Luck
Hary, I think you misunderstood the application of what 'TheSaints' posted. Those are 'Paddles' to replace the 'Buttons' on vehicles which originally came with shift buttons factory installed. They have no change in mechanical function in regards to the transmission. They are simply a replacement for the shift "buttons" which were originally installed. Now if someone could just come up with something which would make those paddle/button shifter's more responsive, then we'd really have a lot of takers since most don't even uses the paddle/button shifter's because they are so slow to respond.

Last edited by Aussiesuede; Nov 14, 2017 at 04:47 PM.
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Old Nov 15, 2017 | 01:32 PM
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Smile

Just what i meant Aussiesuede


Originally Posted by Aussiesuede
Hary, I think you misunderstood the application of what 'TheSaints' posted. Those are 'Paddles' to replace the 'Buttons' on vehicles which originally came with shift buttons factory installed. They have no change in mechanical function in regards to the transmission. They are simply a replacement for the shift "buttons" which were originally installed. Now if someone could just come up with something which would make those paddle/button shifter's more responsive, then we'd really have a lot of takers since most don't even uses the paddle/button shifter's because they are so slow to respond.
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Old Nov 15, 2017 | 03:49 PM
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Pardons, sometimes I forget I write in circles and do think the paddle extensions are much better than original buttons. Totally get that.
However; like mentioned ^ speed and feel of shifts are still overly long and soft. The algorithms of a button/paddle car are better than stick only but honestly IMHO I wouldn’t bother.
If the paddles were stationary and at the outside edge of the wheel that would be great
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Old Nov 15, 2017 | 10:20 PM
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There is no difference in shifting using the TouchShift (stick tapped left/right) or the buttons on the steering wheel or the paddles. They all send the exact same CAN bus signals to the TCU. The non-AMG cars with the "sport" option package that have the C/S/M transmission selector do have a sportier shift program, but this is still a torque-converter AT so there's not much you can do.
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Old Nov 17, 2017 | 04:18 PM
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If it takes some time from you pull the shift button / paddle shifter to the car change gear most of the whole point with having shift buttons / paddles is gone...
I am aware that we are talking about a 5 G tronic standard automatic with a converter but i was not aware that the shift buttons / paddles where so slow
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Old Nov 17, 2017 | 08:18 PM
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Originally Posted by TheSaint
If it takes some time from you pull the shift button / paddle shifter to the car change gear most of the whole point with having shift buttons / paddles is gone...
I am aware that we are talking about a 5 G tronic standard automatic with a converter but i was not aware that the shift buttons / paddles where so slow
Yes, so slow!
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Old Nov 18, 2017 | 12:03 AM
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The 722.9 7Gtronic with the sport package shifts faster than the 722.6 and can skip a gear on downshifts. But like I said, it's still a torque converter AT, so don't expect it to work like any of the various automated-manual systems out there.
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Old Nov 18, 2017 | 08:53 AM
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My 722.6 will skip gears on the downshift of you hold the downshift button down.
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Old Nov 18, 2017 | 11:39 AM
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Originally Posted by BlownV8
My 722.6 will skip gears on the downshift of you hold the downshift button down.
You are correct that It skips gears in terms of which gear it starts from and which gear it ends up in with one touch of the shifter (or paddles), but it still has physically go through all of those gears inside the transmission. The ability physically skip a gear is a feature that they introduced with the 722.9. So with your 722.6, if you are in 5th and hold downshift and end up in 1st, then the transmission physically went to 4th, then into 3rd, then 2nd and then 1st. The same scenario in the 722.9 would physically shift from 5th directly to 3rd (skipping 4th), then directly into 1st (skipping 2nd).
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