Chris, I would post pics of mine.... but for some reason the look just like all the others... well, maybe mine look better....

 

Mike,
I'm sure yours is the best !

The in-process pictures that you have sent me are much appreciated and some of them will find there way into the next revision of the instruction PDF. One shot in particular that I needed (of what one will find at the bottom of the pocket that they cut ... including the screw hole they will drill) I have attached.

thanks a million,
Chris

p.s. 2 shots that might be useful that you could take with the wheel installed would be a shot from left shoulder straight ahead and one from your right shoulder straight ahead (angled down towards wheel), so that we can see each paddle's relative position (in its respective shot) to the wheel rim from a truer (Z) view angle

 

Hello Chris,

Im very interested in buying your complete kit. Was wondering if your kit will work with Mercedes Steering Wheel that comes with Paddle Shift? i thinking of purchasing the SLS63AMG steering wheel but not sure if it will fit into the car. If your kit is compatible to those Mercedes steering, i will do some research and see which Mercedes Steering wheel will fit our Crossfire.

Mercedes SLS63 AMG Custom Carbon Silver Ring Steering Wheel+Carbon Shift Paddles | eBay

cheers

Eddy

SLS63 Steering Wheel.jpg

 

Eddy,
I've seen them much cheaper elsewhere plus you do realize that you'll need an SLS63 Airbag as well right?

 

Hello Jimmy,

Do you need any adaptors for the R-Class steering wheel to fit into our Crossfire?

cheers

eddy

 

Hello Sparkie,

Yes! i have managed to find another one with airbag at USD$1500. Just need to find out if it will work with Crossfire. Looking for adaptors.. I know Jimmy did manage to install a R-Class steering wheel into his Crossfire.

cheers

 

Hi Eddy
cool wheel !
All current Mercedes wheels with paddles and most Mercedes wheels with paddles made after 2005 should work fine with this paddle shifter integration kit for the Crossfire

I am confident that this wheel would work, but i would take steps to give you a more certain answer if you were seriously considering getting this wheel.
SparkieSRT6's comment is worth considering ... this wheel needs an airbag (and they want a $599 core fee .... making it 2 bucks shy of 2,000 dollars !)

Your interest in finding other wheels that will fit .... is an interest that I imagine is shared by (and has been explored by) others here. Jim started this thread (thanks buddy : ) using a cool Mercedes wheel set-up for paddles in his crossfire.

Perhaps you (Eddy) could start a thread asking Crossfire owners to share specifics on MBZ application steering wheels t that have worked out in xfires. I know LantanaTX and Jim have MBZ wheels ... I expect many others have or have experimented.

Another and probably less expensive path for you to consider is to send your wheel to a business that customizes wheels (with ergo grips, flat bottoms, exotic materials, etc) and have your wheel (or a spare from MRMOPAR's shop) made just the way you like ... and have them add the pockets for the paddle shifters. Your airbag will fit and I expect it would cost you closer to $500 total

Chris

 

I just did a little looking around ... perhaps my "close to $500 total" guess was a little optimistic ... but I did find a place that does nice work on Mercedes wheels (and therefore crossfire wheels)

Mercedes Benz Steering wheels Sport style with Alcantara, Carbonfiber and perforated leather

here are some pics of various wheels they have done (scroll through)

Custom steering wheels we made for AMG models - Page 3 - Teamspeed.com

they are actually less than 10 miles from my office, I might stop by and ask what they would charge to ...
add ergonomic grips, cut outs for paddles and re-wrap (and other options)


I am by no means endorsing them or even suggesting their pricing is representative of the best pricing out there ... I only offer this info because it seems like a reasonable alternative to the 1500-2000 wheels that were mentioned.

If others have other resources for this sort of work that they would like to mention ... by all means, please do

Chris

 

I Get accepted some pictures of the boat paddle establish simply this Is not really hard to do just did take more time. I will take images tomorrow when I accomplished the installment.
Car steering wheel remote control...

 

which model crossfire do you own? ...

Interesting stuff cary, if you install this steering wheel mounted stereo controller and somehow make it shift gears in your transmission ... will you be able to change the station on your radio using your floor shifter?

looking forward to the pictures of your install ....

cant wait to see what comes next ....

 

chris dct is the michalangelo of steering wheel guys!!! 850$ for the wheels ergonomics and rewrap. add any kind of alcantara or wood inserts another 250$ add a flat bottom add another 100$ or so. most of their wheels run about 1000$ and req. an exchange unless you send them a wheel to start on. not cheap but they are artists at what they do! i sent them pics of my wheel and the paddles and they were impressed because they had never seen such a nice kit! typically they dont do pockets because they didnt like the current way kits were being installed. i told them they had a new guru on the block!

 

FYI to anyone doing the install.... I used and Xacto knife to cut the outline of the pockets, all the way to the metal, and then used a 'rotozip' bit in my Dremel tool to clean out all the material in the pocket. It is very quick and easy. You just have to hold it steady and work cautiously. That is how I got the pocket so clean at the metal. Oh, and all that black rubber dust is a bit of a mess....

Chris, the pics have been sent... here is what it looks like from right over each shoulder, which is below eye level...(ignore the man in the plaid lounging pants..hey, it is 7:00am here)

 

B.S. Marketing from China, but Lost in Translation

 

'Not to take anything away from your top-knotch installation, but I am sure you will agree that it was much easier to mount the paddles (with a professional appearance) then you suspected it would be (as everyone discovers once they get them it). '


The cutting/drilling is simplified enormously with the aid of the template (thanks again Chris), and I would urge anybody on the fence on buying the kit, due to the trepidation they have over cutting the wheel, to go ahead and take the plunge (pun intended) and try it.
I was probably one of the most leary of cutting the wheel (so much so that I bought a spare, in the interests of being able to return to stock of course ) and after completing the mod, I am wondering why it took me so long.
Again Thanks to Chris for such a detailed and idiotproof (me) kit !

 

Mike, thanks for taking time way from lounging to grab these shots

I was hoping they would give a more accurate representation of where each paddle ends up relative to the rim of the wheel and they do! (shots taken from a central location, the driver's chin for example, mis-represent the relationship since the paddle lies further back then the wheel).

As far trimming methods go, "using a rotozip bit in a dremel" is an advanced-move .... I would caution anyone using a power tool here to clamp or carefully hold a piece of metal (or anything harder then rubber) such that it creates a "keep-in" area while you make the long cuts ... "rotozipping"/dremeling can run amuk so quickly in soft materials.

When I have done this (cut out the paddle pockets), I have found that cutting straight down to the metal (rubber-encased-rib) with a small sharp exacto X-Acto #1 Knife - BLICK art materials (this blade) and then putting a slice down the middle (picture prepping a baked potato for butter : ) and finally using a small flat screwdriver (inserted into the "butter-slot" : ) and prying out the two sides... is a good way to do it.

But, with a steady hand, I imagine the rotozip-dremel is the fastest method ... just be careful.

thanks for all of your help Mike !
Chris

 

TROLL begone.

 

I was hoping to finally be able to use my paddles for the first time today. After months of trying to borrow a StarDAS I was able to get the shop foreman for the MB dealer I worked at to stop by and read/clear some codes. Turns out I have a bad conductor plate, which sucks because I just installed this valve body in July and have not been able to drive the car with the new diff, new paddles and TCU mod. Oh well.....spring is coming and I can enjoy the car again after a couple more hours and a few hundred bucks.

 

I know I'm reviving an old thread here, but I'm wondering if these kits are still available. I would really like to have some paddle shifters.

 

Me too!!!!

 

This is a more current thread specific to the paddle shifter kit
https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...completed.html

the kit is still available.

Send me a PM with your email address if you want more info.

Cheers,
Chris