DSG Paddles for AutoX/Track

[uvasteven]

What DSG paddles are you all using? I just put on a set of the Racingline knock offs from amazon. The seem pretty large compared to OEM and I’m not sure that I’m sold. Thinking specifically about what I’d prefer to use during AutoX.

 

[xXDavidCXx]

Stock paddles here.

I don't think the paddles are that necessary. When my arms are crossed I get confused as to which paddle to hit. So if I have to shift up or down while in a turn, I'll just slap the gear shifter.

 

[glitronic]

Stock paddles here also. They are easy enough to grab, and not too big to accidentally grab.
I've always found it better to leave it in auto and not manually shift at all for autocross, though. Every time I've tried to manually shift it's always resulted in "what gear am I in" confusion between trying to control it with paddles, the TCU still shifting on its own when you hit redline, etc. Makes autocrossing with a DSG even more inconsistent. Just mash the throttle early on corner exit, let it kick down a gear when it needs to, and lot it sort itself out.

IF the TCU tune allowance is approved for STH and you actually have the ability to make it hold a gear, then I'd try manually shifting. But otherwise, no.

Even on track, I don't feel that I'm gaining anything by manually shifting. It's kind of fun to keep both hands on the wheel at all times and just drive without even thinking about shifting. No clutch, no shifter, no paddles, just throttle, brake, steering.

 

[uvasteven]

Great feedback! Thanks

 

[sandmangti]

Well.......
Bigger target, easier to find.
Less searching, more focus.

 

[Cliff]

Stock paddles for me as well. I have trained myself to keep my hands nearly always at 9 and 3 (or at least one of them with that scenario only occurring in a ridiculously tight turn), so the paddle is always under my hand. My car has a TCU tune with upshifts disabled and I run in full manual mode on track or for autocross. On the track I generally downshift late in the braking zone for a turn so there is little or no steering input when I shift. There is no need to shift mid-corner as I am already in the right gear. I upshift as I am straightening the wheel when tracking out of a turn, so again, there is little steering input and both of my hands are at 9 and 3. Most of the autocross courses I have run have been 2nd gear affairs once you accelerate out of the start. I might occasionally encounter a brief section where I need 3rd gear. That section is usually pretty straight, so again, little or no steering input and my hands are at 9 and 3.

 

[R Golf]

Stock here as well. No issues on track.

 

[xXDavidCXx]

Stock paddles here also. They are easy enough to grab, and not too big to accidentally grab.
I've always found it better to leave it in auto and not manually shift at all for autocross, though. Every time I've tried to manually shift it's always resulted in "what gear am I in" confusion between trying to control it with paddles, the TCU still shifting on its own when you hit redline, etc. Makes autocrossing with a DSG even more inconsistent. Just mash the throttle early on corner exit, let it kick down a gear when it needs to, and lot it sort itself out.

IF the TCU tune allowance is approved for STH and you actually have the ability to make it hold a gear, then I'd try manually shifting. But otherwise, no.

Even on track, I don't feel that I'm gaining anything by manually shifting. It's kind of fun to keep both hands on the wheel at all times and just drive without even thinking about shifting. No clutch, no shifter, no paddles, just throttle, brake, steering.

I understand where you are coming from, however, consider this scenario:

You are accelerating towards a right hand turn.

The car is moving fast enough to shift to 3rd, right before you apply the brakes.

As you decelerate and turn in, the car has slowed enough to make the turn, and here comes the apex.

As you pass the apex you apply throttle to track out, but are still in 3rd and you just lost a lot of time not accelerating and then down shifting.

If you use the gas pedal to down shift, you upset the balance of the car before corner exit.

Shifting down as you brake, in this scenario, even with a DSG, is a better solution to managing weight transfer.

My issue is that my car is too quiet and I don't want to look down at the dash to find my current gear.

 

[gti330ex]

Stock pedals work perfect for me. DD, autox or track, manual pedal shifting is a must. Anything else sucks. TCU tune or not.

 

[Handguns4heaRTs]

S2T. Favorite mod I’ve done to my car

 

[R Golf]

I understand where you are coming from, however, consider this scenario:

You are accelerating towards a right hand turn.

The car is moving fast enough to shift to 3rd, right before you apply the brakes.

As you decelerate and turn in, the car has slowed enough to make the turn, and here comes the apex.

As you pass the apex you apply throttle to track out, but are still in 3rd and you just lost a lot of time not accelerating and then down shifting.

If you use the gas pedal to down shift, you upset the balance of the car before corner exit.

Shifting down as you brake, in this scenario, even with a DSG, is a better solution to managing weight transfer.

My issue is that my car is too quiet and I don't want to look down at the dash to find my current gear.

After a few laps, or certainly one session you should know what gear you are in at all times without looking. Even if not, in the scenario you mention either you are going slow enough on turn entry to go to 2nd before apex. If not and you need to take the turn in 3rd you most likely lose nothing by staying in 3rd and not going to 2nd then quickly back to 3rd as you accelerate out of the turn.

 

[xXDavidCXx]

After a few laps, or certainly one session you should know what gear you are in at all times without looking. Even if not, in the scenario you mention either you are going slow enough on turn entry to go to 2nd before apex. If not and you need to take the turn in 3rd you most likely lose nothing by staying in 3rd and not going to 2nd then quickly back to 3rd as you accelerate out of the turn.

Talking about autocrossing, sorry for not clarifying.

 

[morricus]

I bought the cheap knockoffs of some crazy expensive carbon fiber set off Amazon. They were about $25 and have been perfect. Clearly a lot of you guys make the stock paddles work, but I'm blown away as to how you do. Replacing the stock paddles, if you can call them that, was the very first mod I did. I love them on the track, have never autocrossed so I cannot comment there.

 

[R Golf]

Talking about autocrossing, sorry for not clarifying.

Not at all your fault. My bad. Sorry. Thread is clearly AutoX. Missed it. ;>)