SEVEN PADDLE SHIFTER, THE STEERING WHEEL GEARBOX APPROVED FOR RACING

TKART Staff

11 April 2021

After three years of development and testing on the track, Motori Seven has created a mechanical system for shifter karts that can be used in racing and can be used on any chassis or engine

SEVEN PADDLE SHIFTER

INSTALLATION

USE AND MAINTENANCE

THE OPINION

THE COMPANY

TECH SHEET

Unlike all the other motorsports, in karting gearshifts at the wheel have never been widespread, mainly due to the limitation imposed by the CIK/FIA technical regulations, which in point 4.8 - paragraph e) states that "In all classes with gearboxes, the gear engagement command must be manual and mechanical. Any servo assistance device (electrical, electronic, etc.) for the engagement of gears is prohibited".
Translated: if you want a gearshift at the wheel, it must be mechanical. However, the purely mechanical gearshift on the steering wheel involves considerable technical and manufacturing difficulties, which is why the lever gearbox remained for many years the only solution adopted by the manufacturers of shifter karts.
But Motori Seven did not give up and, about three years ago, it ventured into the design of a mechanical steering wheel gearbox, which could be used in any race. Thanks to careful development and experimentation work, in 2020 it managed to market the Seven Paddle Shifter, a device that, according to the company, ensures the same level of performance as a conventional lever gearbox.

With however, one advantage: the possibility of always driving with two hands, a condition that involves less effort by the driver. Finally, it should not be forgotten that in some circuits there are points where it is difficult to remove a hand from the steering wheel to change gear, while with a gearshift at the wheel you can switch from one gear to another at any time: when braking, in the middle of a bend or exiting a bend. The purpose of shifting at the wheel is also to increase fun for hobbyists, who are often frustrated by fatigue and poor driving precision on sections of the track where they are forced to drive with one hand.
The Seven Paddle Shifter kit consists of various elements. The main one is the steering wheel hub made of anodized aluminium, made by fusion, to be fitted in place of the existing hub, to which the clutch lever and the rocker arm are attached, at the ends of which two paddles, also made of anodized aluminium, are fitted. The position of the two paddles is adjustable, to be able to adapt to the different diameters of the steering wheel and to the preferences of the driver. Finally, the uniball holder bracket, the gear shift lever, two cable kits (one as a spare), and the widened brackets for the front panel are provided to leave more space for the cables to move.