Honda ES foot shift solution
May 4, 2018 | 09:38 AM
#1
Thread Starter
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Weekend Warrior
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 2
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Honda ES foot shift solution
Hello all,
I’m a mechanical designer and machinist by trade. I really like the Honda machines, and I love that they’re still making quads that shift. I understand the advantages of a belt drive, but for me (and obviously others who like Honda) the joy of riding involves your left foot being active.
One of the biggest gripes I’ve seen is with the ES system. It’s obviously reliable and what not, but there are plenty of situations where I want to manually shift without looking at my left hand. I know you can buy a foot shift model, but you miss out on low range and DCT shift programs.
I have a solution.
I’m going to make an electric foot shifter, that ties in with the thumb shift buttons. It would be bolt-on, plug and play. So you can still thumb shift if you want, and if you have a dct machine, it’d still be able to function as it did stock.
Would anyone be interested in this? What would you be willing to pay? I know there’s been several forums in the past about adding a mechanical shifter, but obviously the ES transmissions don’t live long that way.
If you’re interested, I need some help with development. I’m in Cincinnati Ohio. I need to be able to test the thumb switch to design my switch. Once I have a working prototype, I’d need 3-5 different guys to test and report performance. Of course these units would be free to keep for whoever tests.
I know this is my first post, but I’ve been lurking for years. I’m a bit of a recluse, but for this sort of thing I need human interaction.
I’m a mechanical designer and machinist by trade. I really like the Honda machines, and I love that they’re still making quads that shift. I understand the advantages of a belt drive, but for me (and obviously others who like Honda) the joy of riding involves your left foot being active.
One of the biggest gripes I’ve seen is with the ES system. It’s obviously reliable and what not, but there are plenty of situations where I want to manually shift without looking at my left hand. I know you can buy a foot shift model, but you miss out on low range and DCT shift programs.
I have a solution.
I’m going to make an electric foot shifter, that ties in with the thumb shift buttons. It would be bolt-on, plug and play. So you can still thumb shift if you want, and if you have a dct machine, it’d still be able to function as it did stock.
Would anyone be interested in this? What would you be willing to pay? I know there’s been several forums in the past about adding a mechanical shifter, but obviously the ES transmissions don’t live long that way.
If you’re interested, I need some help with development. I’m in Cincinnati Ohio. I need to be able to test the thumb switch to design my switch. Once I have a working prototype, I’d need 3-5 different guys to test and report performance. Of course these units would be free to keep for whoever tests.
I know this is my first post, but I’ve been lurking for years. I’m a bit of a recluse, but for this sort of thing I need human interaction.
May 5, 2018 | 08:13 AM
#2
Elite Pro Rider
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 7,483
Likes: 387
From: Lancaster England
I hate to be negative, but I think you are finding a solution to a problem that isn't there. Once used to ES buttons, you don't need to look at them, just as you don't look down at your foot when using foot change.
If you really want a challenge, solve the Honda 420 (2006 to 2014 model) rear axle problem. We maintain 20+ of them and almost all have needed a new axle shaft due to the shaft coming loose and wearing the diff spines. Some have worn out two or three axles. Diff bearings don't seem to last well either. At least a third of those we maintain have a loose axle every time they come in for service. They have a nut and locknut, which we threadlock, and hammer tight with the air impact wrench, but still the axles come loose. Honda never cured it, returning to the more sensible idea of an axle with bearings on the hubs for the new 420 in 2014.
If you really want a challenge, solve the Honda 420 (2006 to 2014 model) rear axle problem. We maintain 20+ of them and almost all have needed a new axle shaft due to the shaft coming loose and wearing the diff spines. Some have worn out two or three axles. Diff bearings don't seem to last well either. At least a third of those we maintain have a loose axle every time they come in for service. They have a nut and locknut, which we threadlock, and hammer tight with the air impact wrench, but still the axles come loose. Honda never cured it, returning to the more sensible idea of an axle with bearings on the hubs for the new 420 in 2014.
May 5, 2018 | 09:16 AM
#3
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Weekend Warrior
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Rancher 420 axle issues
Do you own a service shop?
Is this the swing arm axle, or IRS?
Any chance you have a junk axle lying around I could test and evaluate? I love problems like this and id definitely be interested in finding a worthwhile and affordable solution.
Is this the swing arm axle, or IRS?
Any chance you have a junk axle lying around I could test and evaluate? I love problems like this and id definitely be interested in finding a worthwhile and affordable solution.
May 6, 2018 | 01:37 AM
#4
Elite Pro Rider
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 7,483
Likes: 387
From: Lancaster England
Just work in a repair shop, but as it is in England, the cost of sending worn out shafts and diffs to the US would be prohibitive. I'm sure any rural Cincinnati Honda dealer will have the same problems. My boss had a holiday in New Zealand in 2012 and couldn't resist calling in on an NZ dealership. He found they were also complaining about 420 rear axles.
It is the swinging arm 420s that had the fault, a ready made solution would have been for Honda to offer the IRS rear end on manual and ES models. The dealers would have ordered only IRS models, as they knew by 2007 that the solid axle gave problems. However Honda didn't do it, and the IRS model wasn't popular because of the clunky automatic gearchange.
It is the swinging arm 420s that had the fault, a ready made solution would have been for Honda to offer the IRS rear end on manual and ES models. The dealers would have ordered only IRS models, as they knew by 2007 that the solid axle gave problems. However Honda didn't do it, and the IRS model wasn't popular because of the clunky automatic gearchange.
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