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Any users with experience of the Jeff Gosling Hand Control – Steering Wheel Aid (see attached image)? I currently have pull/push controls with an indicator switch and a steering ball. Have you this control? Couple of questions (and many thanks for any advice):
1. Is it reliable?
2. Do you find it impedes the use of the steering ball?
3. With hand on the steering ball do you find the buttons easy to use? eg indicators, horn etc.
4. Which car do you have it fitted in? Any issues incorporating it into the car’s controls?
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No experience of this particular adaptation, but we had Jeff Gosling push/pull controls with steering ball on a previous car (VW Tiguan). In all honesty, I think that Jeff Gosling controls aren’t great. Thanks to advice from someone on this forum, with the next car we changed to Brig Ayd which was much better. The Jeff Gosling push pull system had the bars exposed in front of the steering column and I was continually bashing my knees against them getting in and out. The Brig Ayd system enclosed them so it was a much better installation.
Had some confusion cleared up for me (the adaptations listed on Motability can be confusing) stemming from being offered what was the Lodgesons R200 Keypad
Transpires this device (adding 7 controls to your steering ball) costs a walloping £400+ (the dealer didn’t inform me until I checked the balance I owed on the AP). I think I’d rather go direct to the company that specialises in fitting the accessible driving equipment and discuss my needs rather than with the dealer, who in the end really doesn’t know anything about this equipment. They’re simply accessing the adaptations list via Motability, just like me. An issue I’ll point out to Motability.
So I will be returning to a simple indicator switch on the pull/push controls at no extra cost.
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You’re photo here is a Lodgeson’s R207 with the “7” referring to it being 7 ways and is manufactured by the said company and not Jeff Gosling though they may or may not do something similar.
I’ve been using one of these since I became disabled back in 2008 and on my 5th one at a cost to myself in today’s prices of £2,400 and although the prices have been around about the £400 price the last 4 I’ve had, the first one was £750 after being told by the dealer it was £250 at the time of ordering.
I often thought about missing out the middle man with these adaptions but its not really worth your while because, one, there’s a hefty subsidy from MB and, two, MB insurers will not insure the MB car if it had adaptions fitted outside of the MB systems even if the adaption are fitted by the same recommended installer. It’s been a big negative for me and MY £2,400 (not to mention the cost of automatic gearboxes over the years) more so because they will not let you transfer these devices to the next car, again, because of insurance, so they tell me.
I might start putting a few feelers out over the next couple of years to have the Lodgeson device I have now removed from my current car and put in to a car of my own but this is only if AP’s keep going in the unsustainable directions.
Apart from that I have no qualms about the use of this adaptions as it has always worked without any problems for me using the steering ball. I drive with one hand so most of the time its on the steering ball where the button come easily to hand but if your driving with two hands I would think taking one hand off the wheel to press a button should be easy enough. The bit you see in the photo is as shown but there’s another part that has a receiver and electronics in a black box hidden behind the dash out of sight.
Only negatives I have is for some reasons the back light has never worked on any of my R207’s with the exception of the first one but its not a problem as I use the control without the need to look at what button I’m pressing. One other tiny niggle is the “horn” button is very small, I assume so not giving an accidental blast but when I do need to I often have to keep stabbing at it to get it to go by which time the hazard has passed.
4 of 5 of my MB cars have been VAG cars (Golf, Seat Leon, Golf, KIA Carens and Tiguan) and think these devices fit almost any car.
I’ve used the lodgesons as shown without any issues in a whole heap of different car types and makes over the years, including having them privately transferred ( by the local adaptations co that does the moto stuff) to our second vehicle prior to handback. I’ve always found them good.
However, when I was getting my current vehicle I was annoyed at the price disparity between the one shown and the lodgesons mini one (intended for hand controls etc). £400 Vs £99 iirc. I felt that with a bit of tweaking the mini one could easily be sited on the spinner just as it is in the larger one. I went and spoke to my installer who agreed and that’s the what happened and it’s been great for the last eighteen months!
More details and links are in this thread I created at the time:
I had the Lodgsons on a previous Tiguan. To be honest I found it a bit fiddly to use, and would constantly look down to see if I was pushing the right button. Things like lights and wipers are more or less automatic on many cars these days.
Indicator switch can be fitted to many push/pull/electric throttle setups.
I had the Lodgsons on a previous Tiguan. To be honest I found it a bit fiddly to use, and would constantly look down to see if I was pushing the right button. Things like lights and wipers are more or less automatic on many cars these days.
Indicator switch can be fitted to many push/pull/electric throttle setups.
My thinking as well. I’ve gone for the indicator switch on the push/pull brake/accelerator (electronic rather than mechanical this time). As you say headlights & washers are automatic & the indicator switch is the most important control after braking & accelerating.
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