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Why Should I Choose US Shift?

When it comes to standalone transmission control systems, there are many choices available. This is why Baumann Electronic Controls has been working hard to become the clear innovation leader in the industry, while continuing to be a customer-focused company. With thousands of units and satisfied customers in the field, we work hard to build on our past success while leveraging the latest in technology, software, and assembly methods. The result is what we believe to be the best transmission controllers available: the US Shift product line. We are also committed to our fellow Americans during these difficult economic times, so US Shift products are proudly made in the USA using as many American-made components as possible.


Industry Experience

The US Shift product line is the result of our many years of experience since making our first transmission controller in 1997. Even before creating an electronic transmission control system, we began manufacturing overdrive automatic transmission performance products in 1989. As one of the most established manufacturers of tunable transmission control systems, we know what it takes to make transmissions survive and thrive across multiple performance and heavy duty platforms. We also listen to our customers and know what their needs are. We have applied all of the lessons learned during our years of transmission control experience to continually provide new, exciting, and reliable products.

We also have a unique perspective on transmission control that others may not have. We're not just programmers or electronics experts, but also transmission experts. We have an intimate understanding of the inner workings of automatic transmissions at a fundamental level. This gives us greater insight into the development of algorithms that maximize your transmission's performance, consistency, and durability.


Affordability

At Baumann Electronic Controls, we are lifelong gear heads who know what it's like to work within a budget. That is why US Shift products offer the most value of any transmission controller on the market. Our Quick 2 controller is the most cost-effective transmission controller on the market, with features that are comparable to higher-priced units. The Quick 4 is the most advanced transmission controller that you can buy, but it is still priced competitively with less capable units. US Shift products are designed for the street rod builder, drag racer, off-roader, or tuner who demands the best possible performance at a fair price. We design efficient products while actively controlling overhead and expenses. We strive to pass these savings along to our customers because we understand that even the best product is worthless if no one can afford it.

In many cases, the cost of a modern, strong, electronically-controlled transmission and a US Shift system is much lower than the cost of upgrading an earlier, non-electronic transmission to handle the horsepower levels of today's high-performance engines. The GM 4L80E and Ford 4R70W are some of our favorite transmissions and are good examples of units that are nearly bullet-proof in stock form. Horsepower levels have risen drastically in the past 20 years. Attempting to upgrade 1980's technology to handle today's torque levels can prove to be both expensive and risky.


Superior Warranty and Support

Baumann Electronic Controls is a customer-focused company with a 100% dedication to customer satisfaction. We now have an exhaustive online Troubleshooting Guide that can walk you through procedures that will help you diagnose and fix all of the frequently-encountered problems which may arise, and which can be accessed 24/7. We also have knowledgeable and experienced staff ready to take your call and help with any questions or problems that may arise. We take the time to insure that customer's problems are solved and we always return phone messages left during busy times or after hours. Please don't hesitate to contact us with your questions.

Sometimes, the things that you can't see are what matter the most, like our development of OEM-grade production testing software and equipment. With an extremely low manufacturing defect rate, a five-year full replacement / repair warranty, and the best technical support in the industry, you can be confident in choosing our products. In the unlikely event that you do require warranty repair to your controller, you can be sure that we will fix it promptly (within two business days) and get it back to you ASAP. We understand that your vehicle is out of service and our goal is to minimize your inconvenience.

Since our mission is to make sure that our product is working properly in your vehicle, we do not take shortcuts in the area of repair and customer service. If we suspect that there may be an intermittent problem with your controller, we will not simply send it back if it passes test. If we feel that there is any possibility of a "hidden" problem within your controller, we will replace the entire printed circuit board to insure that it is functioning as intended. Because of our robust product design and low defect rate, we enjoy an extremely low return rate (less than 1%), allowing us to give each return case the time and effort that it deserves. Our up-front investment in quality minimizes cost and inconvenience for everyone.


Superior Performance, Quality, & Durability

Thanks to an advanced, highly-integrated microcontroller, optimized circuit design, and innovative assembly techniques, US Shift products feature the smallest size and most useful features of any transmission controller on the market. Modern, automated surface-mount assembly techniques are combined with traditional hand-assembly methods for components subjected to higher thermal and mechanical stress levels. This hybrid assembly technique allows us to produce an incredibly small and rugged product with exceptional quality. The innovative hardware design and software architecture provide unmatched performance and stability with plenty of room to support new transmissions and added features in the future. All US Shift circuitry is conservatively designed to provide high reliability and cool running temperatures as evidenced by our 10 year warranty.

To insure that every US Shift controller performs exactly as designed, each unit is subjected to a rigorous automated structural test of more than 150 electrical parameters before shipment. Rather than simply testing the controller with a simulated drive cycle while watching outputs turn on and off, each input, output, and functional circuit block is parametrically tested to insure that it performs as designed. This test methodology is similar to those used by OEM automotive suppliers and catches many problems (such as defective capacitors) that will elude a simple functional-only test and cause problems later. Our advanced test procedures are one of the main reasons why we enjoy a defect return rate of well under 1% for our controllers.

For maximum durability, our wiring harnesses are constructed from high-temperature, automotive-grade, cross-linked polyethylene (TXL / GXL) wire and utilize the correct original equipment connectors for each transmission. All connector pins are crimped using OEM-grade crimp tooling and presses to insure robust connections.


Innovative Thermal Concept and Circuit Design

Our thermal management strategy is a critical advantage that allows us to produce the industry's smallest transmission controllers while increasing reliability. While other companies employ surface-mount components for voltage regulators and solenoid drivers (the main heat-producing components in a transmission controller), we opt to use traditional through-hole components for these functions in order to move the heat up and away from the printed circuit board (PCB). Since these though-hole components are also larger and more robust, they generate less heat and dissipate it more efficiently with their own larger surface area.

Surface-mount power components typically require a lot of vacant copper surface area on the PCB to dissipate their higher heat levels and thus can dramatically increase the size of a circuit board. If adequate open copper area or heat-sinking is not provided on the PCB for these components, then reliability will suffer. Our design strategy places all of the cool-running, small, surface-mounted components on the bottom side of the circuit board, while elevating the power-dissipating components above the top side of the board, taking advantage of the cubic volume available there.

The easiest way to think about this is that most other controllers employ planar, one-sided, 2-dimensional circuitry with a lot of wasted space on the bottom side of the board and inside of the enclosure, while our unique three-dimensional approach maximizes space utilization, using more rugged, cooler-running components. This design approach increases assembly costs somewhat, due to the need for more skilled hand-assembly, but this is partially offset by the lower costs of a smaller PCB, enclosure, and decreased warranty repairs. We feel that the increased costs are justified because the reduced size is a very tangible benefit during installation in space-constrained vehicles and also improves immunity to electromagnetic interference.


Simple Installation

The design of US Shift controllers and wiring harnesses are optimized to simplify installation and troubleshooting. Our installation manuals are straightforward, well illustrated, and easy to follow. Read over the manuals and you'll see for yourself why US Shift products are the easiest to install while being the most compact, allowing them to be installed in tight places. While most of our competitors are still sporting enclosure sizes similar to that of our first-generation products, US Shift controllers are extremely compact and fit nicely in any application. Today's mobile phones are much thinner and smarter than they were in 1997, so it only makes sense that a transmission controller should follow that same technological trend.

US Shift wiring harnesses are constructed in modular segments with no internal splices or connections. Each connector on the transmission has a corresponding connector on the controller and every wire runs straight through from the controller connector to the corresponding transmission connector. The connectors used on our controllers are compact, yet they are easy to work with. The open design of the connectors also makes them easy to inspect and probe with a meter.

Our standard wiring harnesses are complete with all OEM connectors and require as few as three connections to produce an operating transmission. A high-temperature slit-loom covering kit is available for a modest price or the harness can be supplied with the covering pre-installed at additional cost.

Another benefit to our modular harness design is that, since all of the harnesses from our second generation controllers (Opti and Quick 1) are compatible with the new Quick 4, upgrading an existing installation is a simple plug-and-play operation. In some cases, a new lead may need to be added to an existing install which would be as simple as inserting an included wire into the connector shell.


Want to see what our customers are saying? Check out the Customer Stories page.