Hi Mike, So the original supplier of these first designed them using rubber buttons that disintegrate. At some point in production, the design was changed to a hard plastic switch since the rubber design is quite frankly garbage. A hard plastic switch does not work within the assembly designed for a rubber switch - totally different assembly. So, we have reverse engineered the hard button assemblies and made some manufacturing improvements. In post 72 I detailed some more of this. Our solution will be permanent, it won't fail or get sticky unlike replacement rubber buttons. Our solution will take 15 minutes in install and we are providing a 2 year warranty.
Once we are done compiling our production and development costs, we will determine a fair price point. I can tell you for certain it will be much less than replacements from Ferrari and nominally more that replacement rubber buttons made in Hong Kong as found on eBay and thru others, that will fail again. Remember, our solution will be permanent, hard button, full switch assemblies backed by a 2 year warranty.
You are welcome, Mike. Our injection mold parts are due in next week for approval. Exciting times as we develop this permanent, non band-aid solution for a long standing issue.
Our first run sample injection molded buttons are being sent to us today for approval Image Unavailable, Please Login
Sample buttons received today. We will inspect these over the next two days (visually and dimensionally) and then provide approval to run production parts. Mean while, 1st batch of housings in route and awaiting electrical build quotes to award wire harness and boards. We are getting very close Image Unavailable, Please Login
Samples have been racked and have translucent white applied. Black to follow and then laser etch Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
So, here is a video we made a while back illustrating the laser etch process on hard (non-failing rubber) buttons for the 430 which are the same as the 599. Our buttons will be exactly like what you see in the video. They are hard buttons with new switch assemblies. They won't ever get sticky and they will never disintegrate as rubber buttons do. The permanent solution is only a few weeks away
Sample buttons now have low gloss black coating and will hopefully be laser etched tomorrow Image Unavailable, Please Login
So, here is an update: We laser etched 3 of the sample buttons today but these are not for a 430 or 599 - they are for an Alfa 8C - Yep, the Alfa 8C uses the same crappy rubber buttons also So, our new switch assemblies will work for that model too More updates on this to follow As you can see, the buttons are just like OEM and they will illuminate at night as designed. I just used a mini flashlight to backlight these. Ignore the tiny white particles on the AUTO button, I didn't blow it off prior to taking these cell phone photos. So, who wants a rubber button that will fail when these hard plastic buttons with a hard touch coating that will never fail are going to be released very soon? Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Here is a brief video illustrating the differences between the rubber and hard plastic buttons. Please pardon the crappy cell phone video - it's hard to get it to focus and to see what is in focus or not in the preview. We will follow this up with a better version down the road. Thanks.
So, here is a video of the completed, retrofitted Afla 8C switch assemblies These came to us with the coating cracking on the rubber buttons. We have retrofitted the rubber buttons with our new hard plastic button switch assemblies and our hard touch coating which will never get sticky and of course are laser etched graphics
Our electronics vendor has been selected and we are awarding the purchase order within the next day or two. They are telling us 4 weeks for the first batch of production. Note, our production injected molded buttons will be here prior to that so if anyone is in a hurry, we can retrofit yours but that requires sending us your switches. Contact me if you wish to discuss in more detail. Thanks.
So today we retrofitted a 430 SCUD set of switches for a car that we just refinished all the interior parts. Take a look at this photo and how good these look when done properly. Best of all, they won't fail like the rubber buttons and the coating will never get sticky. I'd say "win-win" We also created a video demonstrating how to remove and install our new switch assemblies and harness. That will be posted soon Image Unavailable, Please Login
Remember, it's not just "buttons" - it will be a complete harness and switch assemblies. We have not determined the final price yet as we need to compile all of the costs and associated in house time, not to mention all of the development costs. I should be able to announce the price within 1-2 weeks, maybe less. What I can say now is the we will offer two versions, ones with LC (launch control) and ones without. The LC version will cost the most as it has 3 switches.
isn't it possible to replace only the rubber parts? My buttons are perfectly fine except for the rubber parts
