minboost

I guess you can say that I have a 4.57R. But the magical marketing of the 4.57/4.57R/4.56 has me confused.

Let's see, Rick made a post on 10/2/2003 titled, "New 4.56 gear sets made by Richmond Gear now in production".

https://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showt...0&#entry2323773

Here, he clearly calls the gear a 4.56.

But somewhere down the line that changed. Because the information he has posted on his site now says:

"Three years ago, through an exclusive arrangement with Richmond Gear, the leading US manufacturer of professional quality, high performance ring and pinion gear sets, Rick

minboost

PS - I don't mind the whining that much. It's mostly the price.

SpitfireS

minboost Posted on Mar 6 2007, 11:49 PM
It is all about the gear ratio
I guess that the 32:7 ratio was called 4.56 while it more acuratly is 4.5714286
4.56's can't turn into 4.57's
The new 4.56's that you may buy today have the 41:9 = 4.555555 ratio.
The ratio may be close but it is an entirely different gear set.

Then you also know its pretty smart to buy a mass produced final drive set (KIA, Mazda) and sell it for a lot more => more profit.
Even though that price is lower then the price of a small series, custom designed, custom build gear set.
I'm sure you are familiar with the rule that small series makes high prices.

IMO the 4.57's were - and the 4.56's are - produced for performance.
Strong gears with a final drive ratio that suits the S2000 like a glove.
241 km/h in 6th gear @ redline.
Top down or top up.

If those installers are incapable of setting up a final drive properly..
Yes, you may need a shim that's not in the Honda shim kit to get the correct pinion depth.
A true mechanic makes one or has it made to finish his job properly.
A true mechanic doesn't settle for less.
A true mechanic doesn't stop when a measurement is 53.5mm when it needs to be 54.15mm +/- 0.2 mm.
Note that Richmond Gear engraves a pinion depth on all of their pinions and a backlash setting on all of their ring gears.
How do they get that number?
Because they run all gear sets on their test machine.
And I have seen the marks that test machine left on my new 4.57R's
Experience

An incorrect pinion depth and/or backlash makes the gears whine more.. AND may make them last a lot shorter.

KnowledgeIsPower

man i didnt mean this to turn into a bashing on anyone or any gears made by anyone.. ust trying to see what gears would better suit my driving lol. but thanks for everyones posts they are deff giving me some good reading.

SpitfireS

KnowledgeIsPower Posted on Mar 7 2007, 12:57 AM
Then just read this:

Stratocaster

minboost

One of the problem with a open internet forums, is that once you post something you can never take it back. So as a product is developed, specs can change. That is the case with this gear.

1. We spec'ed the gears to be 4.56 from the get go. This was done in a thread when we asked owners what ratio they wanted. You can search this one up if you like.
2. Richmond came back and suggested that a 4.57 ratio would be stronger.
* First run of gears manufactued.

From this point forward, we have never been able to get the right number out in everyones mind. You just can't do it. I tried years ago and it make no differance. In fact, that "badge" that has 4.56 on it, we made when only a 4.57 gear existed. I even told the author he got it wrong. He never changed it. Again, once it is out, you can't get it back.

So what marketing lies need to be addressed? It is just math, a ratio is a ratio.

minboost

"Lies" was harsh. How about "hype" (like in my original post)?

From Ricks2k.com:

"A 4.56 ratio was developed on [t]he advice of Richmond engineers to address this objective, and our new production run, which will is now available for purchase, has been made in the 4.56 ratio."

I don't get it. You spec a 4.56. Richmond says 4.57 is stronger. You say you want something just as strong but works better (less whine). They say, "oh, to do that we should make a 4.56!"

That doesn't make sense. They said a 4.57 was stronger. Now a 4.56 is just as strong, and will work better? Is it made differently? Different material? If it is, you're not advertising it that way.

And you didn't even address the fact that my 4.57R is supposed to be "barely audible with the top down".

That's the hype.

I love my gear, don't get me wrong. But then again, I'd probably love any gear. So, this statement is definitely true: If I could do it over again, I'd save $260+ and get a 4.44 or 4.77.

Sorry put all this out there, but I just stated what I thought and you jumped on me for saying "4.56" instead of "4.57R" and basically said I'm putting out lies.

KnowledgeIsPower: Good luck with your gears man.

Stratocaster

Just to explain. On paper the 4.56 and 4.57 are the same from strenth. In the field (NHRA as a proving ground) showed the 4.57 to last a few runs longer then a 4.56. The rest of the strenth is the way they are made and what is used to make them.

FYI, I was not jumping on you, but the information. At this point the whine issue has been complete resolved with the 4.56 and I wanted to verify that you did indeed have a 4.57. Nothing more.

SpitfireS

Stratocaster Posted on Mar 7 2007, 05:38 AM
Its easy to see where that ratio is coming from as the OEM ring gear has 41 teeth.
The OEM pinion has 10 teeth, a higher ratio would "simply" be made by using a 9 teeth pinion.

"Lets use 9 teeth on the pinion in stead of 10 and see what it does"
(and I do not mean one could use an 9 teeth Richmond Gear pinion on an OEM 41 teeth ring)

Is there any truth in my thought?

Stratocaster

No, The tooth size will be off and there will be an interferance fit.

But the talk was about ratios, I.E the numbers and where the car RPM would be for a give speed. It was never a tooth count deal for us.