llckll

Hello,

I tried doing a search, but is there a FAQ on the different types of gears, the costs, and benefits of each type?

I'm interested in learning more about the different gears we can install for our cars and if it will benefit me or not.

Thanks.

SPFSkyline

I assume you are talking about final drive gears (ring and pinion)? Do a search for those keywords or 4.44, 4.56 or 4.77; as those are the most common gears used. 4.56 is not available new anymore, but the other two are out of other production cars.

Basically there is a wide range of cost involved depending on what you buy and install yourself or not. The car accelerates quicker at the sacrifice of top end speed. 4.44 and 4.56 could still be streetable, while 4.77 is more for track only as you'd be real high in the rpm while highway driving.

typewx

what car is the 4.44 out of?

01BBS2K

i had the inline pro rear swap and i came across a set of 4.56 nismo gears. changes the whole ball game and makes the car WAY better. its already geared to go way faster then you need to go (169?) and putting that power in a more useable range is an awesome mod for the price considering the only thing that is going to make a feelable difference is gonna empty your bank out.

ZDan

IMO, in most cases gears are overrated. They're good for zero-xx mph acceleration, but you pay a price by having to upshift earlier. From a roll, you will be SLOWER with gears from some starting speeds, quicker from others.

Lower (numerically higher) gears are good for the drag strip, but not necessarily good, often BAD for autoX or track times.

ZDan

Whether a particular change in ratio hurts or helps depends entirely on the track. All it takes is one critical corner where you have to exit a gear up with lower (numerically higher) gearing to negatively impact lap time.

triddle

Started having these funny dreams lately - one where I'm driving around my AP1 with a CVT in it and a 4.77 rear end set. The dream's pretty nice though because that configuration has the low gear ratio for starting from a standstill and once you reach peak engine power you just stay there for as long as you've got your foot in it. When you are ready to cruise again the CVT turns the gear ratio all the way up and you start sipping gas; that 4.77 rear end doesn't even factor into the equation anymore.

Unfortunately after this dream I wake up and there's not very many CVT transmissions for RWD applications and the actual output loss through the CVT is possibly so bad compared to the stock transmission that you lose any benefit you gain. Or maybe it's something in between.

MikeyCB

Have you experienced the various gear ratios yourself? I hate my 4.77s on the track, but love them on the street. I'll gladly sacrifice .4 miles per gallon or whatever, to have more response on the low end.

On the track, however, I find myself stuck in the wrong gear mid-turn, without the ability to shift without upsetting the balance of the car and spinning out.

triddle

[QUOTE=hecash,Aug 27 2010, 09:46 AM]I tried a 4.77, I think in 2003, and after three laps at Gingerman Raceway, I brought the car into the paddock hoping never to have to get beind the wheel for any reason.

slipstream444

I ran Richmond 4.57s (the original build, Richmond later changed to 4.56 for noise reasons) for about 40,000 miles and loved everything about them but the noise - I literally could not drive 55mph due to the Comptech exhaust drone and the gear whine right at 55-57mph - painful and annoying. The updated 4.56 gearset is not as noisy as the 4.57 gears - if you can find a good set.

The 4.57 setup I originally went to was also not done very well - and the gearset got much noisier over time.
I recently switched to a Stage 4 (PuddyMod racing) 4.44 setup and absolutely love it. The performance is essentially the same as the 4.57s - without the whine. The slight drop in HWY cruising RPMs make long trips a breeze.

Overall there is a significant performance improvement over stock (comparing 4.56,7 or 4.44s to stock). And in conjunction with an AP2 transmission - it's nearly perfect.

I've driven a 4.77 car, and just as with hecash - I was happy when I finally parked it. It's too busy on the track and on the street. The 4.44 ratio seems to fit right in the sweet spot without the hassle of greatly increased noise. The 4.30 is also another good choice. It's main benefit is it gets you out of the hole faster than stock - not quite as quick as 4.44 or 4.56 gears - but a nice improvement out of the hole over 4.10s. 4.30s are also a nice compliment to the AP2 transmission (especially in an AP1)