Stupid question...I know...but what does all the numbers mean? Final drive...etc?? Thanks.

-Rod

 

Son....let me break it down for you.

The numbered gear ratio is the ratio for each gear in the transmission. The final drive ratio refers to the differential gear ratio and that's why you could change the whole character of a car by chaging the gear ratio of the differential.

I think.

Jay Kim

 

Thanks Dad.

-Rod

 

http://www.hondaprelude.com/webboard...258&CHILD_ID=0

 

lol..

Lemme try...
You have 1-5 gears, which all have a certain spec/ratio. The higher the number ratio, the shorter the gear feels. The lower the number ratio, the longer the gear feels.

The final drive is the like the catalytic converter for which all 1-5 gears filter through, to the axles, then to the wheels. Again, the higher the number'd ratio of the final drive the shorter the gearing will feel and viceversa.

And, of course the shorter the gearing feels, the faster the acceleration is gonna be, and viceversa.

On a DOHC VTEC engine, actually on any B-series engine (vtec or not), for natural prespiration..err..aspiration, a shorter gearbox (such as an ITR trannyy) doesn't hurt to have at all. Accleration is neato! unless your the tiitewad type that's always worried about gas...




[Modified by Katman, 5:31 PM 2/27/2002]

 

Thanks Katman....that'd helped a lot.

-Rod

 

There is a JDM Spec 4.875 final drive you can get also, I have my
eye on it for my GSR with a Type R LSD for better grip. 4000
RPM in the GSR in 5th at .787 on 4.400 yeilds @80mph. I am guessing
that (4.875 / 4.4 = 1.10) or 8.8mph less in 5th at the same rpm.
I can be known to be a tightwad, so I will cruise slower on the highway!!

Mike

 

So I was thinking that if you went from a standard final drive of 4.400 to the JDM ITR final drive of 4.875 or 4.785, whichever it is, I thought all gears including 5th would be shorter. Meaning in 5th you would be cruising a few RPM's higher. Now say hypothetically you dropped the final drive down to a 4.00 that would increase the length of the gears from the original 4.400. Creating an effect like the LS trannies.

Are my assumptions on that correct?

 

So those running the 4.785 final drive, are they shifting into 5th gear in all motor setups before going through the traps?

 

...in a sense the 4.40fd allows the motor to keep spooling power to the wheels over a 4.785 would allow. Although, I have friends who've had better drag times because of upgrading to a 4.7fd (johnny @ pitcrew motorsports). So, it's not bad at all. But, it all breaks down to user preference - the ultimate goal of your engine/tranny setup.

The 4.7 was built on the idea for circuit use.
I really wish Honda made an optional 4.60fd dammit...I have to admit that the 4.7 is a bit of a high end ratio. In a type-R tranny ...second gear is basically useless.




[Modified by Katman, 10:36 AM 2/28/2002]

 

How gear ratio's work: http://www.howstuffworks.com/gear-ratio.htm

How gears work, if you need it: http://www.howstuffworks.com/gear.htm

Excellent resource