i did a search and came up with nothing specific to answer my question:
can i use a gsr/ls mainshaft for the longer second gear (part of the shaft) with the itr 3-5 main gears matching those on the 98+ JDM ITR countershaft, and fd ring gear so that i have 1-2 gsr gears, 3-5 itr gears, and 4.78 fd?
i know that the 98+ jdm 1st counter gear is different than the usdm hydro b 1st gears (which are all the same). however, i don't think that the 98+ jdm itr countershaft has the counter 1st gear cut directly onto it, so can i just use the gsr/ls 1st counter gear?

in case anyone wonders why i want a longer gear, i'm planning on having enough power to render the shorter 2nd a waste, though having it numerically closer to 3rd will likely help acceleration.

btw, i posted this in the Tech forum, and got one response (from Cheetah), which said that it will work, but that it will whine. i've not yet heard back from him, so i want to know from others if it will whine, in which gears, and why?

 

putting longer gears in the tranny defeats the purpose of the shorter final drive!!!

no you can't use the main shaft from anything else in a car unless the final drives are the same....

so if 2nd gear is a waste that means 1st is a TOTAL WASTE and you might as well throw a civic CX first gear in there!!!

you never have enough power to render any gear useless!!!

220 hp with a 4.9 final....no gear was useless!

 

Chad, thanks for your input. i doubt that a (d series) cx first gear will work in a b tranny. i'm not doubting that stock 1st gear could be a total waste, but the only aftermarket choice readily avaliable is the ATS counter, which supposedly only works with the 98+ JDM ITR first main gear, and is ~$220. (i already have all of the other parts mentioned, so cost does not matter.) if i decided to use this, i could not use the longer 2nd, since the (longer) 2nd main gear is cut into the main shaft, as is the ls/gsr 1st, which won't work with the ATS 1st counter gear.

the 4.78 fd will render a lower wheel speed at the same rpm than a 4.4 fd in the same gears(when used with wheels/tires of = diameter on both setups), but this will be through all of the gears, not just 1-2, so it won't necessarily defeat the purpose. also, the longer 2nd will undeniably place it closer to 3rd gear, which i think will overcome any "detriments."

as far as i see it, if a 4.78 fd can be swapped into a hydro ls or gsr tranny (and work properly), it will work for me, so i suppose that i should just ask it this way, to avoid (further) confusion.