I Just wanted comfirmation cause Iam interested in getting either the 4.44 or 4.57 gear. But since you told me this. I guess I will go with 4.44 gears.

 

Now that I am canceling out anything higher than 4.77 on an MY05 I was wondering if 4.57 or 4.77 would be better I do some street encounters and I autocross a lot... I understand what gears do and the reprocautions, but I was just asking to explain the major differences of the different gears on an AP2... Sorry about the confusion but thanks for the quick replies...

 

on an MY05 (AP2), I would stick to the 4.57's 4.77's are just going to be too short as your gearing is already shorter

 

In this, you are correct.
However, don't dismiss the distinct possibility that a "GOOD" shifting driver can complete that extra shift, get to 60 and still be quicker. The accelerative advantage of "gears" in this scenario cannot be under-rated. I was only correcting you about how fast 2nd gear can go in that setup.

 

Guys, use this gear calculator and crunch all the numbers you like before you decide what's best for you:
http://reverendsgarage.net/index.php?conte..._calculator.php

 

[QUOTE=xviper,Aug 23 2005, 07:33 AM] In this, you are correct.
However, don't dismiss the distinct possibility that a "GOOD" shifting driver can complete that extra shift, get to 60 and still be quicker.

 

It is certainly possible to be geared too tall. It is also possible to be geared too short. (Think low range 4wd, if you don't catch my drift.) But there is a wide range where the gearing really doesn't matter a whole lot. As long as the tranny is geared closely enough to keep the engine in the power band, it doesn't matter if you are in a taller final drive car but second gear versus a shorter final drive car in third gear. You have the exact same engine, the exact same power-to-weight ratio, and the exact same acceleration integrated over the whole run. This is pretty simple physics.

In particular situations, like 0-60 or the 1/4 mile or (as I described above) indidivual road circuits, you can sometimes tweak your gear ratios to avoid an extra shift or to avoid short shifting.

As for you getting faster, how do you know that has anything to do with the gearing? Have you tried the control experiment of switching back and forth? Maybe you are just getting more skilled, and you would be faster no matter how your car was geared.

 

WHAT?

A shorter final drive ratio yields more torque at the wheels, which means the car accelerates faster!

The final drive ratio is a torque multiplication factor. This can be seen on a dyno and is plain as day.

 

Well a few things. First off if you put 4.44 gears in an 04 or later S is not like an 03 or earlier with 4.57. Top speed on the 4.57 AP1 is still 148 where top speed on the 4.44 AP2 is only 139. Also 5th gear tops out at 124 in the AP1 vs 113 for Ap2. I really don't know the point of changing gears in the AP2s because you lose so much top end.

The AP1 had a bad gear set up that was addressed on the newer models. I have 4.44 gears in mine and I don't need to shift anymore than stock from 0-60 or 1/4 mile. Also, my top end is still 154 which may actually be achievable, the stock gear theoretically could push you to 167, but that's never going to happen with the aerodynamics and power the car produces.

Changing gears in the AP2 will require more shifting and lost top end. But, I'm sure it will pull hard in each gear. Do what you want, but you may regret the lost top end depending on what you use the car for.

I don't have any direct comparisons for my improved acceleration with the 4.44 gears, but its obvious on the road. I steadily pull on stock S2000s and 350zs. Both cars should be dead even or maybe even getting pulled by 350z,but it never happens. I don't drive with a camera in my car and won't anytime soon, but I know the truth.

I explain changing gears to a bicycle. If you have a 12 speed and try to start from a stop in 12th gear its a pain in the ass b/c the gear is to big. However, if you start in 6th gear on the small cog you quickly accelerate away. There is an ideal gear setup for each car's power band. That's racing 101. The AP1 was geared to go 167 mph, but it lacked the power to get there. So, finding a gear that will improve acceleration, and get you to the ACHIEVABLE top end is ideal. Honda addressed this in the AP2 and the top speed is nearly identical to the AP1 with 4.44 gears.

 

2 of my best friends are members here and own S2000's. i've raced them COUNTLESS times before off of stop lights and other roll situations. more times than i could even remember. EVERY time we were dead even or within 2-3 feet of each other.

ever since i got the gears, I can put 6 cars on them from a low speed roll (5mph). see the video in my signature? before I got my gears, me and ryan (overbooster, the guy in the video) were a dead even match every time.

and like i said, on top of that, my trap speeds went up to 103 or so, and my ET has come down to 13.6. (i still think a 13.4 is attainable)

yes, there is such a thing as "too short" of gearing, but the 4.57's are most certainly not the case.

and since you want to talk physics, do you understand what gearing does? it essentially mulitplies the FORCE the car makes to accelerate forward. for example:

stock S2000 making peak torque of 135lb/ft in 1st gear has this much force:
4.10 * 1.16 * 3.133 * 135lb/ft = 2011

and my S2000:
4.57 * 1.16 * 3.133 * 135lb/ft = 2242

so in this case, yes, the correct gears will make the S2000 much faster than stock. their advantage goes much further than avoiding an extra shift or avoiding short shifts.

think of the 10 speed bike. let's say that me and you, if we are in the same gear choices, can accelerate from a stop at the exact same speed in a race. neither of us is faster, so we'll assume we are putting out the same work/force/power from the pedaling we do.

now, take your bike, and choose the smallest gear in front, and the biggest gear in back. i, on the other hand, will take the biggest gear in front, and the smallest gear in back.

now when we race, i accelerate a hell of a lot quicker, though i have a lower top speed. well, this same principal applies to cars and their gearing. a gear chance is MUCH more than just changing your shift points. it essentially multiplies the force your car is making to accelerate.