S2KPUDDYDAD

I was in the shop over the new year holiday getting an emergency build done to help out a fellow member owner
PuddyMod Stage 2 rear with a 3.90 ratio, the S is boosted over 500hp

So happy to be here another year on the best car forum on the net Thank you all...

S2KPUDDYDAD

Finished,

Mullallyman

Cant wait to have you build my diff sometime this summer

Mijae007

Man, imma definitely hit you up when it comes time to upgrade the diff!

S2KPUDDYDAD

​​​​​​​great please do

shind3

It's rare to see such reliable/repeatable/reputable demonstration of attention to detail. Glad to know there is a dependable resource on the matter I can trust when the time comes. Cheers, and keep up the good work.

riceball777

i love my puddy mod stage 3 diff with the 3.9 gears!!!

MorngWoodStewie

Cant wait to say this one day. Just hasnt fallen on the "priority" // Impulse buy yet Lol.
My buddy has one tho. and its like neck breaking! not to mention even more peace of mind...

Happy New Years Puddy!

Mijae007

Anyone have a link on diff information? How gear ratios affect behavior, drivability, gearing, etc. How it should differ na vs FI.

S2KPUDDYDAD

the S2000 comes with a 4.10 final drive. If you stay N/A and do not want to do much more then a CAI and exhaust but still want a little more out of the car (better acceleration) then maybe a shorter final drive is for you.
The choices for a shorter final drive are, 4.30, 4.44, 4.56, 4.57, 4.77, 4.88, and 5.13

The best all round performer for the stock and mainly stock S2000 is the 4.30 and 4.44 You get better off the line performance without giving up much at all in top speed. These Mazda Speed made gears are OEM quiet, smooth, and have perfect fitment. Beware of aftermarket brands as they tend to be noisy and are not of the quality of a factory gear set.

The Richmond 4.56 and 4.57R have been out of production for years but are some of the most coveted and sought after gear sets. These gears require a custom install and a high level of fussiness on the installer to get a setup that will whine as little as possible. These gears whine like a supercharger and a lot of owners like hearing the rawness and the mechanics of a gearset like this.

The 4.77 is a Kia gear set and is the least expensive of the lot. It is a VERY short gear, you will be grabbing for 3rd before you can get through an intersection. Many owner love them but I have had to change them out for other owners that just did not like throwing gears lol. They are a love them or hate them gear set. The 4.88 and 5.13 are Mazda Speed and are very expensive and I have only installed a couple in all my years of differential gear box work.

A shorter final drive can still perform well in a SuperCharged S2000. S/C is similar to naturally aspirated/ linear power so as long as the car is not boosted past 350/400hp the 4.30 will still give a nice balance of performance for acceleration and basic drivability.

For the guys running boost and high boost with a turbo your choices in a longer final drive are, 3.63, 3.73, and 3.90
You may want to stay with the factory 4.10 or dial back the final drive depending on your power level.
The best ratio for a turbo S running over 400hp is the 3.90 this ratio is good to 600hp, after 650hp a 3.73 is a option. The Mazda Speed 3.73 does require a custom install, it is NOT a drop in fit. The 3.63 is a factory fit and is a less expensive option.