So I just got an IX MR for Christmas -- great surprise thanks to my wife and the help of a good friend . My issue with the car is the gear ratios seem way too short. Although I am not yet revving the car beyond 5k [breakin period], I believe I will still need to shift into 3rd gear to get to 60mph. The gears just seem too close together and too short.

I want to bump up the HP by 100+, but want to first determine the best way to make the gearing taller. Should I just swap out the final drive gear or change all of the main gears? Thanks in advance for your help.

Chris

 

There's nothing like that available, so you'll have to wait until something comes out.

Anyway, you just got the car and all you care about is whether or not you can make it to 60 in 2nd gear? It's a 6 speed...the gears are short for a reason. What is it you actually hope to accomplish by making taller gearing in a 6 speed?

 

cij911, I don't think you need taller gearing. I guess it's more of a driving habit thing. There are, as you know, 6 gears on your evo and it's a 2.0L performance car so if you're used to driving a large-engined cruiser (like a big bmw or something) then you're in for a bit of a shock. I'm not having a go at you or saying that your driving is bad, all i'm saying is that if you give it time and adapt to the car, you'll start to enjoy it.

Anyway, there seems to be two issues here; are your gears too close together or is the spacing okay but the final drive too 'short'?

the short gears are there so you can keep it in the power band and it _is_ a close ratio gearbox so the gears _are_ close together, bearing in mind that the powerband on your stock evo is relatively narrow (c.f. a 6litre V8) it makes sense to have a close ratio box.

the final drive can be changed, but the only ones I know of are competition parts made by the like of Hewland and the ones I've seen are to get a bigger ratio (you don't normally go at 170mph rallying). They are extremely expensive, but if this is what you think you want, the cheapest route would be to get bigger wheels (19's with relatively high profile). At least you can take them off later if you don't like it. It would be a shame to mess around with that new tranny...

 

FYI this fits the VIII and is a 5speed. http://www.ralliart.co.jp/05news/rai-05dogtm.html
It's a homologated Gr.N and there's a whole range of ratios available. I'd contact Ralliart US if you are really interested.

Also Hollinger:

http://www.tomei-p.co.jp/_2003web-ca...nger_rset.html

http://www.tomei-p.co.jp/_2003web-ca...nger_rset.html

These are sold through Tomei, pretty much the same thing.

 

Guys, thanks for the responses. I have raced Formula Ford, SCCA, shifter carts, and IMSA, so I am familiar with both "small" and "big" displacement engines. x838nwy - thanks for the info on Hollinger....


IMHO, the gears seem short, but I am still getting used to the car. I love the car, but am wondering if guys that track their cars change 1, 2, and 3 to make them taller. I only have 200 miles on the car, but I would suspect that at tracks like Willows or Road America, the car would benefit from taller 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, and then tight 4th, 5th, and 6th.

For the street, the car feels fine. Thanks for the help.

chris

 

My gf once asked me why I have to change gears so often and do I really have to do it. That was back when I was driving an Integra Type-R which was even worse than the evo. Basically you can't get off the line below 3.5k and I'm not talking about a real quick take-ff but a normal leaving-the-house-and-not-trying-to-wake-up-the-neighbours type. Imagine driving one of those in Bangkok traffic!! You'd go from a to b all the way with one hand on the wheel and one on the gear shifter.

With your experience, it sure looks like you'll be able to enjoy your evo to/very near its potentials. Enjoy!!

 

should of gotten a VIII 5spd, their gears are a bit longer

 

short gears to keep the turbo spooled

 

Not on the IX they aren't. They are identical except for 5th, which is very tall on the IX and has to be used from ~100-160 with no gear in between.

cij911, I already said there is nothing available like this. No one has changed the gears in their brand new MR, and we have many MRs who road race regularly at Willow Springs and others like it. Join us at evolutionmr.net to get details and talk with the big time MR road racers (I'm a newb road racer).

 

A little OT; do you know if these ratios differ from stock?

http://www.quaife.co.uk/catalogue/page52.htm

 

+1 the 5 speeds now have different gear ratios that the old ones, almost identical the 6 speed ratios.

Dont worry about changing your gears, all gear sets I've seen have always been $2k+ anyways and then your going to have to have someone tear it all apart to install. My opinion would keep all that stuff stock and only have someone perform surgery if its broke!

But then again, why listent to me...? I want to spend $800 on a Greddy exhaust

 

You need time like everyone else stated. The gears on the MR are quite a perfect match to my almost 500whp, nevermind the stock Evo. 2nd gear will take you to 62mph if im not mistaking. If you really like to hold on to a gear a bit longer just get a ECU flash that raises the redline to 8000rpm's.

 

I thought the IX spd shared the MR 6speed ratios now? 4th goes to approx 111, as I know you know from trying to break into the 11's.

Or am I wrong on the ratios?

 

I am sure there would be tons interested in your trans. How about trading a 5sp