well, I know there are many other factors that come into play, but…
after some conversations with a few other board members and friends…I find myself considering a 6spd swap in the focus, but am curious as to the opinions of others on 5spd vs. 6spd transmissions when it comes to having a well rounded car.
I know in a 5spd, 5th is technically overdrive and has like no “pull” to it whatsoever. What im looking to talk about is relationship between gear ratio’s, how often shifting would occur in daily driving, highway cruising speed, and max speed for say highway racing in the 1:1 gear…
I love my 6 speed much more than my 5…the Subaru had the 5 speed but 5th seemed like a nothing gear to me. In the speed3 6th gear still can pull decently, nice for passing, going from 60-90 or whatever…
There are so many variables to this that it would be hard to determine. But in this case I’d see little to no benefit for the cost it would run you. There are many better things I could think of that the money could go towards on your focus.
many cars that offer a 5spd and 6spd cover the same range but with an extra gear. it’s not like they’re adding an extra gear on the end for highway use.
Also, what is your primary intention for the kaa? Straight Line or Curves & Turns?
You’ll “need” closer ratios if you’re going to be rowing the gears through a road course. On the dragstrip its not going to matter nearly as much in your app.
ya, prolly not worth doing unless you want to do it to say you did it. 5 sp vs 6 speed can play a huge diff in some cars and minimal diff in others. But your car, I doubt it.
MY 6spd is horribly geared but now i hate driving 5spds…5th and 6th there is a little difference but at highway speeds the mine is geared its worth it. I wish 6th was a little taller more overdriven that what it is. many people in the spec v work opt to use the maxima 6th gear because it is taller and more overdriven. i dont know the exact numbers off my head. back to not liking 5spds…i am just use to 6th and i always go for it in my brothers impreza and miata…later spec v’s have a bit different gearing taller 1st and 6ths which is better than the 02s but still shitty. IMO if geared right i think 6spd makes overal a better car…u can have a bit shorter 1st 2nd 3rd gears for that nice acceleration and and progressivley get taller for 4th 5th and a good OD for 6th…for good highway speeds…but now with cars like new Evo and GTR u get 7 fwd gears…but thats only my opinion on them
thanks Fry, (sorry i was doing some laundry and forgot i posted the thread)
what I am looking at here is being able to still row through the gears in twists and turns, but stil have a decent amount of gear for highway pulls and such… I dont want to be using my shitty 5th gear in roll races. my other option is swaping the 3.82:1 final drive to a 4.06:1 which will make 5th less overdriven and pull nicer, but will also have me running like 4k rpms+ at 60mph and i dont entirely like the idea of that.
o yeah, the two different final ratio’s is because its a 6spd Getrag with three shafts instead of two…its a pretty badass complicated system (same trans as a mini cooper S)
