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swapping transmission to different gear ratio?

Featured Replies

Once moving not a great deal. Starting off from a stand still you will initially feel a difference until you’re moving.

Hills at speed might be a bit different to club too.

It’s a lot of work, what are you trying to achieve?

Cheers 

Bennie

  • Author

transmission in the car has 212,000 miles and alot of axle stub shaft play in the diff the transmission im planning to put in has 97,000 miles and 0 axle stub shaft play. aside from axle stub shaft play the 4.44 trans works alright occasionally it shifts around weird but doesn't slip. i also sort of feel like the axle stub play is contributing to a shake in the steering.

Edited by sirtokesalot

The axle shaft/stub play will probably be the diff bearings needing adjusting. This means playing with the “sundials”. And that could induce a vibration through the steering.

Swapping in a different gearbox would be way easier for the uninitiated than swapping the diff ratio in your current box! You might find the drive ratios are different between the two gearboxes depending on what your model is and what the replacement box came from.

Cheers

Bennie

  • Author
2 hours ago, el_freddo said:

The axle shaft/stub play will probably be the diff bearings needing adjusting. This means playing with the “sundials”. And that could induce a vibration through the steering.

Swapping in a different gearbox would be way easier for the uninitiated than swapping the diff ratio in your current box! You might find the drive ratios are different between the two gearboxes depending on what your model is and what the replacement box came from.

Cheers

Bennie

thats what i ment. i have another complete transmission and rear diff with around 97,000 miles on it and it is a 4.11 ratio. the transmission thats currently in the car is a 4.44. my plans was to just swap all of it over.

I recommend looking at doing the calculations: https://www.engineersedge.com/mechanics_machines/transmission-gear-ratio-calculator.htm

 

Also, your final drive gear (5th or 6th) will determine the RPMs that you might be traveling at, and consequently how much fuel you'll be consuming...

https://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/transmission-gear-ratios-and-final-drives-229267.html?s=27d9dbc6d83925f40022ef69a180bc77&

http://www.gearhack.com/myink/ViewPage.php?file=docs/Subaru Transmission Chart

I bought a 5mt from a JDM '05 LGT wagon, and swapped in the stub shafts and speedo gear for my '98 Outback. Splitting the case and removing/reinstalling everything isn't that bad, honestly. I've got 10 thumbs and I didn't think it was too bad. There are a bunch of write-ups on splitting the case... 

https://www.voisin.ch/subaru/docs_techniques/2008_impreza_wrx_&_sti_manuel_atelier/wrx/wrx_transmission/5mt_manual_trans_&_diff.pdf

Once it's open, the ring/pinion gear are easily accessed, and removable... 

 

hope any of this helps!

 

Greg 

88F73582-BF02-491D-A5F3-51FCC2215697_1_201_a.jpeg

Edited by suprunner

  • Author
2 hours ago, suprunner said:

I recommend looking at doing the calculations: https://www.engineersedge.com/mechanics_machines/transmission-gear-ratio-calculator.htm

 

Also, your final drive gear (5th or 6th) will determine the RPMs that you might be traveling at, and consequently how much fuel you'll be consuming...

https://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/transmission-gear-ratios-and-final-drives-229267.html?s=27d9dbc6d83925f40022ef69a180bc77&

http://www.gearhack.com/myink/ViewPage.php?file=docs/Subaru Transmission Chart

I bought a 5mt from a JDM '05 LGT wagon, and swapped in the stub shafts and speedo gear for my '98 Outback. Splitting the case and removing/reinstalling everything isn't that bad, honestly. I've got 10 thumbs and I didn't think it was too bad. There are a bunch of write-ups on splitting the case... 

https://www.voisin.ch/subaru/docs_techniques/2008_impreza_wrx_&_sti_manuel_atelier/wrx/wrx_transmission/5mt_manual_trans_&_diff.pdf

Once it's open, the ring/pinion gear are easily accessed, and removable... 

 

hope any of this helps!

 

Greg 

88F73582-BF02-491D-A5F3-51FCC2215697_1_201_a.jpeg

mine is an automatic

Auto Trans is a heavy BEAR!  You know about ensuring the TC is fully seated.  Good Luck, it's a job for sure.

How picky are you?  If you want a daily driver commuter it's not a big deal.  I've gone the other way from 4.44 to 4.11.
People swap wheels/tires all the time which is in effect changing the final drive ratio as well. 

If you're doing something eccentric with it beyond a commuter car - 4 wheeling, towing, extreme mountain grades, etc...then you might start to notice something, depending what engine is in front of it. 

 

13 hours ago, sirtokesalot said:

mine is an automatic

Sorry, did I miss that? 

  • Author

im trying to justify changing it out lol i really dont wanna do the job but at the same time i do know the axle stub shaft play is an issue just not sure if its the issue im trying to fix by replacing the transmission

Being an auto could open up a whole can of worms with the potential TCU differences between the two models.

Sorry, I too thought you were talking about the manual transmission.

Cheers 

Bennie

20 minutes ago, el_freddo said:

Being an auto could open up a whole can of worms with the potential TCU differences between the two models.

Sorry, I too thought you were talking about the manual transmission.

Cheers 

Bennie

Those older TCUs don’t care.  swap trans or front diff all day long. I think I’ve ran 4WD trans on FWD TCU.  The old ones aren’t highly specific.

I don’t think the 4EAT and MT disassembly is worlds apart. Similar scope, concept, form factor, and basic tear down approach goes roughly the same. A guy on here swapped used AT front diffs - installed a good one into a bad one. Swapped all associated bits to retain preloads and backlash. 

17 hours ago, el_freddo said:

@idosubaru So at roughly what year does the TCU differences become an issue?

Cheers 

Bennie

I think it's with the introduction of CANBUS which is like 2005 in the US market. So it would be 2004 and earlier are no big deal to swap diff ratios.  After that I'm unsure what happens, but that's when the potential to run into more issues starts to present. 

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