anyone have any info how to change real gear ratio for real car?
i know its not that easy to setup that gear as we have seen it in LFS, im just blind when it comes into real thing like this, maybe someone know about it a little can give me usefull advice
i hope this is the right forum to discuss this, if not then mod can delete this
anyway the spec sheet for my current car final drive ratio is:
1st 3.545
2nd 1.904
3rd 1.310
4th 0.969
5th 0.769
final gear ratio 4.105
the car was SUZUKI SWIFT, the current gear ratio was design to run on city street so its very basic, i wish i could change them with my own hand so i can get a good performance without bringing my car to tuning shop or hand over my car to mechanic, maybe someone know or have a good guide with picture for any car any kind of car, different car actually doesnt matter as long as i can see where the gear ratio is located, it shouldn't be much problem i think, step by step guide also recommend

My or anybody's first question would be why? Its a Swift! Is it performance your looking for ?
I think I would look at changing the gear box from a larger Suzuki engineillepall

Not without replacing the gearbox/diff.

IRL, there is no such thing as the adjustability of gearbox ratios as there is in LFS, even top racing teams have limited adjustability, because its something that not just that simple.

Dan,

AFAIK the final drive ratio is determined by the gears of the differential, so you would have to replace those. I can't where it's exactly located on your car, but the Swift being a FWD car, I guess it's near or integrated in the gearbox.

Maybe this site will help you: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/gear-ratio.htm

You could research the different gearboxes fitted to the Swift and see if any have different ratios.

A common mod to the Peugeot 106 is to use the gearbox from a S1 Rallye as it has shorter ratios than the others.

Quote from CSU1 :

I think I would look at changing the gear box from a larger Suzuki engineillepall

You know, that that would make it worse... illepall

Quote from herki :

You know, that that would make it worse... illepall

muaaaahahahahah just get nos a , no two turbo chargers, a porsche gearbox and a six pack and let er' rip baby

I had a Mini once, it had a MG Metro Turbo engine in it, and we put a mini 850cc gearbox on it to reduce the ratios, used to accellerate like shit of a shovel, topped out at 90mph though LOL.

Dan,

i guess i was playing to much LFS until i realize there were no connection between real life car and gaming with LFS

ok last question maybe is it possible to adjust suspension stiffness, damping, anti roll bar, ride height reduction manually by my own hand because im planning to buy sport suspension, damper set and spring set for future upgrade (all of them are adjustable)
if possible how to measure stiffness, damping etc, what kind of tools to measure several adjustment for this kit?

In short terms? No, in longer terms, if you buy proper suspension upgrades (£££££££) then you can adjust damping,stiffness and ride height, but not ARB.

Trouble is, by adjusting all this may probably throw the whole cars geometry out of whack.

My advice?, don't bother, if you want a fast, good handling car, buy a fast, good handling car (or better still a bike )

Dan,

If you've got a car designed for changing gear ratio's easily it isn't too bad a job, 45 minutes in some race cars. A Suzuki Swift, being a road car, isn't designed in such a way.

The easiest method would be to replace the gearbox with something else.

I hope you can weld stuff

Quote from danowat :

In short terms? No, in longer terms, if you buy proper suspension upgrades (£££££££) then you can adjust damping,stiffness and ride height, but not ARB.

Trouble is, by adjusting all this may probably throw the whole cars geometry out of whack.

My advice?, don't bother, if you want a fast, good handling car, buy a fast, good handling car (or better still a bike )

Dan,

You can also get parts to adjust your ARB with a wrench and a jack, but like with alot of stuff it has limited adjustability, for my car there is only 3 different settings.

Depends on the car, I adjusted the Front ARB on my old Cavalier SRi, well, it wasnt planned, the mountings broke and it was just floating in mid air half the time

Dan,

changing gearbox? i think no, the car still new plus im short of money still ask to my dad if i want to change anything and what happend if i tell him i want to change the gearbox he would be mad off course

If you don't know how to measure the stiffness of an antiroll bar I suspect you are not 'in the know' enough to improve the car - you'll just be guessing.

Measuring damper rates requires a damper dynomometer.

Changing the final drive will be okay if you find a gearbox for the same engine family but with different ratios (perhaps out of a different model Swift), then you just change the 'box.

Don't bother too much with adjustable suspension unless you are racing, and racing to win. On the road you might increase outright grip on smooth surfaces, but you'll lose compliance and safety, as well as 'over the limit' handling. Best to avoid. At the most drop the car 15mm (everyone seems to think 25 is the minimum, but I'd say 15mm was the maximum for almost any road car. Adjusting the ride height via spring platforms isn't useful - you'll set them and then leave them. Better to get non-adjustable springs that are correct for what you want and save your money.

Can you put camshafts from a different Suzuki/Swift in to give a 'bolt-in' performance upgrade? It has the benefits of being easy and reversible.

If the car is so new that you don't want to change the gearbox (a couple of hours work) but you are willing to change just the final drive and do stupid things with your suspension which will take weeks to get right, then you/your dad has some funny ideas

What actually is bad with your current suspension? You want to go racing or ricing?

Quote from Lible :

What actually is bad with your current suspension? You want to go racing or ricing?

both, for racing on circuit and daily use actually

Quote from DevilDriver :

both, for racing on circuit and daily use actually

Guess what, you can't have both. If you want racing suspension on your car, it'll be to low for any speedbump. Plus your springs would be so hard, that you couldn't drive it anymroe for daily use.
You can of course go my way and get "sport"-springs. They have slightly higher spring rates than the stock ones, that the ride doesn't get uncormotable. Don't forget to get the right dampers for them, maybe you should look up the spring rates and try to get dampers with the right rate.
For an example: My '92 Polo is lowered by 35mm, which isn't a problem in most situations, and spring/damper-rates match rather good, it's more fun to drive and it handles better than the original suspension, mostly because VW built crappy stock suspensions that time

Quote from DevilDriver :

changing gearbox? i think no, the car still new plus im short of money still ask to my dad if i want to change anything and what happend if i tell him i want to change the gearbox he would be mad off course

I fink you may have the wrong idea of what changing gear ratio would involve, there aint no switch that you can just adjust like in the game lol', really iv'e seen the inside of a few car gear box's and it aint a easy task to replace new gears...hell they probably would have to be specially made $$$.
Your dad is mad if he told you to follow this up, because as tristancliffe said 2-3 hours gearbox change from a larger suzuki engine would be much more practical.Speaking of practical it is one thing that this thread is DEFINETLY NOT!

Quote from CSU1 :

Your dad is mad if he told you to follow this up, because as tristancliffe said 2-3 hours gearbox change from a larger suzuki engine would be much more practical.Speaking of practical it is one thing that this thread is DEFINETLY NOT!

You're still wrong. Larger engines have the same or wider ratios, not closer. You wouldn't want wider ratios, would you?

Quote from herki :

You're still wrong. Larger engines have the same or wider ratios, not closer. You wouldn't want wider ratios, would you?

Well that depends on what this guy wants????
Has he tuned his engine and wants wider ratios to go go go faster....
This is going nowhere really at the end of the day ITS JUST NOT PRACTICAL

You'll be surprised to find how may other cars are out there on the road sharing the same diff/gearbox as you're own car. Even though it's a suzuki there will be many other suzuki's out there with the same (or similar) bits as yours.

My advise - spend a day out around the local scrapyards and try to find how many different suzuki (or other manufacturers') FWD cars share the same gearbox/boltpattern as yours, and then do a bit of research on the ratios available.

For example - Both Toyota and ford used the same rear axles for years, and for a short period of time, the same gearboxes too. the same goes for Honda/Rover and Daewoo/Vauxhall, Peugeot/Citroen etc.

If you're lucky you'll find a gearbox that'll fit, and with a bit of haggling, it could be yours for £40-100 (depending on car/condition).

I'm not all that sure about suzuki parts compatability but it's gotta be worth having a wander around you're local 'yards to see what goodies you can find. you'll usually come away with an idea about what's possible. I always head for the scrappy if I'm stuck with what to do on a project. they're highly inspirational places for grease-monkeys like me

and remember, Nothing is impossible, but you'll usually find a better (cheaper) way of doing the job another way.

The phrase "you can't polish a turd" springs to mind, whatever you do it will still only be a Suzuki Swift.

Save your money and get something decent, I can never see the point chucking loads of ££££'s at a car like a Swift etc.

Gran Turismo and to a lesser extent, LFS, has a lot to answer for .

Dan,

If you want to have a fast Swift, you are probaly better off getting a turbo 'busa motor....