Changing final drive ratios

Nissan Leaf/e-NV200 drive stack topics
Post Reply
User avatar
Tremelune
Posts: 62
Joined: Mon Jun 10, 2019 6:07 pm
Location: Los Angeles
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 7 times

Changing final drive ratios

Post by Tremelune »

I converted a classic Mini and I'm hoping to get a higher top speed (maybe 20mph more). Tire size is pretty much limited to 21" and I don't think that will cut it. The other option I thought about was maybe using the older 7.938 ratio gearbox, but that doesn't buy me too much, and I'm not sure they're a direct swap. New gearbox and larger tires would be a $1-2k experiment, and it seems like a half-assed solution.

I'm wondering if anyone knows how to go about having gears made, and what that could cost? I don't think there is a demand for anything but a custom one-off gearset...
User avatar
janosch
Posts: 306
Joined: Tue Jun 30, 2020 9:23 am
Location: London, UK
Has thanked: 67 times
Been thanked: 54 times
Contact:

Re: Changing final drive ratios

Post by janosch »

We looked into having gears made, but that quickly became very expensive. You can replace the "crown" in a differential to make adjustments.

The eNV200 might have a slightly different ratio.

We don't use the differential in the Leaf gearbox, so I can post you one to take measurements off and see if you can commission an alternated version (we cut another hole and are ignoring the builtin-diff, our target vehicles already have a diff as they are rear wheel drive).

Having typed all this, maybe it is easier to replace one of the other two cogs? But making cogs will cost you thousands or a few hundred at least, so I would try alternative gearbox and tyres first. The ratios multiply as well, so a few small changes might give you enough in the end, I would start with a spreadsheet.

Alex holding Leaf diff
DSC_1283.jpg
https://clipper.cab/gallery
Post Reply