Manual Transmission Club

[Westcoastflea]

Long time lurker, first time poster. I just picked up my manual Rubicon yesterday from Peterson Jeep in Nampa ID and drove it 650 miles home to San Francisco. I ordered from Kent back on August 1st and slowly watched it progress through all the stages, the longest appeared to be the delivery process, almost an entire month from when it was shipped out to when it arrived at the dealership.

First impressions are good, love the manual, feels similar to the one in my JLU sport. I managed to average 18.4mpg over the trip. However it feels about 20% slower, probably a combination of the heavier total weight and 4.10 gearing. My initial plan was to go with 37" tires, but after this trip I realize i would definitely need to re-gear. Now i'm even questioning whether 35" will work with stick gearing.The gap between 2nd and 3rd gear also seems quite large.
The Rubicon transfer case is also much smoother than the Sport transfer case. Maybe my JLU had a dud, but it was always challenging to get it in, especially when rolling. No such problems with the Rubi.
The exhaust note is very quiet because it exits under the bed instead of the cab, i will probably remove the muffler to better hear the shift points. Hopefully there's no drone at freeway speeds.

For all of you still on the fence, I recommend waiting it out for the 6spd, it's well worth it.

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[chrcal14]

Alright so anyone try 5th and 6th in 4Lo?

There has to be a range or load where the difference makes the difference...

Anyone found the one thing 5th does that 4th won't and 6th wont? The thing 6th does that no other gear will do? Gotta be something...

Does this thing shift okay without the clutch?

Have to admit, my 4Lo tinkerings I don't think I got past 2. I was too tickled with the high rpm crawl... it's clutch out engine revving torquey slow in a really cool way. That low 1st gear even with the stock 4.10s is a level of barely moving snarl I never had in a truck.

Not sure what my old ones were for the transmission gears, but they had 3.73 diffs and I suspect higher 1st gears, they were nothing like this.

I eased up to a big old bulldozed dirt pile and crawled my way up it. Nothing that I really needed the suspension for, but just to try out something loose, steep, and rough. It growled it's way right up it without a spin of tire.

I smiled, a lot.

 

[hawkijon]

Long time lurker, first time poster. I just picked up my manual Rubicon yesterday from Peterson Jeep in Nampa ID and drove it 650 miles home to San Francisco. I ordered from Kent back on August 1st and slowly watched it progress through all the stages, the longest appeared to be the delivery process, almost an entire month from when it was shipped out to when it arrived at the dealership.

First impressions are good, love the manual, feels similar to the one in my JLU sport. I managed to average 18.4mpg over the trip. However it feels about 20% slower, probably a combination of the heavier total weight and 4.10 gearing. My initial plan was to go with 37" tires, but after this trip I realize i would definitely need to re-gear. Now i'm even questioning whether 35" will work with stick gearing.The gap between 2nd and 3rd gear also seems quite large.
The Rubicon transfer case is also much smoother than the Sport transfer case. Maybe my JLU had a dud, but it was always challenging to get it in, especially when rolling. No such problems with the Rubi.
The exhaust note is very quiet because it exits under the bed instead of the cab, i will probably remove the muffler to better hear the shift points. Hopefully there's no drone at freeway speeds.

For all of you still on the fence, I recommend waiting it out for the 6spd, it's well worth it.

Solid post bud!! Thanks for shedding some light.. what color did you go with?

 

[919Jeep]

Picked up my manual Sport S on Thursday evening. Initial impressions: I don’t find it difficult to drive at all; I haven’t stalled once, and it’s been 4 years since I owned a manual. My last Jeep was a TJ though, and I will say the Galdiator has a lot less low end torque. The engine is only really happy beyond 3,000 rpm, so you have to shift later than in an old Jeep. It feels more like a hatchback or sports car in terms of the gear ratios. I used 6th just once, on the freeway at 75 and it was fine for that, but on curvy, hilly backroads where you’re between 40 and 50 or so, I leave it in 4th.

 

[Westcoastflea]

Solid post bud!! Thanks for shedding some light.. what color did you go with?

It was Bright white, a bit more brown now

The extra low crawl ratio makes a world of difference on steep climbs, saw a few 28 degree inclines today.

 

[RavensEyeOffroad]

Hey, was there supposed to be a video posted about the manual transmission? I didn't miss it somehow did I?

 

[Cape taco12]

Picked mine up Friday drove it about 120miles over the weekend. When I first left the lot it was weird. The things I don’t like are the hill assist feature, and the throttle off delay. With the hill assist on it felt very civic like with lots of gas needed to get going until the brake releases. Once disabled it’s great truck idles along in slow traffic in 2nd. Stop and go it crawls in 1st so slow I didn’t really have to stop at all.


After driving it I find I have to throttle off about a full second before clutch in. Not used to that at all. so no quickly rowing through all the gears to get up to speed. But with this motor it seems to like to carry 2nd really high and just skip 3 for WOT on ramps. So if I could use the pedal fix computer and make the throttle respond faster it will be perfect. It is a truck however so I don’t think I plan on doing that. Once the throttle/clutch change is in muscle memory a bit better I believe it’s going to be fine.

Really surprised at how easily it shifts. no shifting effort with the short shifter. It hasn’t been refusing to get into certain gears.

Overall is it worth losing the max tow with the auto in my opinion? Yes!

I will be towing my 26 foot boat within the month unless it warms up again. I will try to update with how it does.

 

[RavensEyeOffroad]

Picked mine up Friday drove it about 120miles over the weekend. When I first left the lot it was weird. The things I don’t like are the hill assist feature, and the throttle off delay. With the hill assist on it felt very civic like with lots of gas needed to get going until the brake releases. Once disabled it’s great truck idles along in slow traffic in 2nd. Stop and go it crawls in 1st so slow I didn’t really have to stop at all.


After driving it I find I have to throttle off about a full second before clutch in. Not used to that at all. so no quickly rowing through all the gears to get up to speed. But with this motor it seems to like to carry 2nd really high and just skip 3 for WOT on ramps. So if I could use the pedal fix computer and make the throttle respond faster it will be perfect. It is a truck however so I don’t think I plan on doing that. Once the throttle/clutch change is in muscle memory a bit better I believe it’s going to be fine.

Really surprised at how easily it shifts. no shifting effort with the short shifter. It hasn’t been refusing to get into certain gears.

Overall is it worth losing the max tow with the auto in my opinion? Yes!

I will be towing my 26 foot boat within the month unless it warms up again. I will try to update with how it does.

great report! Nice Gladiator!
I was going to ask about towing with the manual. Ill look forward to your update! =D

 

[hawkijon]

Hey, was there supposed to be a video posted about the manual transmission? I didn't miss it somehow did I?

great report! Nice Gladiator!
I was going to ask about towing with the manual. Ill look forward to your update! =D

Man, your chomping at the bit about as much as I am for reports on manual trans JT's... Im sure enough of them are out there by now that someone with a gopro is going to do a decent on/offroad evaluation (preferably a colorado pass or moab)..ive test the sport S, Overland, and Rubicon and was very content with my manual order...but alot of hype has me internally questionon my self based on others..in the end, i think i will be happy to row gears..in my mind, getting an automatic jeep is equiveilent to getting a V6 mustang with an automatic...if your going to do it...go GT with a stick and leave black marks everywhere...

 

[hawkijon]

Man, your chomping at the bit about as much as I am for reports on manual trans JT's... Im sure enough of them are out there by now that someone with a gopro is going to do a decent on/offroad evaluation (preferably a colorado pass or moab)..ive test the sport S, Overland, and Rubicon and was very content with my manual order...but alot of hype has me internally questionon my self based on others..in the end, i think i will be happy to row gears..in my mind, getting an automatic jeep is equiveilent to getting a V6 mustang with an automatic...if your going to do it...go GT with a stick and leave black marks everywhere...

...this review is great, but about 1:55 you get a bit of satisfying confirmation...

 

[RavensEyeOffroad]

Man, your chomping at the bit about as much as I am for reports on manual trans JT's... Im sure enough of them are out there by now that someone with a gopro is going to do a decent on/offroad evaluation (preferably a colorado pass or moab)..ive test the sport S, Overland, and Rubicon and was very content with my manual order...but alot of hype has me internally questionon my self based on others..in the end, i think i will be happy to row gears..in my mind, getting an automatic jeep is equiveilent to getting a V6 mustang with an automatic...if your going to do it...go GT with a stick and leave black marks everywhere...

Yes I am.
I've been out of the jeep thing for a while sadly and I'm trying to get my fix somehow! =D
I've been looking all over YouTube for new jeep channels, especially gladiator ones. Not much popping up besides manufacturer/product stuff.
I had a Rubicon tj back in 2003 and it was a really good time in my life. I had alot of good friends and we did alot of fun rides. Sadly I had to sell it when my first daughter was born. I've got 3 girls now and I am trying to plan in my mind a fun "adventure" for us to all go on.
Manual jeep is very iconic for me, it was just what I had and it always felt complete to me, or that it was the "right" way to do it.

 

[Jitsurfer]

Ordered one 9/28. Currently in D status

 

[Will_H]

Haven’t heard any 1st hand reports of driving the manual with the doors off. I took mine off this weekend and I will say it’s a much more intrinsic drive with them off. I feel like you can hear and feel better where you should be shifting etc. maybe it’s all a placebo, but I recommend it if you’re having trouble “getting” the manual

 

[RavensEyeOffroad]

 

[chrcal14]

Haven’t heard any 1st hand reports of driving the manual with the doors off. I took mine off this weekend and I will say it’s a much more intrinsic drive with them off. I feel like you can hear and feel better where you should be shifting etc. maybe it’s all a placebo, but I recommend it if you’re having trouble “getting” the manual

Didn't have the doors off, but windows down roof off. It's another experience for sure. Grabbed gears under the stars. Nothing like it!

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