So how many of you use the manual shifter on the automatic?

[MrZappo]

I guess the inertia thing makes sense ... I had been racking my brain trying to understand why they made it like that ...

For those of us that are pilots (In a former life) it is completely irritating ... In an aircraft, pulling back on the stick results in slowing down and pushing forward results in speeding up .... Same for the throttle ...

I spent so much time in airplanes building muscle memory and having my instructors drill that into my head that I cant shake it ...

Every time I use the manual mode in the JT, I suffer for a few mins until my brain gets re-adjusted ...

It really is more difficult than I would have thought ...

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[Oilburner]

I use the manual mode Very often. I am probably in the minority, but I would welcome paddle shifters = I just can't get used to how the shifter upshifts/downshifts. I know it's because in my Super Duty, to reach the 'Granny-Low' gear you pull the shifter towards you & OD is away from you. Also I dislike the stubby little shift levers they use these days. Too bad the price tag for paddle shifters includes the 392 package lol

 

[SloW8]

Still the fastest AMC I am aware of (as far as I know, the world's fastest AMC) is a stick and Kevin shifts that thing so fast you'd never know it was a stick. He goes by stick-shifter on our forum last I knew. (just shy of 200 mph in the quarter with his Gremlin last I knew)

Sorry to bring up this ancient quote, but 200 in a Gremlin? That sounds terrifying. 200 in a car designed to go that fast with a proper suspension is scary enough. Doing it in a short wheelbase turd like a Gremlin takes some balls.

Oh, and I only manually shift coming down a canyon or towing a trailer. Makes a huge difference with a heavy trailer as the transmission doesn't always know what to do.

 

[Uparms]

Tail of the Dragon, Deal's Gap, Tennessee, 318 curves, 11 miles, Auto on the way on and manual on the way out. Amazing transmission. 4.10 gears. Still use the manual today when I get agitated sitting next to cops at red lights.

This JT the 2nd Wrangler (2005 Unlimited, 3.73, 6 spd.) that I took on the Tail.

https://tailofthedragon.com/

 

[DocMike]

Same. On trails. Makes it super easy to stay in control and off brakes.

this is what I do also.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Sorry to bring up this ancient quote, but 200 in a Gremlin? That sounds terrifying. 200 in a car designed to go that fast with a proper suspension is scary enough. Doing it in a short wheelbase turd like a Gremlin takes some balls.

Oh, and I only manually shift coming down a canyon or towing a trailer. Makes a huge difference with a heavy trailer as the transmission doesn't always know what to do.

I used manual mode for the Pike's Peak trip - made control excellent. At the brake temp check point mine weren't hot at all, after they aimed their gun and said "you're fine" I went over and parked it to look around and nothing on the truck felt hot.


This is from 11 years ago - he's done some better with it since then.
https://www.dragzine.com/news/kevin-fontenot-bangin-gears-all-the-way-to-the-7s-in-his-amc-gremlin/

You are going straight line - you make up for things with alignment, caster, etc. and his suspension is likely custom, or even something like Control Freaks makes for AMCs.

Listen to him slam the gears here -

 

[salvino]

I use it all the time to decelerate, or to slow down hills. Glad we don't have paddles on the steering wheel, hate those!

Or worse yet, a rotating knob and no stick!

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