Automatic transmission with the manual option

[tbaker]

Does anybody use the manual shift option on the automatic transmission will it hurt anything to do this. I find that if a use the manual shift option on the transmission and run the gladiator in 7th gear it feels like it pulls hills better without shifting to 8th gear. I am running 35’s on factory wheels. I have the gladiator rubicon.

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[WXman]

No it won't hurt anything to use it. That's what it's there for. The software programming won't let it bog the engine down too low or overspeed the engine either.

The reason I don't use it is because whoever the dyslexic member of FCA's engineering staff is, that's who they assigned to program the steering wheel menu buttons and the transmission shifter. On both, you have to push up to go down, and push down to go up. It's completely un-intuitive and it drives me insane that they allowed that to make it to market.

Four Wheeler magazine agrees.

 

[Malarkey21]

@WXman its actually the more common way to do this and has been used in performance cars for years. It stems from racing sequential transmissions. Pull back to up shift is easier under acceleration and push forward to downshift is easier under braking. its the same direction as paddle shifters on the steering wheel, pull towards the wheel to up shift push away form the wheel to downshift.


Its an older video, most have moved to paddle shifters now.

 

[Renegade]

@WXman its actually the more common way to do this and has been used in performance cars for years. It stems from racing sequential transmissions. Pull back to up shift is easier under acceleration and push forward to downshift is easier under braking. its the same direction as paddle shifters on the steering wheel, pull towards the wheel to up shift push away form the wheel to downshift.


Its an older video, most have moved to paddle shifters now.

Most paddle shifters are pulled. One on the right (usually for up), and one on the left (usually for down). Volkswagen and Audi DSG is opposite of the Jeep method.

 

[Malarkey21]

Most paddle shifters are pulled. One on the right (usually for up), and one on the left (usually for down). Volkswagen and Audi DSG is opposite of the Jeep method.

You are right, sorry I was only thinking about WRC paddle shifters for some reason lol.

There is a road and track article where they asked OEM's why they chose the shifting directions like they did. Some said physics, some said logic, others say because race car.
https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-ca...-pull-when-downshifting-that-is-the-question/

My opinion is it makes sense to me to pull back to upshift. Its been burned into my head from driver sims, and watching race car drivers. And after all, who doesn't like to feel like they are driving race cars haha.

 

[ATLalien]

I use the manual shift sometimes to take advantage of engine braking, or if I just want to control the shifting myself. Works great.

"Backwards" or not is relative to what you're used to, but most cars with auto stick today use the same shift directions as the Jeep. For a while in the late 90s-early 00's I think German cars worked the other way around (that was backwards to me), but at least BMW is now the same direction of the Jeep as well. My 17 Charger Daytona was also the same.

 

[WXman]

@WXman its actually the more common way to do this and has been used in performance cars for years. It stems from racing sequential transmissions. Pull back to up shift is easier under acceleration and push forward to downshift is easier under braking. its the same direction as paddle shifters on the steering wheel, pull towards the wheel to up shift push away form the wheel to downshift.


Its an older video, most have moved to paddle shifters now.

That's always the argument used, but this isn't a race car. It's a mass produced and very slow pickup truck. It's purchased mostly by people who've never driven a race car in their life. It's 100% counterintuitive to make people push up to go down, and pull down to go up. Completely retarded. From what I gather, it's one of the most common complaints FCA is getting. When I saw it in the September issue of Four Wheeler I was like, "Yes! Somebody gets it!".

 

[ATLalien]

That's always the argument used, but this isn't a race car. It's a mass produced and very slow pickup truck. It's purchased mostly by people who've never driven a race car in their life. It's 100% counterintuitive to make people push up to go down, and pull down to go up. Completely retarded. From what I gather, it's one of the most common complaints FCA is getting. When I saw it in the September issue of Four Wheeler I was like, "Yes! Somebody gets it!".

Makes perfect sense to me. You're not really pulling "down" to go up, you're pulling the stick BACK to upshift. Just like in most manual transmissions where your first shift from 1-2nd is a backwards pull on the stick to shift up a gear. FCA is far from the only manufacturer that does it this way, these days almost everyone does.

 

[bgenlvtex]

Regardless of the degree of general acceptance or even prevalence, it is absolutely counter intuitive.

 

[Slapping_Rabbits]

I wish they'd go the other way. Have a manual transmission with the optional automatic 1st gear fer when yer stuck in traffic.

 

[primethios]

I never used it in my wrangler but have started using it in the gladiator. There are times when I don't feel it is shifting when I think it should when road driving and I think it has helped boost my mpg a bit. I miss having a manual so this helps keep me amused I guess. As far as damage I see no concerns as it was built for this purpose and it won't allow you to overwork it in the wrong gear. As far as counter intuitive it is better than the wrangler model I had that the autostick was bumped left and right instead of up and down. But then again we drive a vehicle that puts the radio controls on the back of the steering wheel opposite of what the radio is (volume on right side of steering wheel has driven me crazy for years since my right hand is inches away from the volume control but I tend to drive with my left hand). As far as shifting reversed there is a 50/50 split in people as to what they think the direction should be, as someone who rides a motorcycle if I incorporate the movement of my foot to my hand pushing forward would be the shame as pushing to downshift and pulling up to upshift but for many people that is confusing. Up and down reversed for the onscreen display is stupidly confusing to me.

 

[Rocksalt]

I used it in my 2016 JKU on occasion an I use it on my JT on occasion. Nice to choose the shift points at times.
Is it a manual? No. But it need not be.

 

[DropW]

The question comes down to.... Do you set your game controller to inverted or normal for games ?

 

[B345T]

Don't play games, no time for that...my millenial adult children probably play but that may just be generational.

 

[mazeppa]

In my JL I thought of the manual shifting pattern like shifting a motorcycle. This is the way all motor cycles shift from mid 70s and on, down lower number gears and up higher number gears, seems natural to me because of my motorcycle riding experience.


Don't read this next section, just an old man rambling on.

Before the standardization of motorcycle controls depending on the manufacture and model the rear brake and shifter could have either been on the right of left side and shifting patterns also were not consistent, this was a mental challenge when you switch to a different type of motorcycle that you were accustom to riding. Just think when you switch between different vehicles to drive if the throttle, clutch, and or brake were arranged differently and a situation results that requires fast reflexes, it would be Allstate Mayhem time.

Isn't that D gear selection just wonderful.

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