2,500 mile manual transmission report

[LongTimeListener]

My Gladiator now has ~2,500 miles on it, including two road trips and one overlanding trip, and I feel like I've finally gotten a handle on the manual transmission. I had a 3.6 MT JK before this, and boy are they different animals. The JK shifted like a truck, and the shifter vibrated like a truck shifter.

The JT's manual is a unique animal. It has taken some getting used to, but I'm really starting to like it. The lack of any appreciable vibration is a real change. It simply feels nothing like my JK's shifter.

The short, firm throws between gears are also a major change. At first, it felt notchy. Now, it feels terrific. The shifts are very positive and direct, but they've also smoothed out from when the JT was new. The shifter is a major improvement all around vs the JK.

My view of the clutch is less glowing, but I never loved my JK's clutch either. Like the JK, the engagement point on the JT's clutch seems to hit all at once. It's very binary, which means there's a narrow window for smooth take-offs from a stop. I find it more often than not, but occasionally I do miss, leading to less-than-smooth take-offs. Once moving, the clutch and shifter work very well together. Smoothly downshifting for hills is easy. You can't quite heel-and-toe, but rev-matching is straightforward.

tl;dr: The shifter took a while to smooth out its notchiness, but now feels terrific. The clutch is good everywhere except take-offs from a standing start, where some finesse is still required.

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[Empty Pockets]

Interesting comments. I’ve had my MT for 2 weeks and have racked up 1700+ miles. I’ve driven MT pickups and Jeeps for most of the 45 years that I’ve been driving. My last truck was a ‘14 Chevy with AT. I didn’t care for it from the very beginning. SO glad to be back to the manual. I think that the JT with manual is phenomenal. Shifts smooth with a predictable clutch engagement. I give it an A.

 

[Elwenil]

The difference in the JK shifter and the JT is the JK shifter was actually attached to the transmission and the JT uses shifter cables to actuate the transmission. Why on Earth they made that decision, I can only imagine. Probably the same guy who thought a knob on the dash would make a good automatic transmission "shifter" in the Ram trucks.

 

[Dr Kel]

My Gladiator now has ~2,500 miles on it, including two road trips and one overlanding trip, and I feel like I've finally gotten a handle on the manual transmission. I had a 3.6 MT JK before this, and boy are they different animals. The JK shifted like a truck, and the shifter vibrated like a truck shifter.

The JT's manual is a unique animal. It has taken some getting used to, but I'm really starting to like it. The lack of any appreciable vibration is a real change. It simply feels nothing like my JK's shifter.

The short, firm throws between gears are also a major change. At first, it felt notchy. Now, it feels terrific. The shifts are very positive and direct, but they've also smoothed out from when the JT was new. The shifter is a major improvement all around vs the JK.

My view of the clutch is less glowing, but I never loved my JK's clutch either. Like the JK, the engagement point on the JT's clutch seems to hit all at once. It's very binary, which means there's a narrow window for smooth take-offs from a stop. I find it more often than not, but occasionally I do miss, leading to less-than-smooth take-offs. Once moving, the clutch and shifter work very well together. Smoothly downshifting for hills is easy. You can't quite heel-and-toe, but rev-matching is straightforward.

tl;dr: The shifter took a while to smooth out its notchiness, but now feels terrific. The clutch is good everywhere except take-offs from a standing start, where some finesse is still required.

I feel the same about the clutch at start. Nine times out of ten, I go off smoothly, but every now and then I am jerky-jerky or just flat stall it. Annoys me. Now, that thing has killed my son's confidence totally, and I cannot get him to drive it again.

He won't drive the Porsche because he's afraid to screw it up. And now, he won't drive the Gladiator because he's unsure of himself.

 

[RavensEyeOffroad]

I've been very back and forth about manual vs auto. I like reading posts like this and getting a refreshing take after some time. All in all it seems the manual is better in person than it is on paper but there are enough small quirks that I think I'll probably just go automatic which is something I've never said in my entire life.

 

[Mr._Bill]

I've been very back and forth about manual vs auto. I like reading posts like this and getting a refreshing take after some time. All in all it seems the manual is better in person than it is on paper but there are enough small quirks that I think I'll probably just go automatic which is something I've never said in my entire life.

I learned Auto and MT as a teenager, and drove a MT every day as part of my job. My first two trucks were MT, but I've always preferred Auto. After two left knee surgeries, I had to give up on driving a MT on any regular basis. I drove an Allison Auto for about 14 years, and it was a great transmission. After driving the Auto in the Gladiator, I would never go back to a MT by choice.

 

[jurfie]

I had a YJ that had a similar "on-off" clutch engagement point. Took some getting used to plus it was a long push of the clutch pedal before it would engage. Learned to drive stick on that thing!

He won't drive the Porsche because he's afraid to screw it up. And now, he won't drive the Gladiator because he's unsure of himself.

Not sure why you have a frowny emoji at the end of that sentence!

 

[RavensEyeOffroad]

I learned Auto and MT as a teenager, and drove a MT every day as part of my job. My first two trucks were MT, but I've always preferred Auto. After two left knee surgeries, I had to give up on driving a MT on any regular basis. I drove an Allison Auto for about 14 years, and it was a great transmission. After driving the Auto in the Gladiator, I would never go back to a MT by choice.

I really feel like things are getting too automated and a manual transmission was just a way of pushing back against that, at least for me. My wife wants to be able to drive it but she has "curbed" her traverse 2 times in 3 weeks lol I told her the glad is alot longer. "I'll probably never drive it then..." I'm not really close to buying one just yet. Maybe if I'm lucky around my birthday in May we can. Like I said for me it's just a jab back against the automation onslaught. I go back and forth every day lol

 

[Dr Kel]

Not sure why you have a frowny emoji at the end of that sentence!

I like being able to let him drive on long trips or when I’m tired. Besides, once I sell the Allroad, the 944 and Gladiator will be the only options left. ... Now, I need to get my daughter to learn!

 

[jurfie]

I like being able to let him drive on long trips or when I’m tired. Besides, once I sell the Allroad, the 944 and Gladiator will be the only options left. ... Now, I need to get my daughter to learn!

I hear ya. When I bought my A5, I stupidly went with the auto; my reasoning was that then my wife could drive it if needed (she DDs our JKR with the auto). To this day, she's never driven the Audi (it's a 2016). I should've just gone with the manual that I wanted!

Won't be making that mistake again when I trade it in for a JT.*


*Though I reserve the right to change my lazy old man mind and get the 8-speed auto.

 

[Mightytalldude]

Almost at 2000 miles on mine. Spot on for your assessment. Only thing I really have to think about when driving it, is revving it when starting out in reverse, otherwise it does a really strange vibration stutter and I'll kill it. It likes to be driven like a sports car (once past 1st gear) and the shifts are smooth.

 

[Gatorized]

I really feel like things are getting too automated and a manual transmission was just a way of pushing back against that, at least for me. My wife wants to be able to drive it but she has "curbed" her traverse 2 times in 3 weeks lol I told her the glad is alot longer. "I'll probably never drive it then..." I'm not really close to buying one just yet. Maybe if I'm lucky around my birthday in May we can. Like I said for me it's just a jab back against the automation onslaught. I go back and forth every day lol

Have you been to a dealer for a test drive? I was not impressed with the 1st drive but found the clutch much more acceptable with the 2nd. Reminded me how totally different the clutch feel was between my 06 CRV and my 14 Mazda 3. The 3 was so light I could hardly drive the CRV after a week of the 3. But now I can swap back and forth between them both and can't figure out why I thought they were so different. You need to get in a couple test drives and stop over thinking it.

 

[DenverGladiator]

My MT has 4400 miles on it. Generally love it, but about 2400 miles the clutch started vibrating. Dealer said it’s normal and drives like every other JT. Not satisfied ... going to get it in to my usual mechanic and see what he finds while it is under warranty.

 

[Ichthus]

At the end of my first day, and about 180 miles of driving, and I agree with your assessment overall. Not a bit of regret getting the manual.

 

[RavensEyeOffroad]

Have you been to a dealer for a test drive? I was not impressed with the 1st drive but found the clutch much more acceptable with the 2nd. Reminded me how totally different the clutch feel was between my 06 CRV and my 14 Mazda 3. The 3 was so light I could hardly drive the CRV after a week of the 3. But now I can swap back and forth between them both and can't figure out why I thought they were so different. You need to get in a couple test drives and stop over thinking it.

Nobody has a manual nearby. Most are like 2-3 hours away. Ive got time so I'll just have to keep my eyes open.

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