2,500 mile manual transmission report

[Onebigyoshi]

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.

Glad to hear this report. I have a little over 1k miles and I'm starting to realize I'm still breaking in the tranny and clutch. At the same time I'm finally learning how my JT likes to shift and drive. When I get it right, it drives really smooth and I absolutely love driving this manual.

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[Gatorized]

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.

Sorry to hear that. I've been lucky to find them at several dealers near me and tested both a sport s and overland. The first drive took me by surprise due to how soft the pedal was. It felt like the return spring was so weak that the pedal wasn't going to come off the floor!! but on the second drive I was already getting used to it. That's why you need to drive one a couple times before you totally make up your mind.

 

[RavensEyeOffroad]

Sorry to hear that. I've been lucky to find them at several dealers near me and tested both a sport s and overland. The first drive took me by surprise due to how soft the pedal was. It felt like the return spring was so weak that the pedal wasn't going to come off the floor!! but on the second drive I was already getting used to it. That's why you need to drive one a couple times before you totally make up your mind.

I'll be honest I haven't driven a manual since maybe 2005ish. Every time I went to get a vehicle "let's get an automatic." :/
I'm going to keep my eyes peeled maybe I'll get lucky and one will show up locally.

 

[Bruticus]

My wife's Jeep is a manual JK, and I have a manual JT. They're different... but the JT is unquestionably better. Yes, it takes getting used to, but any manual does. But the shifting in the JT is simply shorter, smoother, and faster. The clutch take-up is lighter, too. It's different, but better.

 

[Chadnutz]

I agree about the clutch being binary. I've stalled this thing more times than any of my four other MT vehicles combined maybe. It took a while to get used to and reverse with a trailer is miserable. I put it in 4L to back a trailer.

Torque sucks below 2k rpm which is pretty much where this thing lives. My BMW (sold) and my F-350 never lose 1 mph on a hill. This thing can lose 4-5 mph. I just have to accept it.

Still would not trade it for an AT.

I pretty much don't compression brake anymore because 3-6 are so tall it does nothing. I guess I could try dropping down to 2, but I've been babying it to see what's the best fuel economy I can get. So far it's around 18. 70 mph max, basically the speed limit everywhere.

 

[RavensEyeOffroad]

See, I guess that's my issues.
Downshifting, making the best use of the gear spread, pop the clutch start if starter is dead, all seem to be gone on this transmission. People having to use 4lo to backup a trailer seems common. From what I can tell, It seems fun enough under normal driving conditions but anything outside that it starts to not be as enjoyable.

 

[Chadnutz]

What do you mean roll starting is gone?

To be fair, I think reverse is too high in ALL transmissions for backing a trailer. I use 4L in my F-350 because a lot of my backing requires some finess. (i.e. get through a door without taking out the building, back up to a closed door without going through it, etc.) 4L takes all the stress out of it and makes it more like those inferior ATs.

 

[Will_H]

Glad to hear this report. I have a little over 1k miles and I'm starting to realize I'm still breaking in the tranny and clutch. At the same time I'm finally learning how my JT likes to shift and drive. When I get it right, it drives really smooth and I absolutely love driving this manual.

Is break-in period for a new manual a thing? I’ve been saying and thinking my MT glad feels too *new* and needs to be loosened up, but have been told something along the lines of “modern vehicles don’t have break in periods....”
Despite that, I feel like mine is getting easier and better every day

 

[Gatorized]

Is break-in period for a new manual a thing? I’ve been saying and thinking my MT glad feels too *new* and needs to be loosened up, but have been told something along the lines of “modern vehicles don’t have break in periods....”
Despite that, I feel like mine is getting easier and better every day

I think the break in is for the operator... if you are currently driving a clutch you will take some time to get used to this one. If you haven't driven a clutch in a while it will take some getting used to!

 

[wannajeep]

Probably the same guy who thought a knob on the dash would make a good automatic transmission "shifter" in the Ram trucks.

Amen. If they're not offering a manual, could they at least give you a conventional column mounted shifter?? I won't miss the hockey puck.

 

[LongTimeListener]

See, I guess that's my issues.
Downshifting, making the best use of the gear spread, pop the clutch start if starter is dead, all seem to be gone on this transmission. People having to use 4lo to backup a trailer seems common. From what I can tell, It seems fun enough under normal driving conditions but anything outside that it starts to not be as enjoyable.

It’s pretty clear you’re getting an auto. I hope you enjoy it.

 

[AKDrifter]

Yes I kind of gave up trying to have smooth starts and just started giving more gas. Makes me seem like a dick I'm sure zooming off at every light but I won't stall in traffic at least. I do prefer my wife's JK 6 speed to this one. I like the shifter feel of the JT better but definitely not the clutch or the gearing. I've never had problems with the JK clutch like I've had with the JT. I think the JK OD is too tall so I was disappointed with an even taller OD 6th in the JT. But I couldn't be happier with the pickup and the transmission combination. I wouldn't trade it for an automatic that's for sure.

 

[MotoBrad]

I picked up my JTR manual just 3 days ago, and I'm less than 100 miles deep so far, but I am very pleased with the transmission. I never got a chance to test drive a JL or JT manual, so I really had no idea what to expect other than "truck like". My summer car is an E39 M5, and the winter car I traded in for this Jeep was a Subaru STi, so I sort of come from the performance car world. To me, it feels fairly slow, but I knew that going in, and is honestly exactly what I was looking for to keep me out of speeding tickets. I find the clutch to feel predictable and responsive, and the throws are not nearly as "Trucky" as I was expecting. But the fun factor sure is there, not just 6 gears, but 12 to play with! It's very satisfying. But it is screaming to me for a regear, I think this rev happy engine would excell with 5.38 or something. Especially when I go to bigger tires. In these parts, we have more hills than highways.

 

[Onebigyoshi]

Is break-in period for a new manual a thing? I’ve been saying and thinking my MT glad feels too *new* and needs to be loosened up, but have been told something along the lines of “modern vehicles don’t have break in periods....”
Despite that, I feel like mine is getting easier and better every day

My expertise is definitely not in the mechanical area, but I somewhat agree with others saying "user operator" break in period. I feel like I had to adjust the way I drive my JT because it is different than driving any other vehicle in my experience (I used to drive manual cars). In my other cars, I used to completely let off the gas and let my rpms drop a tiny bit before shifting up to next gear (I do this to avoid violent head jerking movements). However, it appears my JT does not like this at all. My JT likes to be shifted without dropping the rpm. So in order to do this, I give it a little gas after pressing in the clutch and then shift up. Timing is impeccable if you want a smooth ride in the JT. With that being said, I love the way it drives and I'm having the most fun driving my JT than any other manual cars I owned. Absolutely no regrets.

 

[RavensEyeOffroad]

It’s pretty clear you’re getting an auto. I hope you enjoy it.

Eh maybe, maybe not. I'd be happy with either honestly.

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