6 Speed Manual Regrets?

[rdboyd]

LOL! I'm glad I'm not the only person who feels this way about my new 6spd JTR. I legitimately turn the music down at lights so I can hear the thing. It's too quiet and I have no idea if I'm about to take off or stall it. I either turn the music down, or stare at the tach to make sure I don't look like a moron while holding up traffic due to a stalled take-off. I can't even 'feel' it through the clutch pedal. Prior to buying the thing, I had no intentions of putting an aftermarket exhaust on it, but now I'm heavily considering it just so I can hear what the engine is doing. It'll only get worse from here as I have eventual plans to put in sound assassin/Armorlite flooring and HotHeadz Headliners.

I also found the super quiet engine a challenge with the manual transmission. I thought about an aftermarket exhaust, but was afraid it would be obnoxiously loud, and it is difficult to judge the sound levels watching on line videos. I instead installed a Holley/Intech cold air intake. This allows enough engine noise to be able to hear what is going on under the hood, but not enough to be irritating.

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[Munkey Boy]

I regeared from 3.73 to 4.56. I am only on 33s, and kind of wish I went to 4.88. I’d like to get up to a 34-35 and a steel bumper, but I might end up being back to to not being able to hold speed uphill.

but I live in a mountainous area, so ymmv.

Went to 35s with the stock 3.73. I was worried about holding speed too as I also live and daily drive in the mountains. Had to retard my shift points from around 2500 to 3500/4200 rpm and found that the engine and manual are paired perfectly in that range. The VVT feels like it kicks in around 3000/3200 and it has zero issues taking on the hills here. I doubt your 4.56 will feel any change going bigger on the tires. The real key is that the 3.6L has a massive power range and loves to run like a four banger. The manual really lets you explore the gamut of shift points. Also added a steel stubby bumper yesterday with a cabled winch to throw an extra 150 pounds or so on the front, brought down the ride height a strong half inch. I'll adapt my shift points to accommodate but doubt that there'll be any noticeable variance in the climbing speed.

It also helps that I drive nekkid so hearing the engine is helping me get used to this delightful machine's preferences as to where it likes to run. Had the doors and top on for the first week then took them off and have been cruising in the open for the past three months. Really helps figuring out reverse, just too tall IMO.

 

[Oldmon]

I also found the super quiet engine a challenge with the manual transmission. I thought about an aftermarket exhaust, but was afraid it would be obnoxiously loud, and it is difficult to judge the sound levels watching on line videos. I instead installed a Holley/Intech cold air intake. This allows enough engine noise to be able to hear what is going on under the hood, but not enough to be irritating.

I am in the exact same boat. I want a little more engine noise just for feedback, but nothing obnoxious or loud. I've been looking at exhaust and I don't feel confident I'm going to be happy with the sound. Do you have a link to what you bought? I couldn't find it on their site.

 

[Jt-wrx]

Take off the silly engine cover to free up a little more engine noise. I run stock air intake, no engine cover(only because I hate engine covers...what’s the hood for?) and magnaflow street side exit exhaust but would admit that exhaust will be a bit too racy for many, I love it, sounds like a Nissan or infinity coupe with exhaust. I like the idea of intake to allow more sound also, I may have to look at that as well.

 

[DanW]

LOL! I'm glad I'm not the only person who feels this way about my new 6spd JTR. I legitimately turn the music down at lights so I can hear the thing. It's too quiet and I have no idea if I'm about to take off or stall it. I either turn the music down, or stare at the tach to make sure I don't look like a moron while holding up traffic due to a stalled take-off. I can't even 'feel' it through the clutch pedal. Prior to buying the thing, I had no intentions of putting an aftermarket exhaust on it, but now I'm heavily considering it just so I can hear what the engine is doing. It'll only get worse from here as I have eventual plans to put in sound assassin/Armorlite flooring and HotHeadz Headliners.

I've got a Magnaflow axle-back and it is absolute music to my ears! This engine sounds GREAT with it, but it isn't obnoxious. And it sounds good all the way through the powerband. I would bet it would give you just the sound you are looking for but not so much as to drone or bother you on the highway.

Of course mine is a JL, but Magnaflow has a great rep and I'm sure the sound they'd get on the JT would be close, if not exactly the same.

 

[Mojave Gladiator]

No Regerts !

 

[be77solo]

I regeared from 3.73 to 4.56. I am only on 33s, and kind of wish I went to 4.88. I’d like to get up to a 34-35 and a steel bumper, but I might end up being back to to not being able to hold speed uphill.

but I live in a mountainous area, so ymmv.

This is good info, thanks. I'm thinking 4.88's as well, just seems like a good match with the manual 6 speed.

Do want to confirm, you do have the manual right? I'll be running it with 32-33's for a while as well.

 

[seven30]

I also found the super quiet engine a challenge with the manual transmission. I thought about an aftermarket exhaust, but was afraid it would be obnoxiously loud, and it is difficult to judge the sound levels watching on line videos. I instead installed a Holley/Intech cold air intake. This allows enough engine noise to be able to hear what is going on under the hood, but not enough to be irritating.

I found mine getting slightly louder with 7k miles. But when new the quiet engine and fluffy clutch was a challenge. Now its near bliss with NO changes.

 

[DanW]

I regeared from 3.73 to 4.56. I am only on 33s, and kind of wish I went to 4.88. I’d like to get up to a 34-35 and a steel bumper, but I might end up being back to to not being able to hold speed uphill.

but I live in a mountainous area, so ymmv.

How is 1st gear with those 33's and 4.56 gears?

 

[rdboyd]

I am in the exact same boat. I want a little more engine noise just for feedback, but nothing obnoxious or loud. I've been looking at exhaust and I don't feel confident I'm going to be happy with the sound. Do you have a link to what you bought? I couldn't find it on their site.

I got this from Quadratec:

Holley 223-16 Intech Cold Air Intake for 18-20 Jeep Wrangler JL & Gladiator JT with 3.6L | Quadratec

It was the only CAI I found that used the bolts from the original to mount to the front. All the others seem to just be supported at the ends by the throttle body and filter.

 

[Puttyandnapalm]

This is good info, thanks. I'm thinking 4.88's as well, just seems like a good match with the manual 6 speed.

Do want to confirm, you do have the manual right? I'll be running it with 32-33's for a while as well.

yes to the manual. Right now it feels like this is how it should have come from the factory with my rubicon takeoff rims/tires (32.7 I think). I’m hesitant to go with a much bigger tire since then I’d feel the need to regear again lol.

If your goal is a 35”, id say go 4.88, 37 the 5.13. But if you’re in a mostly flatland area, you might have different results.

but I should point out, as much as I love my manual transmission (I custom ordered it exactly how I wanted it), when I’m on the highway with the cruise set, I don’t want to have to change gears to climb a hill. So my goal in regearing was to mitigate that, which it has helped tremendously.

 

[Puttyandnapalm]

How is 1st gear with those 33's and 4.56 gears?

not bad, little bit More “oomph”going through the drive through.
as I said above,with 33’s, I feel like this is how it should have come from the factory. I saved 2k by not getting an automatic, only to spend 2k to regear

but if I could do it over, I would have went 4.88.

 

[be77solo]

yes to the manual. Right now it feels like this is how it should have come from the factory with my rubicon takeoff rims/tires (32.7 I think). I’m hesitant to go with a much bigger tire since then I’d feel the need to regear again lol.

If your goal is a 35”, id say go 4.88, 37 the 5.13. But if you’re in a mostly flatland area, you might have different results.

but I should point out, as much as I love my manual transmission (I custom ordered it exactly how I wanted it), when I’m on the highway with the cruise set, I don’t want to have to change gears to climb a hill. So my goal in regearing was to mitigate that, which it has helped tremendously.

Great info, thanks! I'm a big fan of gearing, and have always gone a bit more just to be sure in the past.... a little extra RPM's on the highway doesn't bother me for a much better all around driving experience.

I'll be going 4.88's for sure now. As it stands now with my 3.73's and 32" Willys mud terrains, I'm almost always in 3rd or 4th gear on our 485 loop at 85MPH just to keep the engine in a decent powerband. So plenty of head room for the regear and realistically use 5th, and maybe even 6th occasionally ha.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Knightindullarmor]

For a weekend "fun" vehicle, manual transmission is great. But for those of us 40+ y/o, especially those who have already had surgery on their left knee, automatic transmission is a must for a daily driver.

 

[SelfmodJT]

Yours is a 6 speed? mine is a 4speed ??? idc as long as it gets me from point A to point B and lasts 500k miles lol.

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