6 Speed Manual Regrets?

[seven30]

Thanks. Glad this stuff is useful.

Very good video. Answers a ton of questions. Wondering if you notice any tradeoffs with the heavier flywheel like slower shifting or highway acceleration.

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[Bbannongmu]

Very good video. Answers a ton of questions. Wondering if you notice any tradeoffs with the heavier flywheel like slower shifting or highway acceleration.

No noticed trade offs to the heavier flywheel. It feels faster and takes off easier. I didn’t do a 0-60 on the new 5.13 gears with the stock clutch so I can’t really do that test. My stock gears and clutch with 37” tires and 500lbs of rock rails, bumpers, winch and gear was 0-60 in about 10.8 seconds, so not fast by any measure. I’ll have to do one now but it feels faster with gears and clutch - but I can’t prove which ( pretty sure gears have more impact). I’m guessing there is a small gas mileage penalty but so far I haven’t really noticed. The mileage is about the same as before (15-17mpg). The pedal effort is really the only drawback but it’s not too bad. I’ve driven in bumper to bumper and the ability of the flywheel to lug, more than offset the heavier clutch pedal effort. Thanks

 

[Chocolyle]

Thanks for the review of the CFC. I love my manual but hate the clutch! I think I will be adding this before a lift for the JTR.

Turning off the hill assist helped prevent the random take-off stalling but still not 100%. I always thought the issue was too light of a flywheel, engages like some older Porches, just not right for the truck.

 

[Bbannongmu]

Thanks for the review of the CFC. I love my manual but hate the clutch! I think I will be adding this before a lift for the JTR.

Turning off the hill assist helped prevent the random take-off stalling but still not 100%. I always thought the issue was too light of a flywheel, engages like some older Porches, just not right for the truck.

I leave traction control (I used the Tazer to keep it off) and hill start assist off and it seems more responsive but the heavier flywheel and grumpier (edit - grippier) clutch is sooo much better.

 

[seven30]

I leave traction control (I used the Tazer to keep it off) and hill start assist off and it seems more responsive but the heavier flywheel and grumpier (edit - grippier) clutch is sooo much better.

It occurs to me the clutch disk rotational inertia may be less than the twin disk stock setup which makes it easier on synchros. Wonder if Centerforce could supply lower pressure cover. These little V6s don't develop much torque.

 

[KX L]

I've had my Willys Sport 6MT 3.73 for 2 months. Yes, I absolutely was regretting the 6MT because of the gutless, no fun/boring & frustrating driving experience of this 6MT. I wanted to like it so bad. However, I kind of liked the 6MT on forest roads/mud. I've owned 8 MT cars/trucks before. I was ready to trade my Gladiator after 2 weeks because of the sluggish accelerator and in general non-inspiring motor. Pedal Commander has changed all of that! It is so much more fun and actually feels quick. I'm very excited to have found the Pedal Commander from this forum. I am grateful for my newly found excitement for my Jeep Gladiator...it's a keeper now.

Thanks much for this post---caused me to buy the pedal commander right away. Do you recommend hooking it before vehicle break in?

 

[seven30]

pics of old clutch. I'll do a quick video soon (soon as I find some time - traveling this weekend) on my Youtube to describe it. Definitely looks like twin discs (I didn't tear into it but there is another disc / friction surface inside the piece connected to the flywheel). and small/lightweight compared to the Centerforce single disc and beefy flywheel I put in.

Is that dual disk also dual mass ? The back side of the flywheel sure looks funny. And the clutch "basket" seems to be separate from the flywheel.

 

[Bbannongmu]

Is that dual disk also dual mass ? The back side of the flywheel sure looks funny. And the clutch "basket" seems to be separate from the flywheel.

Seems to be dual mass based on my limited understanding. The entire assembly weighs less than the Centerforce single mass flywheel by itself.

 

[seven30]

Seems to be dual mass based on my limited understanding. The entire assembly weighs less than the Centerforce single mass flywheel by itself.

Interesting. My assumption is that the dual mass is mainly for the autostart system and is a negative otherwise.

 

[Bbannongmu]

Interesting. My assumption is that the dual mass is mainly for the autostart system and is a negative otherwise.

Sound right. The Centerforce single mass /single clutch system seems so much better, more positive and stronger. I can basically ease off the clutch and it will just go with minimal gas - even with a ~2700lb trailer attached. Before you really had to get in the gas to get going and engagement was vague. I have start/stop turned off via Tazer. Seems like a lot of wear and tear fit very little girl savings.

 

[Mr.volleyball13]

Everyone still enjoying their manuals? On the fence and trying to decide. Always had a manual in all of my jeeps and don't want to get away from it, however, read many mixed thoughts about the 6-speed. I test drove both a manual and automatic this weekend to add to the mix. Found the automatic pretty smooth. The manual was pretty sluggish and the gearing off. 3rd felt way too sluggish to recover out of a corner. Im I wrong and this transmission is just playing with my head? Worried after putting a lift and some bigger tires on my purchase, might be too sluggish to manage. Drove an automatic with 37's and it was manageable.

 

[AustinL911]

37's without regearing is probably going to suck. Regear to 5.13s and it'll probably be a blast.

I still love my 6sp. Could it be better? Absolutely. My biggest gripe is the gutless engine they paired it with. If the thing had some torque, it would be a lot more usable. That said, I'd absolutely do it again. Smiles per Miles is still pretty far up there. It's the most fun vehicle I've ever driven.

 

[NortonJTSS]

My ONLY MT regret is that it wouldn't pair to the ecodiesel. I had a Ram 1500 ecodiesel that I loved (140,000+ miles) and SO wanted a diesel Gladiator but I also wanted a MT and didn't want to wait a year for it. If I didn't already have about $8K in my build, I MIGHT want the diesel over the MT, but if your heart has zero desire for a diesel, zero regrets over the MT. I will say that shifting for hills on the highway can get annoying. The truck just isn't geared to hold 70+ mph in 6th gear up much of an incline and I bet the auto is a bit more relaxing to drive on the highway. But I just don't think there is any other pure driving experience than with a clutch and gear shift.

I definitely agree about the hills on the highway but I find that she holds her own much better in cruise control at highway speeds

 

[MoparDave]

37's on my 2020 6 speed Gladiator Rubicon, 27,000 miles with zero regrets.

 

[seven30]

Everyone still enjoying their manuals? On the fence and trying to decide. Always had a manual in all of mu jeeps and don't want to get away from it, however, read many mixed thoughts about the 6-speed. I test drove both a manual and automatic this weekend yo add to the mix. Found the automatic pretty smooth. The manual was pretty sluggish and the gearing off. 3rd felt way too sluggish to recover out of a corner. Im I wrong and this transmission is just playing with my head? Worried after putting a lift and some bigger tires on my purchase, might be too sluggish to manage. Drove an automatic with 37's and it was manageable.

3.73 with 6sp is a no-no. A 4.10 axle is minimum requirement for 6sp and only Rubi/Mojave offer it. (MaxTow is auto only).

Test one of those to get a realistic idea of what the manual is like.
Instead of a Rubi/Mojave its cheaper to just swap diffs for 4.88 or even 5.13 and you could
add a locker while your at it.

4.88 in 6th is like a 4.10 in 5th so the eco hit is not too bad plus gear spacing with 4.88 is way better than 3.73.

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