Any reason to avoid Manual Transmission?

[jimbom]

All above are relevant, but the only thing that really matters to you is why did you buy it?

Smiles per miles or resale?

If you are solely focus on how much fun you will have driving it and a manual is your thing, then go for it and realize you won’t get as much later on a trade in and may need to find that one buyer in a shrinking group who is looking for a manual.

For me, I enjoy a manual in my old Corvette, but not in my modern vehicles that are usually built around the advantages of an automatic, not a manual if you can even find one.

Absolutely true. I realized a long time ago that, considering how much a new car depreciates by simply driving it off the lot, it is paramount that I buy what pleases me, not the next owner. I really struggled when I bought my Ram, but my hands were tied and I had to to take the bad* (automatic) with the good (well equipped 4X4 truck.) I subsequently also realized that such a big truck didn't really suit me.

I am hoping that my forthcoming Gladiator cures all.

*bad -- for me. Obviously good for most others.

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[hjdca]

Depends on what kind of off-road use. I think stick shift is better in the sand and snow because you can put it in second gear and go down to 800 rpm and accelerate without down shifting to first. There are many times where you do not want to downshift when you are in the low rpms and would rather stay in the higher gear to avoid spinning the tires.

I also just got done with a 4 day trip to Oceano Dunes. For 4 days straight, with the clutch out, I was doing donuts and slides in 1st gear 4WH with 14 psi in the tires. Spinning the tires like crazy for 4 days. You can do this for a month straight and not heat up anything on the truck. If you do this with the automatic, you will start to smell tranny fluid as you are overworking the torque converter. So, for real tire spinning and sliding, over and over again, you cannot beat the longevity of the manual.

 

[elarse1]

if you look at this gearing its basically the same as the NSG370 in the JK, same as in the TJ/LJ '04-'06, which I often find I just skip gears, 3rd and 4th are so close, or especially 5th (1.0-1) because 4th is 1.15-1 and that is too close most times unless you're down shifting to get up a mountain, and I always want a 7th due to the 6th being only .85-1, so I think I'm gonna really like 2 overdrives.

I've had the manual for a little over 2000 miles and haven't had a problem. It shifts very smoothly (compared to my old Tacoma and RX-8). Of course, it's going to be different than a car transmission. It is a little curious in that I have to stay in a lower gear longer (gotta stay in 2nd around 25 mph) or it'll stutter a little. I haven't had much use for 6th except when I'm in a flat section at 70+ mph and I know there aren't many hills coming up (which is a rarity in Pittsburgh).

 

[88mmm]

I've had the manual for a little over 2000 miles and haven't had a problem. It shifts very smoothly (compared to my old Tacoma and RX-8). Of course, it's going to be different than a car transmission. It is a little curious in that I have to stay in a lower gear longer (gotta stay in 2nd around 25 mph) or it'll stutter a little. I haven't had much use for 6th except when I'm in a flat section at 70+ mph and I know there aren't many hills coming up (which is a rarity in Pittsburgh).

The gearing in the JK vs JT is totally different. While the JTs transmission and linkage is clearly better the JK had better gear ratios which would've been nice on the JT. FCA was clearly going for MPG with the JT wide gearing and two overdrives. This would be ok with a torque rich engine which the 3.6 is not. The combination just does not work as it should and the results are lackluster.

JK vs JL/JT
1st – 5.13 4.46
2nd – 2.63 2.61
3rd – 1.54 1.72
4th – 1.00 1.25
5th – 0.81 1.00
6th – 0.72 0.80
Rev – 4.49 4.06

 

[MrKnowitall]

JK vs JL/JT
1st – 5.13 4.46
2nd – 2.63 2.61
3rd – 1.54 1.72
4th – 1.00 1.25
5th – 0.81 1.00
6th – 0.72 0.80
Rev – 4.49 4.06

Comparing to our JKR, the MT gladiator could have 4.56 gears. That would leave enough gearing to pull 35s along in 6th gear.
609 rev/mi X 4.56 gear X 0.72 =2000rpm (at 60mph); 2000rpm X 80mph / 60mph = 2665

 

[hjdca]

The gearing in the JK vs JT is totally different. While the JTs transmission and linkage is clearly better the JK had better gear ratios which would've been nice on the JT. FCA was clearly going for MPG with the JT wide gearing and two overdrives. This would be ok with a torque rich engine which the 3.6 is not. The combination just does not work as it should and the results are lackluster.

JK vs JL/JT
1st – 5.13 4.46
2nd – 2.63 2.61
3rd – 1.54 1.72
4th – 1.00 1.25
5th – 0.81 1.00
6th – 0.72 0.80
Rev – 4.49 4.06

The titles above are flipped. JL/JT is the first column. 1st gear, 5.13, is pretty nice in the dunes. This is a nice gear. I was able to run all the dunes at Oceano in 1st gear 4WH the whole time -- off road plus, traction and stability control off, 14 psi.. Although the spread between 1st and second is high, I could still shift to second and not bog out in the dunes on an incline. Note: I am still running the stock MTs and I have the Rubicon.

 

[jimbom]

The gearing in the JK vs JT is totally different. While the JTs transmission and linkage is clearly better the JK had better gear ratios which would've been nice on the JT. FCA was clearly going for MPG with the JT wide gearing and two overdrives. This would be ok with a torque rich engine which the 3.6 is not. The combination just does not work as it should and the results are lackluster.

JK vs JL/JT
1st – 5.13 4.46
2nd – 2.63 2.61
3rd – 1.54 1.72
4th – 1.00 1.25
5th – 0.81 1.00
6th – 0.72 0.80
Rev – 4.49 4.06

The titles above are flipped. JL/JT is the first column. 1st gear, 5.13, is pretty nice in the dunes. This is a nice gear. I was able to run all the dunes at Oceano in 1st gear 4WH the whole time -- off road plus, traction and stability control off, 14 psi.. Although the spread between 1st and second is high, I could still shift to second and not bog out in the dunes on an incline. Note: I am still running the stock MTs.

Thanks for clarifying, I was scratching my head trying to understand why he was calling the JT's gearing "wider."

Are owners of JLs unhappy? I don't think I'll be complaining about a higher 6th gear that runs quieter and saves fuel. I kind of agree that the lower 1st gear is maybe too much of a "granny" gear, especially on the Rubicon and may be overkill. The truck's rock crawling ability is going to be more limited by it's ground clearances, particularly departure angle. Am I understanding that correctly?

 

[jimbom]

The titles above are flipped. JL/JT is the first column. 1st gear, 5.13, is pretty nice in the dunes. This is a nice gear. I was able to run all the dunes at Oceano in 1st gear 4WH the whole time -- off road plus, traction and stability control off, 14 psi.. Although the spread between 1st and second is high, I could still shift to second and not bog out in the dunes on an incline. Note: I am still running the stock MTs and I have the Rubicon.

I have zero experience running in dunes (but I hope that changes!) Is the idea to be spinning the tires much, much faster than you would on solid ground? Are you flushing sand out of all the nooks and crannies for weeks afterwards?
Sounds like a blast!

 

[hjdca]

I have zero experience running in dunes (but I hope that changes!) Is the idea to be spinning the tires much, much faster than you would on solid ground? Are you flushing sand out of all the nooks and crannies for weeks afterwards?
Sounds like a blast!

yes, it is a blast, and you never have to use the clutch, the JT will go very slow in 1st gear before stalling. yes, the sand goes flying, but, with the stock Rubicon MT tires, the width is still inside the fender flares, so, there is nothing really hitting the paint. You can really drift the JT in the sand. Be careful in the sand though, because if you go too fast, and slide too much, the sand will build up on the side of the tires and stop the truck abruptly and it may tip it over. A few years ago, I saw an old Bronco tip over that way. The guy was going fast, probably second gear or 3rd gear, then turned 90 degrees to slide in the sand, and the bronco tipped right over on its side. They tipped it back over upright, and kept thrashing it. Remember, your tires have to be spinning like crazy to slide in sand. If you are going fast and you tires are not spinning and you try to slide, you could tip over --- because the sand will just build up on the side of the tires and cause them to stop abruptly.

Spinning the tires is just for fun. For running dune hills, you want to be in the right gear where you get the most traction and power to climb the dune. If you give it too much gas while climbing the dune, the tires can spin too much and kill your climb and cause you to drift sideways. The best way to climb dunes is to use the speed and power that lets you climb up the hill while floating over the sand with as little wheel spin as possible.

 

[jimbom]

Spinning the tires is just for fun. For running dune hills, you want to be in the right gear where you get the most traction and power to climb the dune. If you give it too much gas while climbing the dune, the tires can spin too much and kill your climb and cause you to drift sideways. The best way to climb dunes is to use the speed and power that lets you climb up the hill while floating over the sand with as little wheel spin as possible.

I am so looking forward to it.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Had to tell you guys (and gals!). Took a 16yr old neighbor kid to Run an errand. About half way there his curiosity got the best of him and he asked “what do you keep adjusting down there?”

He had never seen or heard of a manual transmission before. Geez........

 

[Factoid]

Lol OMG!

See...I speak his language!

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Had to tell you guys (and gals!). Took a 16yr old neighbor kid to Run an errand. About half way there his curiosity got the best of him and he asked “what do you keep adjusting down there?”

He had never seen or heard of a manual transmission before. Geez........

I was 5 or 6 when I shifted my first stick car. My grandfather used to drive me to grade school. He had the old three on the tree... and I'd be in the seat beside him and he'd clutch and I'd shift.
My first car was a stick, my second, my first truck at 16 was a stick........ wait, they were ALL sticks until I got busted up in an accident and couldn't shift that truck for a while and bought an automatic - then I switched back to manual. Tractor - 1936 F20 - fun to shift - no synchros, hand brakes.........
They have their place. If was not wanting to trailer and back things around and maneuver and didn't need the extra capacity, I may have gone with a stick. LOVE the T5 in my Eagle. Thinking of going to a manual valve body in my 73.
My mother always drove a stick - her 60 Valiant with 3 on the floor, her postal Jeep and so on.

 

[wannajeep]

Had to tell you guys (and gals!). Took a 16yr old neighbor kid to Run an errand. About half way there his curiosity got the best of him and he asked “what do you keep adjusting down there?”

Reminds me of when my son was 4 and he points to the door and asks "What is that for?" - referring to the crank for the manual roll-up windows.

 

[hjdca]

Reminds me of when my son was 4 and he points to the door and asks "What is that for?" - referring to the crank for the manual roll-up windows.

Also, try to explain that you have to push the door lock down, then hold the push button down on the outside handle while closing the door to lock the car.... lol.. That one takes a while to sink in..

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