Any reason to avoid Manual Transmission?

[Lives The Dream]

I think the MT trucks should have gotten 4.56 gears- that'd be the same final drive as a NSG370/4.10axle.

just to understand, which gear would the transmission be in for this to be true? (sorry, final drive is usually calculated in whatever gear is 1:1) are you referring to 6th gear?

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[MrKnowitall]

just to understand, which gear would the transmission be in for this to be true? (sorry, final drive is usually calculated in whatever gear is 1:1) are you referring to 6th gear?

Yes, referring to 6th. Only place I’ve seen it used to refer to strictly the final reduction stage is in a transaxle. Even then, its only useful for matching the rear differential in an AWD scenario. Some transmissions don’t even have a 1:1. By considering the total gearing of the transmission and axle, we get a useful number. Take Toyota 6 speed auto vs the domestics- the axle and trans ratios are way different, but work out pretty similar when combined.
The new Jeep trans is a unique animal, since it has a crazy ratio spread. I’m puzzled as to why Jeep limited the MT GCWR, citing clutch wear- Toyota doesn’t seem concerned with their lesser 1st/axle combination in assigning the Tacoma 11000# GCWR, regardless of transmission.

 

[CJ7nvrstk]

The gearing of this transmission sucks. It's clearly geared for getting the best MPG on the EPA circuit. No one is expecting high performance "wow" out of Jeep truck. I do expect it to do 30 MPH uphill in third gear and maintain speed, it can't. I expect it to be able to back out of my driveway with out stuttering and stalling, it can't. We have two other manuals in the house and they are fine with the same task. The gearing in the JT is absolute crap for anyone that lives where there are hills. It's tough to admit that your $45k trucks transmission sucks but it does. Anyone saying otherwise lives in flat lands or doesn't want to admit it.

88mmm, what axle ratio do you have and what size tire are you running?

 

[Empty Pockets]

88mmm...... that’s pretty harsh. It’s clear you are really disappointed. Sorry to hear that. Your driving requirements must be significantly different from mine or you are running some tall or heavy tires. I really like my Sport S with manual. I’m running stock tires. Most of my driving is regular day to day in the Atlanta area, but I’ve spent a good bit of time in the mountains of N GA and TN and loved it. More than 10 different manuals over the years and the only one I liked better was my ‘06 Super Duty F250. I think the JT manual is fantastic for my use.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

IF these have hydraulic clutches, and I don't know of the JT does or not, heaven help you if you are in traffic and the master or slave gives out. Happened to me - oh, boy. Lots of fun getting it the half hour through traffic and home. But - I'd not convert my car to automatic right now. I bought the transmission and other parts to do it, but the stick is too much fun. For town traffic I hop into my other car with automatic.
I bought the JT with automatic for several reasons, one was I hate backing trailers into really super tight spots and all the maneuvering I have to do around home to move trailers and so on, and in stop and go traffic, my knee doesn't handle it like it used to.
Stick vs. auto on the drag strip. Well, I know a guy who will argue against an automatic on the drag strip - he calls himself "stickshifter" on forums and has the worlds fastest Gremlin at something like 190 and in the 7s in the quarter - stick transmission. (he's done better than the videos show)

 

[Jt-wrx]

Well i just spent 5 years with a pentastar 8spd 3.55 axle in a ram 1500, 142,000 kms before someone took the front end off in a collision last month and i can say that i loved the living crap out of that truck. The motor/transmission combo and set up are second to none in the industry, that truck drove like new, i rented some 2019 gm etc. for work and they still don't hold a candle to that 2014 ram in every way. Sad loss. That's the interesting dilemma with these gladiators, you really cannot go wrong, the 8 spd pentastar combo is a star, it really is. It's nearly perfect. And while that makes for efficient easy enjoyable lazy boy living...you need to decide if that's what you want. I didn't expect to be in my JT for another five years, that's how much i loved that truck, and i could have bought a classic at great discounts but i just put 500 km on my JT 6spd in the last 2 days and it's love also. The most endearing vehicles of my life have been manuals, i've missed it dearly, and this manual is great. It is tough to beat the pentastar 8spd combo so in my mind it's really win win. The pentastar has a broad linear power range that suits the longer gears just fine imo. My stock sport s still turns 2350 rpm at 130 km/h...my ram 8spd did 2000 rpm. I'll be doing some 315 70r17's and 2" mopar soon but i don't think i'm worried about a re-gear, shoud lose about 8-10% or 200 rpm on that by all calcs. To me that's 8-10% advantage not loss, gets closer to what the ram did stock. I have no need for rock crawling, i commute, i hunt, hit some crap lease roads, mud/snow, canada eh, and some elevations in the mountains but if i lose 6th for all but flat highway empty then good! Less shifting the better, this is a tractable engine with a long linear powerband, well suited as a 5 speed, less shifting, more smiles per mile. I'll be straight piping from cats to the tail muffler soon, this sport is being built for sport, i'll hear that beautiful pentastar so much better with some opening up. I wouldn't do it to an automatic but i've been secretely dreaming about this truck for 20 years. THANK YOU FCA! So happy to be rowing my own again, love driving again, feeling engaged again.

 

[Empty Pockets]

JT-wrx...... that was beautifully said. Makes me value my 6 speed even more. I took a 5 year hiatus from the manual myself in the form of a ‘14 Chevy Silverado. A very nice, basic truck that drove beautifully and did everything I asked from it. The V6 and 6 speed auto had all the power I needed and never even hinted at letting me down. 100K + trouble free miles. But,....... from the moment I drove it off the lot I knew that I would tire of the automatic and I did. I felt disconnected and bored all the time. I ran my hand through the gear changes and used my left foot to manipulate a clutch pedal that didn’t exist. Even thought seriously that I may be able to adapt to the kayak-like seating and tiny cab of the Tacoma just to get back to a manual.

My friends and family don’t get it, really, but the 6 speed manual in the JT has me enjoying driving again.

 

[Jt-wrx]

JT-wrx...... that was beautifully said. Makes me value my 6 speed even more. I took a 5 year hiatus from the manual myself in the form of a ‘14 Chevy Silverado. A very nice, basic truck that drove beautifully and did everything I asked from it. The V6 and 6 speed auto had all the power I needed and never even hinted at letting me down. 100K + trouble free miles. But,....... from the moment I drove it off the lot I knew that I would tire of the automatic and I did. I felt disconnected and bored all the time. I ran my hand through the gear changes and used my left foot to manipulate a clutch pedal that didn’t exist. Even thought seriously that I may be able to adapt to the kayak-like seating and tiny cab of the Tacoma just to get back to a manual.

My friends and family don’t get it, really, but the 6 speed manual in the JT has me enjoying driving again.

Yes sir, i just spent a few weeks in 2019 tacoma automatic rental vehicle while sorted out the accident with insurance etc. was given the choice between it or a gm, already had some gm seat time from work rental for week in october so tacoma it was. Nothing about it feels like a truck, i'll start with the cabin as you said, sit so low and squashed in, it's like a car, i know cars that have better seating positions than that 'truck' and nothing about shifting a manual while flat on the floor would make me happy, it just wouldn't feel like a truck. The jeep sits like a truck and lends well to manual transmission that drives like a truck. I've smashed my right shin off the bottom of the dash for the last time thank god, my kids got some good laughs out of that one, don't be in a hurry getting into that little pop can either. Now i can start about that new v6...what was toyota thinking putting a peaky powerband all up top in a truck? Man they have some work to do to build a real truck again. The kids called it the tamoca...will probably never be able to call it anything else now.

My favorite old vehicles were the only other jeep i ever bought, a 92 or 93 yj 4 banger shortly after highschool, 4 years of awesomeness there. Then mostly drove 1 ton and 3/4 ton gm/dodge service trucks with decks and derricks on them etc. but had long term mid 90's 3/4 ton gm's with the sticks that i just loved and put a zillion miles on, work and play.

The more life gets easier the more i'm drawn to some mechanical simplicity. Someone else on here said it similar, i relate...mechanical watch, manual transmission, metal gun kind of guy. I'm close, i do still have a soft spot for classic blued walnut stock guns too, also have a 6 speed on my garage built cafe motorcycle that has been my manual mechanical fix in the interim.

 

[Jdyowa]

Because automatic works better with adaptive ruise control. Has more power(seems like it) and is better for offroad use.

 

[jimbom]

Because automatic works better with adaptive ruise control. Has more power(seems like it) and is better for offroad use.

Not sure what question these are answers to, but you completely lost me at "adaptive (c)ruise control."
Who would ever want that?

 

[hjdca]

Because automatic works better with adaptive ruise control. Has more power(seems like it) and is better for offroad use.

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.

 

[Factoid]

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.

 

[Harold0819]

I ordered my JTR in a manual as I have the 6 spd in my JKU. My JKU is on 37s with 4.88 axles. After talking with many people especially of my plans with my JT, I switched my order to the auto. The generally concensus is if you are keeping your truck relatively stock you will keep whatever performance you have. The tall gearing/spacing of gears in the manual for JL/JT becomes even more obvious, and problemsome, when you get into the 37" tire range and larger. A Rubicon with 4.10s will perform fine on 37s with the auto. The manual will become a 3 spd, with very poor offroad performance without a re-gear.
Moral of the story is it really depends on your intended use of the vehicle. I love the manual and have had them all my life. But, I also want to lift my JT and put on 37s. The auto was the best option for my use.

 

[jimbom]

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.

AMEN. I have the same 8-speed in my Ram truck and although it allows you to select a lower gear (by push button), but it won't allow you keep it in a higher gear for conditions just as you describe. It's one of several situations where I REALLY miss a manual.

 

[Empty Pockets]

In other words.....With a manual you are in control and more engaged with your driving. Exactly why I have preferred the MT since 1974! I’ve got no criticism for those who like the automatic. But for me, my 2 ATs in my lifetime were 2 too many. FOR ME, that is. But not for all.

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