Considering a Gladiator

[Gvsukids]

I am looking to add manual locking hubs to the front wheels, and I haven't the foggiest idea where to start.

https://www.4wd.com/v/jeep-gladiator/locking-hub-kit/_/N-1se4iZcm0pz

https://www.jeeps.net/threads/hub-lock-on-a-gladiator.5152/

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/old-school-manual-hubs.48851/page-2

Spline count,
https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/max-tow-and-lockers.25770/page-4

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[Barnaby’sdad]

Don’t get me wrong, I like manual transmissions (I also ride motorcycles), but for this purchase…I didn’t even consider a manual. Why?

The traffic in my area is horrendous. I commuted for three years in a vehicle with a manual transmission (VW TDI). I’ll never do it again. That car was a lot of fun to drive around as long as things were moving. Once things backed-up, it was a nightmare (sore knees).

Gladiator as a second vehicle or rural or not planning on towing? Have at the manual. You do you, essentially.

Speaking from experience with backing up trailers with a manual transmission (everything from 8’ to 53’)…a manual transmission sucks with trailering. “Ooh, more control over the gears ‘n stuff!”

Fuck that shit. I got to drive a Freightliner with an Allison automatic transmission a few times. Absolutely the most awesome tractor ever. Anyone that says anything different is just being stubborn.

 

[Blue Ridge]

I was on the fence, but kind of wanted a manual. I test drove a manual gladiator. I just assumed it would feel faster than the auto. Complete opposite. It felt like a 4cyl. My son test drove it also. He was REALLY wanting me to get a manual. (His mustang is a manual). He also was shocked that he hated it. We both feel strongly that no way we would buy the manual gladiator. I highly recommend a test drive.

I've driven mostly stick shifts and was certain that I was ordering a manual until test driving both. Though I'd imagine that you would get used it, the auto just felt better, faster, and more powerful to me. And most of my mileage is around town and the auto makes for more effortless driving.

 

[BA33]

So here are my 2 cents...
I've NEVER driven a manual vehicle. I decided to buy a manual gladiator 16 hours away...
For the past 6 years I drove a Ford Fiesta, so going to a truck AND a manual was scary to me.
I sold my car and bought a $500 POS manual to learn in and drove that for one week and really did NOT like it. I killed it all the time.
Yet, we drove 16 hours to go get my Gladiator. We get there and I couldn't even get the damn thing to move. It died over and over and over. My BF who has driven manuals for 20 years even killed it a couple times leaving a red light. And after a lot of thought. I still bought it.

Now, this being said. I did end up driving 7 of the 16 hours back home. Mostly interstate, but it gave me time to relax and really fall in love with my truck.
I've been driving it exclusively for 2 weeks now. And yes, it was hard to learn at first, and I still sometimes kill it taking off from a red light. But I'm getting better at this and with that is coming confidence. Now - I don't know a whole lot about how transmissions work or vehicles in general. But This is what I have noticed about the manual:
The clutch is very soft, there isn't a whole lot of grey area.
Shifting around 3000RPM tends to make it happy.
I don't feel that this vehicle is slow, she gets up and gets moving fast enough for me.
1-2 usually around 10-15 mph
2-3 usually around 28-32
3-4 usually around 40-45, sometimes as high as 50 when on inclines
4-5 at 57+ or using cruise at 55+
5-6 at 67+ or using cruise at 65+

I've been averaging abour 22-23 MPG with my 60ish miles per day, about 10 or so miles of that town (45mph or less), 15 ish miles interstate (65mph) and the rest highway (55mph). I'm just shy of 2000 miles so far. On the 16 hour drive back, we were averaging 28 MPG.
In most cases I see it hovering above 28 up to 35 MPG on the interstate. I've never paid attention to on the highway, and around 14-20 MPG in town.

As far as shifting goes, it can be very smooth when you hit it right. The shifter moves very lightly and glides easily. It has a safety feature that blocks out certain gears at certain speeds, and it's not totally spot on, but the only one I even notice is that you can't shift into 1st gear when you're going over 20. (I'm still getting used to down shifting, so I usually shift down to 3rd, and then break and hold the clutch in and hop over to 1st when I'm slow enough to do so and engage the clutch after I've stopped. It's a WIP)

My least favorite shift is 1-2. It's hard to get it right and not lurch a little, it's happiest if you don't get the RPMS super high (I tend to led foot it). If I shift around 2kRPM or 8-10 mph with little acceleration I can get a smooth shift.

If there is anything else you wanna know, feel free to ask! Hopefully this helps a little.

This is an accurate description of the MT. I'm a lifelong manual guy and it took some getting used to in my JL. The quicker you shift from first to second, the better. I also found that the transmission got better once I got some more miles on it. Mine had a noticeable "lurch" after take off, not during, in first gear (I'm assuming from the dual clutch). That seemed to go away with time or with me getting a better feel for it.

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