Manual Trans....what am I missing?

[hjdca]

The manual Gladiator Rubicon is the unicorn hiding in the trees. Get one while you can. My girlfriend and I love it. Don't listen to all the nay sayers. With the 4:10's and the stock 33's the gearing is great. Mine has over 5K miles so, it is broken in. A few days ago, I took my cousin for a ride and speed shifted through the gears, giving it a tad of gas to push it forward during the shift and he kept saying how fast the Gladiator was. He even asked me if it is the same Jeep motor in the JLU. Way more fun than an auto.

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[JT-NOOB]

I will weigh in on this one since I just went through the same thing and ultimately went to some significant effort to get the manual.

I rented an Automatic JL wrangler for 3 weeks. The 8 speed is an awesome transmission, and on paper, it does everything better. Best acceleration. Best fuel economy. Best towing. Remote start capable. etc. But the shift logic is adaptive. If you drive around like an ass clown, it will be responsive and enjoyable. But as soon as you stop flat footing every stop light...the shift logic begins plotting against you. It has instructions from FCA to achieve fuel economy targets...and that means slowly adjusting things to shift a little sooner and ignore a little more initial throttle input each day. After 3 weeks, the rental was shifting to 8th gear and lugging 1100 rpm every time I stopped paying attention. And for me, as soon as I found myself in a situation where I thought "That's not the gear I would choose to be in", the decision was made.

So... I just flew 400 miles and drove home a manual Rubicon. I probably even paid a bit more than I could have paid for a similar automatic equipped on the lot. But, I absolutely love it. I would do it again.

I hope others do too or these transmissions will go away. They are something like 3% of sales. Ranger didn't offer one, and Bronco probably won't either. I think the Tacoma sells a ton of manuals strictly because the 6 speed auto is complete rubbish. Since Gladiator was targeted directly at the Tacoma niche, that probably is the only reason we have the option.

 

[Bbannongmu]

Love my 3 pedal Rubi. Highly recommend it.

 

[Mtneerdan]

Love my 3 pedal sport s. Highly recommend it.

 

[Jt-wrx]

The manual Gladiator Rubicon is the unicorn hiding in the trees. Get one while you can. My girlfriend and I love it. Don't listen to all the nay sayers. With the 4:10's and the stock 33's the gearing is great. Mine has over 5K miles so, it is broken in. A few days ago, I took my cousin for a ride and speed shifted through the gears, giving it a tad of gas to push it forward during the shift and he kept saying how fast the Gladiator was. He even asked me if it is the same Jeep motor in the JLU. Way more fun than an auto.

I agree, i have the 3.73 on 35's and it's fantastic on street but would crave the equivalent of what the stock rubicon would have offroad, that's really ideal imo. When truetrac lsd's are available i'll go into the 4's on the gearing as i order them up for both ends, 4.10 min, 4.56 max, a 4.30-ish option would likely get my vote to equal the stock rubicon set up.

 

[Mtneerdan]

I agree, i have the 3.73 on 35's and it's fantastic on street but would crave the equivalent of what the stock rubicon would have offroad, that's really ideal imo. When truetrac lsd's are available i'll go into the 4's on the gearing as i order them up for both ends, 4.10 min, 4.56 max, a 4.30-ish option would likely get my vote to equal the stock rubicon set up.

With that tall sixth gear I I can't think of a single good reason not to go to at least 4.88s if regearing, maybe even low 5's.

 

[Jt-wrx]

With that tall sixth gear I I can't think of a single good reason not to go to at least 4.88s if regearing, maybe even low 5's.

Well i found that 2200 rpm has a pretty solid amount of power for most average elevation changes on the highway near me. And with a 110 km/h speed limit on most of our fastest highways and doing about 10 km/h over that is the norm. That's about 75 mph for your reference. To have 2200 rpm availability in 6th at that speed i would need the 4.10's on my 35's fyi. 4.56 would put me about 2450 rpm. I'd rather drive it normally as a 5 speed with the luxury of the 2nd overdrive for those highway runs.

So for reference, the 4.10's over 3.73 at hwy velocity for rpm will be about 10% higher, and almost 20% higher for 4.56...15% higher might be doable. As for truetrac lsd's which is what i want, i don't think they make them over 4.30's which is fine by me, likely about 15% higher rpm. I have no intention of going over 35's on this rig, i still need to fit in 6'6" parkades etc. and daily drive as a family rig so. If 37's an up were on the table then 4.88's would definitely be factoring into my options.

 

[Nick]

Sport S, 6 Speed Manual, Almost 15K miles, 21 - 22 MPG around town, about the same on the HWY but as they say I CAN'T DRIVE 55. At 59 years old what's not to like.

 

[DreamedofaJeepSomeday]

Sport S, 6 Speed Manual, Almost 15K miles, 21 - 22 MPG around town, about the same on the HWY but as they say I CAN'T DRIVE 55. At 59 years old what's not to like.

Wait - you get 21-22 city driving? That gives me even more encouragement to get the manual.

I was a little suspicious of the EPA numbers. I, for one like to drive with a very light foot - except when the heavy foot is really needed - or desired!

 

[Cape taco12]

Mine just turned over 4K. I like it more and more everyday. Odd compared to the torquey motors and low gears on my last rides but it’s awesome.

the only gripe I have about the 6 speed is I have this compulsion to accelerate until I’m in top gear... The highest speed limit within 10 minutes of my house is 55... 6th doesn’t seem happy till 70+. But it’s great for road trips.

 

[4079131025]

Just traded 2 door JL Sport soft top manual for Gladiator sport manual soft top. Sports cars and jeeps to me must be manual. besides, the manual is the best thing to have for theft protection. Millennials have no idea how to drive a standard shift.

 

[Cape taco12]

Just traded 2 door JL Sport soft top manual for Gladiator sport manual soft top. Sports cars and jeeps to me must be manual. besides, the manual is the best thing to have for theft protection. Millennials have no idea how to drive a standard shift.

Careful who you talk about. We are the ones that will be in control soon.

 

[DreamedofaJeepSomeday]

Careful who you talk about. We are the ones that will be in control soon.

Will you ban manual transmissions?

 

[Cape taco12]

Will you ban manual transmissions?

Absolutely not. But I want to see a “Self driving” car only restriction to most people’s drivers licenses. If you drive like a space cadet your done. To make it work I think that at least 50% of drivers would be given this restriction.

but that’s off topic. I do like the transmission in this truck. I just wish the motor had more low end torque so I could idle forward in 1st with my boat in tow. Maybe time for a 2 low mod.

 

[Jt-wrx]

Absolutely not. But I want to see a “Self driving” car only restriction to most people’s drivers licenses. If you drive like a space cadet your done. To make it work I think that at least 50% of drivers would be given this restriction.

Shouldn't need much of a drivers license then as that would imply you were federally granted permission to operate two tons of death through public spaces as you are qualified to do so. You have the skills necessary and can pass all the tests required.

For those other people you're talking about, 'self driving only', that exists, it's an app, called uber.

So who owns these 'self driving cars?', who's insurance covers the accidents? Who's liability? When you push the 'self drive' button does the liability then shift to the team of programmers at tesla?

I'm thinking that new tech is great but don't forget the big picture. I don't see how they distinguish the difference in liability if you own the car and it's in a wreck...from the driver/owner to the people who programmed everything on the autonomous side? I think these need to be completely separate things. Private car owner, 100% responsible for operation of vehicle, not partially responsible. A big company wants to come out with a fleet of autonomous cars then great, order one up on the app and the insurance and liability is on them.

I saw an instagram post the other day of a guy having a nap in his tesla in the fast lane on a freeway, the car in the middle lane taking the video of him. Absolutely unbelievable to me but this is what humans will actually do with the 'self drive' button, even though you're supposed to remain attentive to be ready for emergency situations? The fact that these buttons already exist and were tested without anyone knowing on public roadways really blows my mind. How this all got past government regulation is a total mystery.

I sure hope no one i know is killed by this growing pain of trying to figure out if it's a good idea to hand over control of a two ton death machine to some private companies computer programmers when your the one liable and on the hook for when shtf. If you own a tesla, please don't ever push that button while my kids are in a vehicle sharing the roads with you.

That guy having a nap behind the wheel should go to jail for a long time, if for nothing but absolute stupidity on top of how dangerous driving, distracted driving, and every other conceivable charge that could be levied against him. Tesla...what in the world are you thinking? The lawsuits that will be headed your way, even though you've covered your butt, and the sad people that don't realize that they are putting their lives in someone elses hands the minute they push that button.

So tell me again how it would even remotely make sense to have a 'self driving only' portion of a 'drivers license'????? Most millenial absurd, lack of common sense, lack of big picture i've ever seen. I'm am almost at a loss for words...almost

How these thoughts even get into the same sentence is a complete mystery. I hear you in that half the people on the road aren't actually qualified to operate two ton machines so they should find alternate ways, or get qualified. But to give them a button while they need to remain attentive to handle emergency situations is so wrong i can't even...

I can't believe how little we understand what operating a motor vehicle means in this day and age? A right not a privilege of course. It's not that it's 5000 lbs of steel at 80 mph that you are 100% in care and control of...would that not suggest the utmost in seriousness every time you start it up and put your seat belt on????? I mean seriously, this is the real deal, you are about to pilot two tons of death at incredible speeds through narrow arteries in public spaces with a whole bunch of other people doing the exact same thing. And people want to hit the self drive button and have a nap on the way to work? No...you want to have an expresso before you get in that puppy, and be 'on point' for the task at hand...operating a motor vehicle. FER FACK SAKE!

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