Manuals might be dead

[Bbannongmu]

My 70yo, 100lb, gray headed babysitter drives mine to pick the kids up from school every day, and crawls through the school pickup line with it. She's never once stalled it out, or complained about the clutch feel, or the shift points. Hmmm.

For my part, i just drive it like i stole it. Try and lug it and it'll annoy you. Let it scream, that motor is built to turn.

There's nothing wrong with this combination. A 285 hp v6 paired to a transmission that will crawl, and still get 22mpg? Stock?? This is the stuff we dreamed of being able to buy in the eighties. Some of those bitching about it should drive a mid eighties ford with a 140hp 300 6, NP435, 3.08 gears, a hockey puck lift, and 35's for a week.

I had a T90 in a 53 M38 A1. This JT trans is a dream compared to that. Ohhh. And you kids get off my lawn!!!

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[Onebigyoshi]

After reading all the “it’s a 4 speed with 2 overdrives “ (which it actually is) and “the sweet spot is is 3500-4000 RPM”, I start feeling like I am in bizarro world. This transmission gearing is very comparable to other manuals if you look at the ratios. If you like to stomp on the pedal to here the RPMs to drive like a race car that’s your thing (And more a statement on how quiet the engine is).This transmission shifts just fine at 2000, 2500, or whatever rpm you like, in city driving as long as the next light isn’t 20 feet away, you can even ride in sixth at 40mph and 1000 rpm and keep right up with traffic, below that speed the engine hesitates and you need to shift down like any other manual transmission. If you upgraded the tires bigger than stock and not the axle gearing, it isn’t the transmission’s fault. And it has handled climbing 4-5000 ft mountain passes in 6th without down shifting, something my LJ rubicon can’t do but that’s more to do with the 100 more horsepower vs the 4.0L. Not a fan bois, just enjoy manual transmissions.

My JT Rubicon does not give me a good feedback when shifting 2k ~ 2.5k. I mentioned this to the dealer and they say it's normal. To ease my mind, they let me test drove a manual JT Rubicon and it was exactly the same as mine. As other's mentioned, mine definitely drives better shifting above 3k around 3.5k.

 

[jurfie]

Maybe Jeep is sourcing a new MT for the 2021MY, hence why you can't order one anymore.

 

[Hootbro]

Maybe Jeep is sourcing a new MT for the 2021MY, hence why you can't order one anymore.

That or trying to fix the one they have to keep from exploding and causing fires.

 

[Mtneerdan]

I had a T90 in a 53 M38 A1. This JT trans is a dream compared to that. Ohhh. And you kids get off my lawn!!!

Seems after the 70's gas crunch the norm was straight 6 engines and high axle ratios. I had several of the late 70's early 80's trucks with the 240 or 300 and three on the tree. I remember one of my uncles trucks had the 300 six and a four speed overdrive. I don't know what the first gear ratio was in that thing, but with the stock 235/75r15's first gear would have you smelling clutch taking off on even the slightest grade. I also drove a 67 bronco for a while with the 140ci straight six, 3 on the tree and four ten gears, top speed, 50ish mph. Had one scout with a slant four, it was half a v-8, probably 152ci. Had one 84' f-150 with the 351 windsor, np435, np208 tcase and 3.55's. It did everything well and would pass anything but a gas station. It got 8mpg, uphill, downhill, headwind, tailwind, loaded or empty, 8mpg. Worked out of a comanche for a while with the 2.5 and ax5 also. Great little truck.

I can't tell you how many times back in the day I'd wished for a 435 with an overdrive, but somehow we all made do and got the job done and got where we were going with what we had to work with. These trucks in comparison are a dream to drive. I nearly didn't buy the manual after reading the reviews, but i drove 2 hrs one way to test drive one to make sure, and bought it before I'd left. After driving it I couldn't understand the complaints. It's the best of everything. Reasonably low first to get heavy loads rolling, a three speed in the middle and a double overdrive for fuel mileage and the ability run low axles if desired and still run interstate speeds, and from a reputable manufacturer like aisin to boot. I still don't get what's not to like?

My only regret is not bumping on up to the rubicon trim with the manual to get the 4.10s and lockers, but i couldn't find one anywhere near me. I hope they don't stop making them as I may trade up at some point.

 

[hjdca]

That or trying to fix the one they have to keep from exploding and causing fires.

Thanks. I did look this up on the JL forums. The manual transmission is also on hold for the JLs, so, no manual transmissions for anyone right now.

There is also guy there that had his 2018 manual tranny blow up and cause a fire with a new JL. Seems like the flywheel or pressure plate came apart and went through the aluminum case and hit a fuel line.

 

[Mtneerdan]

Thanks. I did look this up on the JL forums. The manual transmission is also on hold for the JLs, so, no manual transmissions for anyone right now.

There is also guy there that had his 2018 manual tranny blow up and cause a fire with a new JL. Seems like the flywheel or pressure plate came apart and went through the aluminum case and hit a fuel line.

If the flywheel or pressure plate indeed came apart, that isn't a transmission failure. It's a flywheel or pressure plate failure.

 

[bangolia]

It’s still on the order guide that was just published for March.

 

[Hootbro]

If the flywheel or pressure plate indeed came apart, that isn't a transmission failure. It's a flywheel or pressure plate failure.

Splitting hairs but those are items that still have to be sorted to offer a manual transmission if that is the case on why they are not being offered at the moment.

 

[WhatExit?]

Manuals might be dead

It's because...

LOL just kidding

 

[wannajeep]

the manual tranny in the JT Rubicon actually works well with the 33" tires

Agreed. I like the idea of 35s with a 2 inch lift after my stock 33 MTs wear out, but then gears 5 and 6 would be used even less than they already are, or I'd be regearing the diffs. This thing seems really well set up in its stock form (especially with 4.10:1) for daily driving with the occasional trail. So much depends on how you use your Jeep. If you go wheeling frequently, it might be worth making some changes.

 

[velogeek]

It's because...

LOL just kidding

Or the thread, so this one works on two levels.

 

[SEPTIMO2019]

I’m in my mid-40s and have been driving both Manual and Automatic transmissions since I was 15. I’ve also owned several MT Jeep Wranglers in the 1990s. Currently, I own both a 2019 JLU Sport S and a 2020 JT Rubicon in the Manual Transmission. I’ve run the exact same MOPAR 2” lift on both, with the same wheels and 37” tires. I’ve also taken the same “varied terrain” route back and forth to work. Although I enjoy driving them both, the MT/Tire set-up/gear ratio of my JLU Sport S does not perform the same as the JTR with 4.10 gears. On the same hills where I must drop into 4th gear with the JLU, I can still maintain 6th with the JTR. But the great thing about the MT is that you “tell” the vehicle what gear to be in. It is your “preference” how high you rev the engine, and when YOU want to shift. At this point, I feel NO reason to re-gear my 4.10s pushing my 37s. And even if I were to keep the JLU, I wouldn’t be in a hurry to re-gear. I don’t mind “a four-speed with two overdrives” because I tell my engine what to do. Coincidentally, I have mixed feelings about the report that Jeep has stopped making MTs this year. For one, I don’t want the platform to die. However, it may improve the value of MTs over time, when history begins to repeat itself and more people want to “tell” their vehicle what to do instead of letting the robots take over.

 

[Mightytalldude]

Slightly off topic, new Bronco rumored to have a 7 speed manual, with granny low 1st. Ford hasn't been in the manual game since around 2010, when they dropped most lines including the Super Duty, so this is a big response to Jeep and Toyota who still offer a manual. I bought my manual JT knowing that it would most likely be my last vehicle I would own with a manual before it gets killed off in the US. Sadly, a large majority of US buyers don't want or don't know how to drive a manual. It's truly becoming the anti-theft device of the future.

 

[5JeepsAz]

Slightly off topic, new Bronco rumored to have a 7 speed manual, with granny low 1st. Ford hasn't been in the manual game since around 2010, when they dropped most lines including the Super Duty, so this is a big response to Jeep and Toyota who still offer a manual. I bought my manual JT knowing that it would most likely be my last vehicle I would own with a manual before it gets killed off in the US. Sadly, a large majority of US buyers don't want or don't know how to drive a manual. It's truly becoming the anti-theft device of the future.

Okay so are we really supposed to believe this adaptive shifting is good? I'm glad to see a granny gear mentioned somewhere.

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