Is 6th Gear useless in manuals?

[HydroBlueTexasStar]

Have a new ‘25 2 door JL Willys and love it. However, I find myself rarely shifting into 6th gear. Once I get up to 70/80 in 4th I shift to 5th to cruise and never shift again.

Does anyone else feel like 6th gear is useless or am I just shifting wrong? 4th gear is only at roughly 3500 RPMs when doing 70-80

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[grimmjeeper]

It's the 3.45 axle gears that make it useless. You need better axle gears to make full use of 6th. 4.10s for stock tires is a good overall combination.

 

[HydroBlueTexasStar]

It's the 3.45 axle gears that make it useless. You need better axle gears to make full use of 6th. 4.10s for stock tires is a good overall combination.

I have a Willy’s so I have the 4.10s

 

[OminousSkitter]

I personally still think 4.10 is undergeared on 285/70r17 tires but others don’t.

If you’re just cruising, you might consider shifting earlier to keep the oil pump in the first stage.

 

[Grayone]

4:88's are your friend!

 

[CorvZ061]

I run in 5th at 45-65 and 65+ in 6th. pulls just fine, it's a Jeep and not a race car. The 4.10's with stock 33's isn't the best but it's far better than 3.45's.

 

[grimmjeeper]

I have a Willy’s so I have the 4.10s

With the stock tires on a Willys, you really want 4.56 gears. The lack of low end torque on the 3.6 really begs for shorter (higher number) gears.

35s are best with 4.88s.

 

[c20040215]

I had stock everything with 3.45 for the first 8,000 miles or so. I used 6th at cruising speed at or above 65 no issues. It took very little to have to down shift but generally speaking holds speed no issues. I live in Midwest it's flat everywhere.

 

[HydroBlueTexasStar]

I run in 5th at 45-65 and 65+ in 6th. pulls just fine, it's a Jeep and not a race car. The 4.10's with stock 33's isn't the best but it's far better than 3.45's.

Came back over from an STi so trying to remember that

The gearing on this is so weird becuase im only at 3500 rpms and its not screaming and feels perfect

 

[HydroBlueTexasStar]

I had stock everything with 3.45 for the first 8,000 miles or si. I used 6th at cruising speed at or above 65 no issues. It took very little to have to down shift but generally speaking holds speed no issues. I live in Midwest it's flat everywhere.

Yeah im in Dallas on toll roads and highways up and down. I wish it was all flat!

 

[grimmjeeper]

Yeah im in Dallas on toll roads and highways up and down. I wish it was all flat!

Try coming up to Denver. It gets worse as the altitude goes up.

For any aftermarket upgrades in the Dallas area, I'd recommend Tribe 16 in North Richland Hills.

 

[c20040215]

One thing I want to rant.. jeeps cruise control shuts off when the clutch is pressed. My new honda lets me shift gears in cruise control.

 

[CorvZ061]

One thing I want to rant.. jeeps cruise control shuts off when the clutch is pressed. My new honda lets me shift gears in cruise control.

That must have changed with 24, I don't use cruise much because I get better mileage driving it than cruise does, but I have shifted up and down with cruise and it hasn't cancelled cruise for me.

 

[ecomguy]

My ‘24 allows shifting while using adaptive cruise control.

For the original question, I only use 6th on open flat stretches of road when traveling above 70 mph… so, not too often in the Seattle area.

 

[Sidewalk]

I use 6th all the time with 4.10 on a stock JLR.

I do wish I got the 4.56's though.

That must have changed with 24, I don't use cruise much because I get better mileage driving it than cruise does, but I have shifted up and down with cruise and it hasn't cancelled cruise for me.

Cruise deactivates on my 22 as well.

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