2021 Jeep Manual Transmission

[beaups]

I have been shifting all my life. I considered getting one on a 2016 JK but it was rediculously awful—felt like a 1938 truck. It was much improved on my 2018 Sport JLU but I came to realize not great. We drive into the mountains on twisty roads a lot and the more times we went up recently, and with a full load, it couldn’t cut it. You would downshift once which was never enough power but twice was too much—it would jerk my wife awake and scare the dog. Going up hills was worse. I would downshift twice and floor it, and frequently I would barely move, and downshifting three times for such a simple thing seemed sacreligous, and would scare the dog more. Not many people get sticks so FCA doesn’t bother making it a good system. A 7 or 8 speed with better shift points alone would help a lot.

This summer I wanted a Rubicon. Given the extra weight and previous issues, I didn’t consider a manual for a second. The eight speed auto is tremendous—plenty of power when needed and shifts incredibly smoothly. It also works well in manual mode which I do on some hills where you need torque and downhill stops.

So I don’t miss the manual for a second. If I was getting a BMW, I would get it without thinking. But the Rubicon is a beast and I haven’t even added a steel bumper or the rock rails, which will add 200 more pounds.

The manual shifts as smoothly as the operator, just like any other manual. If you properly rev match your downshifts, no dog should be afraid.

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[OldGuyNewJeep]

The manual shifts as smoothly as the operator, just like any other manual.

 

[Tellurian]

The manual gearbox compels you!

 

[word302]

You have to lift off throttle for every upshift... how else would you do it? This isn't a case of operator error. This is poor powertrain tuning. If you ever rev past 3k, you will experience rev hang. Above 4k it's seriously a second of rev hang before they drop for your next gear. It's terrible. My Mazda3 has never made me wait for a shift.

The Rev hang isn't there by accident. It's not poor tuning, just most of us prefer it not be there.

 

[JeepJim]

Absolutely love mine!

 

[The_Armed_Gardener]

I like feeling like I'm in control of a vehicle and that I'm not just along for the ride. We are entering the era of the driverless car brain dead driver vs the diehard situational awareness driver.

 

[word302]

I have been shifting all my life. I considered getting one on a 2016 JK but it was rediculously awful—felt like a 1938 truck. It was much improved on my 2018 Sport JLU but I came to realize not great. We drive into the mountains on twisty roads a lot and the more times we went up recently, and with a full load, it couldn’t cut it. You would downshift once which was never enough power but twice was too much—it would jerk my wife awake and scare the dog. Going up hills was worse. I would downshift twice and floor it, and frequently I would barely move, and downshifting three times for such a simple thing seemed sacreligous, and would scare the dog more. Not many people get sticks so FCA doesn’t bother making it a good system. A 7 or 8 speed with better shift points alone would help a lot.

This summer I wanted a Rubicon. Given the extra weight and previous issues, I didn’t consider a manual for a second. The eight speed auto is tremendous—plenty of power when needed and shifts incredibly smoothly. It also works well in manual mode which I do on some hills where you need torque and downhill stops.

So I don’t miss the manual for a second. If I was getting a BMW, I would get it without thinking. But the Rubicon is a beast and I haven’t even added a steel bumper or the rock rails, which will add 200 more pounds.

The 3.45 axle gears in the sport are just all wrong for this transmission. The 4.10 with 33s in the Rubicon is much better. Once you go bigger tires you need to gear it even lower.

 

[beaups]

The 3.45 axle gears in the sport are just all wrong for this transmission. The 4.10 with 33s in the Rubicon is much better. Once you go bigger tires you need to gear it even lower.

Do you or have you owned a JL with 3.45 gears?

And regardless of the rear-end gear you'll still need to know how to drive a manual properly to get downshifts that won't "scare your dog".

I don't know why everyone needs to qualify their experience with how long they've been driving a manual or "shifting all my life". Just because you've done something for XXX years doesn't mean you're good at it or even doing it right. I've golfed for over 30 years....

 

[word302]

Do you or have you owned a JL with 3.45 gears?

And regardless of the rear-end gear you'll still need to know how to drive a manual properly to get downshifts that won't "scare your dog".

I don't know why everyone needs to qualify their experience with how long they've been driving a manual or "shifting all my life". Just because you've done something for XXX years doesn't mean you're good at it or even doing it right. I've golfed for over 30 years....

You kind of missed the point. Needing to drop 3 gears to get up an incline is a pretty good indicator that the gearing is poor. I'd love to see you smoothly drop from 6th to third or 5th to 2nd. You even said yourself that you're only using 5 gears and 5th only at freeway speeds. That comment screams poor gearing.

 

[beaups]

You kind of missed the point. Needing to drop 3 gears to get up an incline is a pretty good indicator that the gearing is poor. I'd love to see you smoothly drop from 6th to third or 5th to 2nd.

I missed no point. In a situation you need to drop 3 gears, it's regardless of the rear end. Only difference is it might need to be a 6-3 drop on 4.88 vs 5-2 drop on 4.10. Your gears aren't manufacturing torque or gear spread.

And if you actually know how to drive a manual properly, you can drop to/from any gear smoothly.

 

[word302]

I missed no point. In a situation you need to drop 3 gears, it's regardless of the rear end. Only difference is it might need to be a 6-3 drop on 4.88 vs 5-2 drop on 4.10. Your gears aren't manufacturing torque or gear spread.

And if you actually know how to drive a manual properly, you can drop to/from any gear smoothly.

Lol. K.

 

[beaups]

Lol. K.

yep

 

[word302]

yep

You obviously don't understand how a re-gear relates to optimum power band.

 

[beaups]

You obviously don't understand how a re-gear relates to optimum power band.

I understand it quite well. It’s simple math.

 

[COBill]

Never owned a MT vehicle and never will.

The last time I was shopping for a new vehicle I specifically only considered models I could get with a MT.

Some models are off my shopping list forever because you can't - all Audis, for example.

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