6th Gear?

[Daved1999]

I have a 2022 with manual 6 speed. Rolling down the interstate at 80 in 5th I am running about 2500 RPMs. Does anyone even use 6th? It doesn't seem to have the juice to run hilly country at 75-80 in 6th and 75 is about the top end of speed limit around here.

I assume that you're probably running 35s? I had the same issue with the 3:45 gears. 6th Gear was useless. I re-geared to 4:56 gears and all is well now. 6th Gear is now useful.

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[AHess]

Hey everyone. I’m a new forum member on my 3rd Jeep, but first one with Manual transmission.

I know this thread is about 6th gear and it’s uselessness, but since all of you have the same transmission I figured I’d ask.

Anyone else’s 1st into 2nd gear shift make a horrific driveline noise if not done perfectly ??

Asking to save myself a trip to the dealer. Thank you and sorry for asking an off topic question.

I am a first time Jeep owner and I have noticed this noise as well.

 

[liquids]

I run 6th all the time, but I'm in flatlands and just maintaining freeway speeds from 55 and up.
I even run it on wide surface streets where the speed limit is 45. (I'm doing 50 and have no desire for a ticket.)
Maybe that's why I average 22 mpg (20 in winter).

 

[Wraif]

I have a 2022 with manual 6 speed. Rolling down the interstate at 80 in 5th I am running about 2500 RPMs. Does anyone even use 6th? It doesn't seem to have the juice to run hilly country at 75-80 in 6th and 75 is about the top end of speed limit around here.

I got a 19 2-door Rubicon with the MT. I’m running Goodyear MTR in the 35x12.5x17 size. 11 miles on a New Jersey highway to work and 11 miles home. I’m in 6 gear 75% of the time on the highway. And, it’s fast enough for me. I have the 3.6 gas, can’t get a 392 in 2-door, and don’t really want one. I would just get myself in trouble with it.

 

[JerseyMark]

I just picked up my JLU Willys after a regear to 4.56 and can give some initial impressions for city driving up to 60mph(I will update again with highway after gear break-in):
- Performance is much better all around - big seat of the pants difference, much less power drop off between gears, etc..
- I definitely picked up a couple mpg on city driving - for the same trips, I am getting a solid 2-4mpg better. Again, this is for city driving, I expect a bit of a drop in highway although will see after full break-in.
- 1st gear is not too low IMO - it is actually perfect and makes it easier to drive in stop and go traffic.

Overall, I am extremely happy with 4.56 gears and stock tires. I actually wonder if I should have gone to 4.88s since I plan to go to 33s.

 

[Bback58]

I just picked up my JLU Willys after a regear to 4.56 and can give some initial impressions for city driving up to 60mph(I will update again with highway after gear break-in):
- Performance is much better all around - big seat of the pants difference, much less power drop off between gears, etc..
- I definitely picked up a couple mpg on city driving - for the same trips, I am getting a solid 2-4mpg better. Again, this is for city driving, I expect a bit of a drop in highway although will see after full break-in.
- 1st gear is not too low IMO - it is actually perfect and makes it easier to drive in stop and go traffic.

Overall, I am extremely happy with 4.56 gears and stock tires. I actually wonder if I should have gone to 4.88s since I plan to go to 33s.

I'm hoping to have my 4.56's installed before the end of the month and looking forward to the change. Glad to hear your favorable impressions of them.

 

[azwjowner]

I just picked up my JLU Willys after a regear to 4.56 and can give some initial impressions for city driving up to 60mph(I will update again with highway after gear break-in):
- Performance is much better all around - big seat of the pants difference, much less power drop off between gears, etc..
- I definitely picked up a couple mpg on city driving - for the same trips, I am getting a solid 2-4mpg better. Again, this is for city driving, I expect a bit of a drop in highway although will see after full break-in.
- 1st gear is not too low IMO - it is actually perfect and makes it easier to drive in stop and go traffic.

Overall, I am extremely happy with 4.56 gears and stock tires. I actually wonder if I should have gone to 4.88s since I plan to go to 33s.

Thanks for the report. I am running Willys tires so will be interested in hearing how you feel about RPMs on the highway.

 

[txj2go]

I expect a bit of a drop in highway although will see after full break-in

I'm curious what your rpms are on the highway, 6th gear, 70 or 75 mph (whatever your max. speed limit is).

 

[JerseyMark]

I’m keeping my speed under 60mph for the first 500 miles and try to rack up the miles quickly. I’ll give an update on the highway rpms and performance after 500 miles.

 

[Cutterone]

I’m keeping my speed under 60mph for the first 500 miles and try to rack up the miles quickly. I’ll give an update on the highway rpms and performance after 500 miles.

Please do I might go the same route, I already installed a CF2 clutch, but a regear might be nice when I need new, i.e. bigger tires

 

[JerseyMark]

I'm now past break-in and have done some highway driving with the 4.56 gears and stock tires.
6th gear at 70mph the rpms are just under 2500
At 75mph the rpms are right around 2600
This is great and 6th gear is now perfect for highway driving from 65-85mph. I am extremely happy with the gearing now. Every gear is improved IMO and the engine stays in the powerband.
As far as fuel economy after more driving: This surprisingly improved overall. It seems that I picked up 1-2 mpg in the city and did not lose any highway mpg or maybe even picked up 0.5mpg.

In summary, 4.56 gearing seems perfect to me with the stock tires. I think 4.56 gears work really well with 32s and should be fine with 33s. If I were to go to 35s I would go with 4.88s instead.

 

[Bback58]

I'm now past break-in and have done some highway driving with the 4.56 gears and stock tires.
6th gear at 70mph the rpms are just under 2500
At 75mph the rpms are right around 2600
This is great and 6th gear is now perfect for highway driving from 65-85mph. I am extremely happy with the gearing now. Every gear is improved IMO and the engine stays in the powerband.
As far as fuel economy after more driving: This surprisingly improved overall. It seems that I picked up 1-2 mpg in the city and did not lose any highway mpg or maybe even picked up 0.5mpg.

In summary, 4.56 gearing seems perfect to me with the stock tires. I think 4.56 gears work really well with 32s and should be fine with 33s. If I were to go to 35s I would go with 4.88s instead.

I'm hoping to get my 4.56's installed in the next couple of weeks. From what you are saying here I think I made the right choice. I have 33's and was debating 4.10' or 4.56's. I've been waiting for too long to get these gears installed.

 

[Cutterone]

I'm now past break-in and have done some highway driving with the 4.56 gears and stock tires.
6th gear at 70mph the rpms are just under 2500
At 75mph the rpms are right around 2600
This is great and 6th gear is now perfect for highway driving from 65-85mph. I am extremely happy with the gearing now. Every gear is improved IMO and the engine stays in the powerband.
As far as fuel economy after more driving: This surprisingly improved overall. It seems that I picked up 1-2 mpg in the city and did not lose any highway mpg or maybe even picked up 0.5mpg.

In summary, 4.56 gearing seems perfect to me with the stock tires. I think 4.56 gears work really well with 32s and should be fine with 33s. If I were to go to 35s I would go with 4.88s instead.

That sounds great, just not sure at this time I can justify the $$$ after I just put the CF2 clutch in and am sill running 32" tires, just 275-65-70 Toyo AT3. What is your thoughts on the performance difference for someone like me that isn't on the highway much, mostly back roads to and from work max speed 50...???

 

[Zandcwhite]

These discussions are the same on the auto side too, “my Jeep won’t hold 8th gear in the hills”. It’s not supposed to. It is a tall overdrive gear, only useful under low loads. In hilly country, there are usually as many down hills as up hills, SHIFT. If you want to set it in a gear and leave it there, maybe you should have bought an automatic? There’s no such thing as the perfect gear for a given speed, as load varies widely. If you gear your axles low enough to cruise up hills and into high head winds in 6th gear, your just turning extra rpms and burning extra fuel in the low load conditions.

 

[Cutterone]

These discussions are the same on the auto side too, “my Jeep won’t hold 8th gear in the hills”. It’s not supposed to. It is a tall overdrive gear, only useful under low loads. In hilly country, there are usually as many down hills as up hills, SHIFT. If you want to set it in a gear and leave it there, maybe you should have bought an automatic? There’s no such thing as the perfect gear for a given speed, as load varies widely. If you gear your axles low enough to cruise up hills and into high head winds in 6th gear, your just turning extra rpms and burning extra fuel in the low load conditions.

I agree mostly, but the combo of 3.45 gears and the wide gear spacing in the tranny leaves a lot to be desired, the 6sp should come standard with 4:10, 6th gear is useless unless you are hitting 80...if I'm highway crusin I hit 5th and leave it there, it'll pull me up any hills as long as you are at or over 2k rpms, but 6th dogs it, you can feel the Jeep doesn't like that and you get worse mpg...

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