How do you drive an automatic?

[JlNewb]

Title is tongue in cheek but seriously, I learned to drive a stick on a late 80s Trooper in the mountains and drove that car for years. I’ve driven formula cars with no synchros, I know how to work a clutch. But the wife does not, and I’m still feeling my way around the automatic on my Wrangler for four wheeling.

The manumatic thing is...okay. Only chance I’ve gotten to go in 4L I just manually switched between first and second. But you obviously can’t ride the clutch at all so downshifting tends to lurch the car forward more than with a stick, have to push the brakes more. Do people leave it in D in 4L on the trails? It feels like it wants to race downhill like all automatics but maybe I didn’t give it a fair chance. Haven’t done any real climbing yet but I also don’t want a sudden upshift when I need the torque. Does keeping it in 1/2 put extra strain on the transmission?

Thanks!

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[Bubba33]

You could try the hill descent.

 

[TA1ton]

@JlNewb

You could try the hill descent.

This! I’ve never had hill descent control (HDC) until my Jeep...I tried it on a steep hill close to home and it worked really well...and it requires nearly zero input from you. Once it’s turned on, (you have to be in 4L) you start your descent and let off the brake and the gas and just steer. If you want to change speeds, just use M+ and M-. The system will keep the Jeep going downhill between .6 MPH and 5 MPH depending on the speed you pick (at least those were the numbers in my Sport S). If I understand the system right, HDC actually uses the engine and transmission along with the brakes to control speed. And the system uses the traction control system to detect which wheels have traction and uses that info to brake individual wheels to ensure you have a controlled descent. I’m sure some people prefer to have control over all of it...but I think the system works great!

If you don’t want to use HDC...you’ll just have to ride the brakes all the way down.

 

[richk225]

Great insight on how the HDC works

 

[1quick1]

A lot of people are keeping their Jeeps in M1 when doing climbing as it will shift. On the trails I've done I've been fine in D but I haven't done hardcore rock climbing.

I can also attest the HDC works quite well. I showed it to my fiance and she thought it was so cool how it basically just drove itself. You could of course just use M1 and 4L and some brakes.

 

[Jeepsk8]

D2 works great for slow speed rock climbing, bump up to D3 for slow relatively smooth trails. I personally don't care for HDC.

 

[Bubba33]

@JlNewb


This! I’ve never had hill descent control (HDC) until my Jeep...I tried it on a steep hill close to home and it worked really well...and it requires nearly zero input from you. Once it’s turned on, (you have to be in 4L) you start your descent and let off the brake and the gas and just steer. If you want to change speeds, just use M+ and M-. The system will keep the Jeep going downhill between .6 MPH and 5 MPH depending on the speed you pick (at least those were the numbers in my Sport S). If I understand the system right, HDC actually uses the engine and transmission along with the brakes to control speed. And the system uses the traction control system to detect which wheels have traction and uses that info to brake individual wheels to ensure you have a controlled descent. I’m sure some people prefer to have control over all of it...but I think the system works great!

If you don’t want to use HDC...you’ll just have to ride the brakes all the way down.

It reminds me of my Polaris ATV with ebs.

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