Manual acceleration

[LLRubylady]

My manual is a little slow to take off. I have to shift very quickly upon acceleration from first to second. I usually let it rev up to 2500 and then shift. Lately I’ve been letting it get up to 3 before shifting to second and it gets a little more oomph. I know this is probably normal. do the autos take off a lot better?
I remember I test drive an auto but don’t recall the acceleration. I was paying attention to the sloppy steering in the test model I drove.

Sponsored

 

[DanW]

My manual is a little slow to take off. I have to shift very quickly upon acceleration from first to second. I usually let it rev up to 2500 and then shift. Lately I’ve been letting it get up to 3 before shifting to second and it gets a little more oomph. I know this is probably normal. do the autos take off a lot better?
I remember I test drive an auto but don’t recall the acceleration. I was paying attention to the sloppy steering in the test model I drove.

The first gear is VERY low. It is almost a granny gear. This is for off-roading. It would also help you if you tow anything. That's why it gets through the rpm's so quickly. It is actually very quick in first gear, but may seem this way because it is in first for such a short time. It is more pronounced in the Rubicon because of the 4.10 axle ratio, which is also low.

Hope that helps. You'll really appreciate that low first gear if you ever go off road. I've crawled up very steep hills in low range and first gear with my foot completely off the gas. These Rubicons are really in their element in those conditions!

 

[Biscuit]

Hmm. I've actually unintentionally chirrped my tires on takeoff on dry pavement a few times. I've found that 2500-3000 rpm is about optimum for 1-to-2 and 2-to-3 shifts.

 

[WXman]

My manual is a little slow to take off. I have to shift very quickly upon acceleration from first to second. I usually let it rev up to 2500 and then shift. Lately I’ve been letting it get up to 3 before shifting to second and it gets a little more oomph. I know this is probably normal. do the autos take off a lot better?
I remember I test drive an auto but don’t recall the acceleration. I was paying attention to the sloppy steering in the test model I drove.

Yes, autos take off a lot better, more smoothly, and with less effort. On my JKU with the 6-speed manual, I found that the throws were as long as a dump truck which really slowed things down, and with the 3.73 axle gears 1st was almost useless. With the new D478, 1st is even deeper, so I can imagine that it's a real PITA for street driving.

What I usually did was start off in 2nd, unless I was headed up hill or towing a trailer. As long as you don't ride the clutch, 2nd gear starts will be no problem whatsoever and will make driving in town far less annoying. I've logged countless miles on manual transmissions and I've never replaced a clutch.

 

[LLRubylady]

I will have to try second start.
I didn’t think much of the acceleration until my son asked why it’s so slow.
It’s been bugging me lately. Kinda wish I bought the damn auto now.

 

[Rasdanko]

I will have to try second start.
I didn’t think much of the acceleration until my son asked why it’s so slow.
It’s been bugging me lately. Kinda wish I bought the damn auto now.

I put a K&N air filter in and the acceleration was much improved. Took a while to get used to first gear and how quick the release was off the clutch. In the end though, it’s a Jeep and I didn’t like how it accelerated more like a sports car. So I took it out and put back the paper filter back in. I like how it responds stock.

 

[robplumm]

It's a Jeep!

But seriously...1st is almost useless. On the plus side of it...put it in first, tap the gas, then take your foot off and it should crawl on its own...when it's in 4LO offroad in 1st, you almost won't need the gas pedal...it just...goes. These things are engineered for that prowess...not 0-60 battles.

 

[BZRUBICON]

I've noticed this with mine too and want to try one of the pedal commander products. I think it has something to do with the computer controlled throttle.

 

[melendez69]

...Kinda wish I bought the damn auto now.

 

[supermike]

first is very low geared, second is also low, but it's heavenly when off roading. Mine also don't like quick changing gear between 1,2 and 3.

yes it's really slow, I need to shift around 4000 rpm 1st, 2nd, and 3rd to keep up with traffic.

 

[LeoTheDragon]

I haven't had much luck with 2nd gear starts.. I find I really have to feather the clutch to keep the engine from lugging and it just didn't feel good to do that.

I do my 1st to 2nd to 3rd somewhere between 2.5-3k on surface streets, or higher if I'm getting on the freeway with shorter onramps. I find it really opens up after 2.5k RPMs so it just depends on the speed limit of the road I'm on if I go higher.

 

[LLRubylady]

The first gear is VERY low. It is almost a granny gear. This is for off-roading. It would also help you if you tow anything. That's why it gets through the rpm's so quickly. It is actually very quick in first gear, but may seem this way because it is in first for such a short time. It is more pronounced in the Rubicon because of the 4.10 axle ratio, which is also low.

Hope that helps. You'll really appreciate that low first gear if you ever go off road. I've crawled up very steep hills in low range and first gear with my foot completely off the gas. These Rubicons are really in their element in those conditions!

Don’t plan on anything other than going thereon the beach. I’d be too scared!
But I did try the first gear crawl in the snow and do appreciate it.
I guess I just have to get more used to the take offs and remember it isn’t a Ferrari

 

[DanW]

Don’t plan on anything other than going thereon the beach. I’d be too scared!
But I did try the first gear crawl in the snow and do appreciate it.
I guess I just have to get more used to the take offs and remember it isn’t a Ferrari

Exactly. How many miles are on it? Remember, too, the 3.6 loosens up as it breaks in. I've got 35's on mine and it really takes off in first and likes to rev quickly. I'm at 15k miles. I feel like it started really coming to life around 10k. But again, don't go and drive a Camaro and then get back in your Jeep. Just keep driving it and let that engine get some revs. You'll come to love it for what it is and what it does.

 

[LLRubylady]

Exactly. How many miles are on it? Remember, too, the 3.6 loosens up as it breaks in. I've got 35's on mine and it really takes off in first and likes to rev quickly. I'm at 15k miles. I feel like it started really coming to life around 10k. But again, don't go and drive a Camaro and then get back in your Jeep. Just keep driving it and let that engine get some revs. You'll come to love it for what it is and what it does.

1485 miles.
I don’t drive a lot as I’ll work is close to home.
I’m sure I just have to get used to it. Haven’t had a manual in nearly 10 years.

 

[Sorbs]

1485 miles.
I don’t drive a lot as I’ll work is close to home.
I’m sure I just have to get used to it. Haven’t had a manual in nearly 10 years.

As DanW points out, it’s not broken in yet. You’ll notice a difference closer to 5k miles. MPG will rise too. Give it time.

Sponsored