Manual trans experience different for Sahara vs Rubicon?

[DblEGT]

With the Rubicon’s factory lower final drive ratio of 4.10, is the driving experience with a manual transmission different (better?) in any way, vs the Sahara with stock 3.55 gears?
Anyone have experience with both, and anyone notice a discernible difference?

I’m looking to buy, most likely with a manual.
Thanks in advance!

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[ThirtyOne]

The gears on the Sahara are 3.45.

Yes you can tell a difference. Especially pushing larger tires. 4.10 is a good match to the stock Rubicon tires and adequate for 35s.

The real difference is off-road, where the combination of the 4:1 transfer case and the 4.10 gears make it crawl significantly better. With the Sport or Sahara you will struggle not to stall in slow crawling. The Rubicon you can literally put it in first gear and step out of it and it will slowly crawl along.

That is not to say that the Sport or Sahara is bad. But the Rubicon is clearly better with the manual in my opinion. I have a manual Sport S.

 

[OldGuyNewJeep]

With the Rubicon’s factory lower final drive ratio of 4.10, is the driving experience with a manual transmission different (better?) in any way, vs the Sahara with stock 3.55 gears?
Anyone have experience with both, and anyone notice a discernible difference?

I’m looking to buy, most likely with a manual.
Thanks in advance!

Yes. 6th gear actually gets used in a Rubicon. Obviously better for larger tires, too.

Also lets you literally crawl in 4L.

I love my 6sp Rubicon. No regrets. I laugh when the holier-than-though forum guys poo poo us for buying rock crawlers when we don’t live near rocks. Whatever. When the zombie apocalypse comes I’m ready. Get the model that excites you most.

 

[DblEGT]

The gears on the Sahara are 3.45.

Yes you can tell a difference. Especially pushing larger tires. 4.10 is a good match to the stock Rubicon tires and adequate for 35s.

The real difference is off-road, where the combination of the 4:1 transfer case and the 4.10 gears make it crawl significantly better. With the Sport or Sahara you will struggle not to stall in slow crawling. The Rubicon you can literally put it in first gear and step out of it and it will slowly crawl along.

That is not to say that the Sport or Sahara is bad. But the Rubicon is clearly better with the manual in my opinion. I have a manual Sport S.

Great info, thanks.

 

[DblEGT]

Yes. 6th gear actually gets used in a Rubicon. Obviously better for larger tires, too.

Also lets you literally crawl in 4L.

I love my 6sp Rubicon. No regrets. I laugh when the holier-than-though forum guys poo poo us for buying rock crawlers when we don’t live near rocks. Whatever. When the zombie apocalypse comes I’m ready. Get the model that excites you most.

Good point, about 6th gear. And good reminder to get what’s good for you, not the community.

 

[DanW]

Yes. 6th gear actually gets used in a Rubicon. Obviously better for larger tires, too.

Also lets you literally crawl in 4L.

I love my 6sp Rubicon. No regrets. I laugh when the holier-than-though forum guys poo poo us for buying rock crawlers when we don’t live near rocks. Whatever. When the zombie apocalypse comes I’m ready. Get the model that excites you most.

I spent Monday in mud. I can say the Rubi plays in the Midwest/Great Lakes mud every bit as well as it does in the rocks!

 

[aprez27]

Yes. 6th gear actually gets used in a Rubicon. Obviously better for larger tires, too.

Also lets you literally crawl in 4L.

I love my 6sp Rubicon. No regrets. I laugh when the holier-than-though forum guys poo poo us for buying rock crawlers when we don’t live near rocks. Whatever. When the zombie apocalypse comes I’m ready. Get the model that excites you most.

Right, what happens if you get a few "peaceful protesters" stuck under your tires? How are you supposed to keep going?

 

[Headbarcode]

Right, what happens if you get a few "peaceful protesters" stuck under your tires? How are you supposed to keep going?

Well that's why I got the alpine with noise canceling. Crank the volume a couple notches, and not hear or care exactly how long it takes for the screams to stop.

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