Manual Transmission - Issues shifting into 1st & Reverse (Compilation thread)

[andrei]

A food for thought:
Previously it was mentioned that JK longer slave is superior to JL shorter slave. If that is the case, one could simply use bolts/washers as spacers to mate JK slave to our transmission. If you believe that redesigned slave is the issue, give this a try and report.

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[CorvZ061]

My personal opinion is that the ACT clutch is no different than many other designs. Nothing really strange or new about the basic design. I think the extra force required to actuate the clutch is revealing weaknesses of OEM actuation system. I recall 50 years ago working on a friend's BB Chevy M22 trans/clutch and the pushrod was buckling from the extra force needed to move a McLeod clutch.

I ended up making a new pushrod for the M20 in my Chevelle out of a pushrod. cut a pushrod in half from a BBC, welded a bolt of the right size for the clevis and have plenty of adjustment and no deflection like the stock one did. when I put the TKX in that car with a McLeod RST dual disc it's still going strong. I'll do it again for this Jeep if I have to.

 

[OldGuyNewJeep]

A food for thought:
Previously it was mentioned that JK longer slave is superior to JL shorter slave. If that is the case, one could simply use bolts/washers as spacers to mate JK slave to our transmission. If you believe that redesigned slave is the issue, give this a try and report.

Isn’t that what CF did? JK slave with a metal extender.

 

[andrei]

Isn’t that what CF did? JK slave with a metal extender.

The way i understood statement, its the longer travel of JK that makes it superior/better design. Someone here explained physics behind it.

 

[BHank0688]

The way i understood statement, its the longer travel of JK that makes it superior/better design. Someone here explained physics behind it.

It was my understanding that cf used the same master and slave from the jk and added a spacer to the slave so it would work for the jl/jt.

 

[andrei]

It was my understanding that cf used the same master and slave from the jk and added a spacer to the slave so it would work for the jl/jt.

mmm well, there goes that lol

 

[OldGuyNewJeep]

mmm well, there goes that lol

Somewhere on this forum is an account of that modified JK slave breaking right at the extender/spacer.

Also accounts of the same issue described in this thread, as well as a plethora of “Chewbacca groan” complaints, though I think CF resolved that one in later revisions.

I’m not a mechanic or a mechanical engineer, and all I have to go on is 7 years dutifully reading this forum… that said, the only setup I’ve yet to read about failing is the new hydraulic throw out design from CF. (But it’s not been out, long.) It just seems to make sense, though? 100% replacement of stock hydraulics with components designed for the JL. Wimpy plastic stock slave pushing a fork (that is also a wear item) to move much bigger and heavier components seems inadequate at best.

When my mechanic installed the ACT he was very skeptical. He blew two slaves trying to get them perfectly aligned with the fork. (Ended up replacing the fork.) Told me it would eventually fail. He just recently retired… 50 years experience, so his opinion matters to me.

I was an early adopter of the ACT. Perhaps I’ll be an early adopter of this new CF. Decisions, decisions.

 

[OldGuyNewJeep]

This plug is a perfect fit. Pumped to 15 and within 15 minutes it slowly crept to 14 where it seems to have stabilized. I’ll probably just leave it alone until tomorrow and update then.

Update: the vac read 13 this morning. I just arrived at the gym which is a 15 minute drive. The pedal felt GREAT.

Realistically, I know this won’t last. That said, dry bleed process absolutely gets *some* air out and is dead simple. Maybe I’ll just start doing it every two weeks when I charge my battery.

 

[andrei]

I’m not a mechanic or a mechanical engineer, and all I have to go on is 7 years dutifully reading this forum… that said, the only setup I’ve yet to read about failing is the new hydraulic throw out design from CF. (But it’s not been out, long.) It just seems to make sense, though? 100% replacement of stock hydraulics with components designed for the JL. Wimpy plastic stock slave pushing a fork (that is also a wear item) to move much bigger and heavier components seems inadequate at best.

When my mechanic installed the ACT he was very skeptical. He blew two slaves trying to get them perfectly aligned with the fork. (Ended up replacing the fork.) Told me it would eventually fail. He just recently retired… 50 years experience, so his opinion matters to me.

I was an early adopter of the ACT. Perhaps I’ll be an early adopter of this new CF. Decisions, decisions.

You should go for it! Seems like you are at the point of having your mind made up and needing someone to give you a light push forward. I am certain that outcome will be you having the best feeling clutch any mass produced car was able to offer. Very likely you will be spoiled for rest of your life and will never go back.

I like the idea, and I would gladly try it out under different circumstances. But the way things are, for me, with consideration of negative impact if system fails, id rather not touch it. Me and my use case is not you and your use case.

(i began to type whole lot of discouraging about inevitable faith of hydraulics, but my goal is to encourage you to do it. You should see plenty years of smiles before it begins to give you troubles)

 

[SadRobot]

Update: the vac read 13 this morning. I just arrived at the gym which is a 15 minute drive. The pedal felt GREAT.

Realistically, I know this won’t last. That said, dry bleed process absolutely gets *some* air out and is dead simple. Maybe I’ll just start doing it every two weeks when I charge my battery.

That's awesome. If mine ever goes south again the first thing I'd try is the dry vac.

 

[Cutterone]

All this over something that shouldn't even be a thought. I got too annoyed with fidgeting with it and traded for an auto after 30 years of nothing but sticks and replacing it with a CF2 a few years ago. Yeah I'm soured over the whole thing!!! But don't regret going auto after driving all over Boston this past weekend, which I did previously often with the 6sp that was hesitant to go into gear as it should...

 

[K1Paddler]

Realistically, I know this won’t last. That said, dry bleed process absolutely gets *some* air out and is dead simple. Maybe I’ll just start doing it every two weeks when I charge my battery.

That's GREAT news, glad to hear you're experiencing the same as me and its not in my head.

Also, I 100% second your thought on (given the simplicity of the dry bleed) doing it every couple weeks or more. It's really that simple, zero mess, etc.

 

[roaniecowpony]

All this over something that shouldn't even be a thought. I got too annoyed with fidgeting with it and traded for an auto after 30 years of nothing but sticks and replacing it with a CF2 a few years ago. Yeah I'm soured over the whole thing!!! But don't regret going auto after driving all over Boston this past weekend, which I did previously often with the 6sp that was hesitant to go into gear as it should...

I agree with you. The factory should have never had the explosion/fire problem and the aftermarket should have gotten it right. But, it's not the first time the aftermarket has chased the actuation problems. I believe they'll get it right eventually.

I think you'll be very happy with the 850RE transmission. I am. I learned to drive in a 1946 Dodge pickup and had manual transmissions for decades, from subcompacts to V8 muscle cars that had clutches that would push you into the seat back. But I really like this 8 speed auto.

 

[Cutterone]

I agree with you. The factory should have never had the explosion/fire problem and the aftermarket should have gotten it right. But, it's not the first time the aftermarket has chased the actuation problems. I believe they'll get it right eventually.

I think you'll be very happy with the 850RE transmission. I am. I learned to drive in a 1946 Dodge pickup and had manual transmissions for decades, from subcompacts to V8 muscle cars that had clutches that would push you into the seat back. But I really like this 8 speed auto.

Yeah first auto in 30 years, still looking for a non-existent clutch and the whole put into park when I stop! Put so far, 4k miles, enjoying it. I still find my hand resting on the shifter for no reason, and I use the autostick from stops often to mimic the feel of shifting and to avoid the super quick and often annoying shift into 2nd...

 

[roaniecowpony]

Yeah first auto in 30 years, still looking for a non-existent clutch and the whole put into park when I stop! Put so far, 4k miles, enjoying it. I still find my hand resting on the shifter for no reason, and I use the autostick from stops often to mimic the feel of shifting and to avoid the super quick and often annoying shift into 2nd...

I rarely use manual mode on the street. But, off-road, I'm often in manual mode, almost always for obstacles. It will default to 2nd gear take-offs in 4Lo, so I often want M1 for the tougher stuff.

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