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

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SadRobot

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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 also have no regrets now driving an auto after 26 years of manuals. It's just so less stressful driving around town now. No longer worried if it's going to lock up or shift weird while I'm stuck in 2 hours of traffic.
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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.
Having both in my garage I can wholeheartedly say that is one of the best automatic transmissions I have ever driven. I do have issues not putting my wife's in park before turning it off, but other than that I like it.
 

azjl#3

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..... 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...
That, all the time. Wife looks at me funny, I say, you never know.


Does jeep have hill braking when clutch pushed in? Still miss the 335 6 speed
 

andrei

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Installed new pressure plate and disk today, two completely different clutches between now and what i had. New one is almost, or just as light as OEM, everything else is the same.
Dry moly lube was a pain to remove, and surely was a mistake. Initially it felt fine during test fit, but turned to hard rubber like, similar to what electronics are covered with.

So overall, i have experienced 3 ACT clutches:
1. Mine original, a heavy and full of resistance, similar to brake pedal pumped several times.
2. Another Jeep, smooth 2 stage, orgasmic feel.
3. Mine current, nearly identical to OEM.

Now i can only guess what you all have.
 
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SadRobot

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That, all the time. Wife looks at me funny, I say, you never know.


Does jeep have hill braking when clutch pushed in? Still miss the 335 6 speed
It does have hill assist but I'd say mine is 50/50 on whether it works or not so I never depend on it.
 

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Installed new pressure plate and disk today, two completely different clutches between now and what i had. New one is almost, or just as light as OEM, everything else is the same.
Dry moly lube was a pain to remove, and surely was a mistake. Initially it felt fine during test fit, but turned to hard rubber like, similar to what electronics are covered with.

So overall, i have experienced 3 ACT clutches:
1. Mine original, a heavy and full of resistance, similar to brake pedal pumped several times.
2. Another Jeep, smooth 2 stage, orgasmic feel.
3. Mine current, nearly identical to OEM.

Now i can only guess what you all have.
Were all pressure plates and discs installed using the same grease on the splines and throw out bearing?
 

andrei

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Were all pressure plates and discs installed using the same grease on the splines and throw out bearing?
All the same

For sake of not wasting time - I will not engage in talks about the type of magical grease or mystical bubbles in the hydraulics. In my opinions that is not the issue or the main issue, any further entertainment of it derails away from answers. These two are easily quantifiable things, properties of each easily replicated by others and put to an end in less than 2 pages of conversations.

Questions about grease from my post #705 on page 47 still stand. Anyone is welcome to pick at it, instead of yapping around it like one already did.

Just from my experience I see consistency of pressure plates being all over the place, you still think of grease. Lets agree to disagree.
 

BHank0688

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All the same

For sake of not wasting time - I will not engage in talks about the type of magical grease or mystical bubbles in the hydraulics. In my opinions that is not the issue or the main issue, any further entertainment of it derails away from answers. These two are easily quantifiable things, properties of each easily replicated by others and put to an end in less than 2 pages of conversations.

Questions about grease from my post #705 on page 47 still stand. Anyone is welcome to pick at it, instead of yapping around it like one already did.

Just from my experience I see consistency of pressure plates being all over the place, you still think of grease. Lets agree to disagree.
That’s fine, I still think it is important that when comparing things everything is done exactly the same. Otherwise a comparison isn’t really accurate.
 

OldGuyNewJeep

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All the same

For sake of not wasting time - I will not engage in talks about the type of magical grease or mystical bubbles in the hydraulics. In my opinions that is not the issue or the main issue, any further entertainment of it derails away from answers. These two are easily quantifiable things, properties of each easily replicated by others and put to an end in less than 2 pages of conversations.

Questions about grease from my post #705 on page 47 still stand. Anyone is welcome to pick at it, instead of yapping around it like one already did.

Just from my experience I see consistency of pressure plates being all over the place, you still think of grease. Lets agree to disagree.
Interesting outcome. Let’s see how it feels in 10,000 miles. Mine was glorious for two years, and now I’m at my wits end.

It literally changes with the weather. On hot and humid days it’s terrible.

I can drive to the store and everything feels great. Park in the sun. Ride home it’s awful.
 

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BHank0688

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All the same

For sake of not wasting time - I will not engage in talks about the type of magical grease or mystical bubbles in the hydraulics. In my opinions that is not the issue or the main issue, any further entertainment of it derails away from answers. These two are easily quantifiable things, properties of each easily replicated by others and put to an end in less than 2 pages of conversations.

Questions about grease from my post #705 on page 47 still stand. Anyone is welcome to pick at it, instead of yapping around it like one already did.

Just from my experience I see consistency of pressure plates being all over the place, you still think of grease. Lets agree to disagree.
I have to be honest. To me, your negative mentally to any questions isn’t helpful at all. I’ve stated before somewhere in the last 50 whatever pages that I am just thinking / typing / posting out loud hoping to spark some meaningful conversation and maybe one day coming to a solution. No where in questioning did i mention a magical grease (we all know what act uses at this point). I’ve actually had air in my hydraulics that I can’t explain. You yourself said you tried dry lube and it as a bad move. You also asked about using cf slave and master without knowing it was just a jk setup with an extension on the slave. So please stop being a barrier to a solution.
 

roaniecowpony

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Interesting outcome. Let’s see how it feels in 10,000 miles. Mine was glorious for two years, and now I’m at my wits end.

It literally changes with the weather. On hot and humid days it’s terrible.

I can drive to the store and everything feels great. Park in the sun. Ride home it’s awful.
When that plastic throwout bearing is addressed, I think you'll see those variable symptoms go away.
 

OldGuyNewJeep

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Pulled the trigger on CFII with hydraulic throw-out. Found a shop owner/tech (one man operation) nearby that does a lot of Centerforce installs. He’s familiar with the JL.

Fingers crossed. I hate banking on a mechanic I’ve never used, but my guy retired. I did meet him in person and had a long conversation. He seems knowledgeable, and his reviews are stellar. He was finishing putting a CF in a Mustang when I arrived. Has one in his personal Challenger. Found him via another popular (big) shop who very honestly said, “Go see Todd down the road. We send him all of our transmission and engine swap work.”

I just can’t see paying to have transmission dropped, input shaft cleaned, maybe replacing plastic throw-out, and then just hoping the ACT would be normal for another two years before doing it all again. Not much more labor cost to put in a better solution.

Breaking point was on Monday. Started Jeep in garage while it was in reverse. I’ve done that every day for 7 years. This time it lurched and started moving with the pedal buried in the floor. Clutch no longer disengaging fully. Did a vacuum bleed and it was better the next day, but I’m over it.

I’ll report back with results in a couple of weeks.
 

mudpup

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Pulled the trigger on CFII with hydraulic throw-out. Found a shop owner/tech (one man operation) nearby that does a lot of Centerforce installs. He’s familiar with the JL.

Fingers crossed. I hate banking on a mechanic I’ve never used, but my guy retired. I did meet him in person and had a long conversation. He seems knowledgeable, and his reviews are stellar. He was finishing putting a CF in a Mustang when I arrived. Has one in his personal Challenger. Found him via another popular (big) shop who very honestly said, “Go see Todd down the road. We send him all of our transmission and engine swap work.”

I just can’t see paying to have transmission dropped, input shaft cleaned, maybe replacing plastic throw-out, and then just hoping the ACT would be normal for another two years before doing it all again. Not much more labor cost to put in a better solution.

Breaking point was on Monday. Started Jeep in garage while it was in reverse. I’ve done that every day for 7 years. This time it lurched and started moving with the pedal buried in the floor. Clutch no longer disengaging fully. Did a vacuum bleed and it was better the next day, but I’m over it.

I’ll report back with results in a couple of weeks.
Good move and welcome back from the darkside as life is too short.
Over 2 years now and the CF II has been flawless. 14k miles.
I don’t have hydraulic tb but would have gotten it if offered back then.

Corrosion bubbles are another story.. 🙄

Jeep Wrangler JL Manual Transmission - Issues shifting into 1st & Reverse (Compilation thread) IMG_5765
 

OldGuyNewJeep

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Good move and welcome back from the darkside as life is too short.
Over 2 years now and the CF II has been flawless. 14k miles.
I don’t have hydraulic tb but would have gotten it if offered back then.

Corrosion bubbles are another story.. 🙄

IMG_5765.webp
Happy to hear that! This is the kit I ordered:

https://www.centerforce.com/i-30500...ne-fits-jeep-gladiator-and-wrangler-3-6l.html

This kit further utilizes the Centerforce Internal Hydraulic Bearing Upgrade. The factory Jeep hydraulics package has a vague clutch pedal feel that many enthusiasts dislike, where there's not much pedal feedback as the clutch is engaged and disengaged. Our internal Hydraulic Bearing Upgrade simplifies the clutch actuation system by replacing the external slave, clutch fork, pivot ball, throwout bearing, and bearing collar with a simplified hydraulic concentric bearing that acts as the throwout bearing and slave all in one compact package. This kit provides a more traditional pedal feel that Jeep enthusiasts are accustomed to along with eliminating potential sources of rattles, especially as the vehicle ages.
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