The clutch gang!

[WilhelmSR]

Add me to the Clutch Club. Had a M/T 07' JK. This was my first manual and thought myself to drive a M/T with it. Absolutely loved driving a M/T. That was the one thing I would not give up on for my JLUR. Got my JLUR in March of '21.

There is no comparison to the JK and the JL clutch and transmission. Love the JL Trans

For those unfamiliar, this is what the JK trans was like in comparison to the JL, lol.

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[omnitonic]

how's your acceleration/mpg?

Since the last time I visited this thread, I swapped to 35s. It's tolerable as a 4-speed, but it has to be causing extra wear on my clutch pulling out in such a high gear. It's sluggish to accelerate, and I have to really wind it out if I want to accelerate quickly. I lost about 6 mpg in the bargain. I can live with all of these things until I get regeared, but the sooner the better. I'm trying to get it done this month.

 

[jbcrane]

Since the last time I visited this thread, I swapped to 35s. It's tolerable as a 4-speed, but it has to be causing extra wear on my clutch pulling out in such a high gear. It's sluggish to accelerate, and I have to really wind it out if I want to accelerate quickly. I lost about 6 mpg in the bargain. I can live with all of these things until I get regeared, but the sooner the better. I'm trying to get it done this month.

Hi Michael,
Wondering how this resolved for you. Have you done the re-gear yet? If so wondering if it made a difference. I'm about to move to 34's (looking at either a light 285/75 or going a little wider like 305/70 - but am paying close attention to rotating mass weight with comments such as yours in mind. Just curious. Thanks, JBC

 

[omnitonic]

Hi Michael,
Wondering how this resolved for you. Have you done the re-gear yet? If so wondering if it made a difference. I'm about to move to 34's (looking at either a light 285/75 or going a little wider like 305/70 - but am paying close attention to rotating mass weight with comments such as yours in mind. Just curious. Thanks, JBC

I did indeed. I regeared to 4.56. I'm running 315/70R17s. My attempts to measure their actual diameter were inconsistent, so I can only offer two data points:

• The manufacturer says 34.60"
• When I calibrated the speedometer, I got the most accurate reading (compared to GPS) at a setting of 34.25".

I dropped from about 21 mpg to about 15 mpg when I bolted those on. After regearing, I am up to about 16 mpg. I took a bigger fuel economy hit than I hoped, and regearing didn't get me as much back as I hoped. Really, I'm basically in the same boat as @wibornz except he is running 37s or 40s on 5.13 gears. I can't remember exactly, but his rig is more biggerrer and more geardeded downerer than mine, but we're both getting mileage in the 15s.

Other than not really helping with gas mileage, the 4.56 gears are great. It goes zoom zoom if I want to play race car, and it runs around 2000 RPM in every gear for the speed I'm running in that gear, with lots of wiggle room. As far as the gearing and the 6MT, it drives a lot better than stock on the big shoes and the 4.56 gears.

It's a VERY satisfying vehicle to drive now. The gas mileage just sucks. Narrower tires would almost certainly help with that, as would running all terrains or street tires instead of my absurd mud luggers.

Here is a video of my Jeep in action, while I'm writing a wall of text. The video kind of sucks. I just bought a new video editing computer to address some of the technical problems I'm having producing videos. Still, it's enough to give you the idea how these wide mud luggers do on the trail:

 

[Ruby Clatterbox]

Came to this party late because I just traded my JLUD for an SUV (for the wife) and took over her '21 Willys with a manual. I absolutely loved the auto with the diesel, but the shorter 2 door with a manual feels so much more like the Jeeps I've been used to over the years. The new tranny shifts nicer than the '13 Sahara we had.

 

[Toycrusher]

I'm personally surprised at your excellent mpg stock. I went from roughly 17 mpg, stock JLUR and stock rubber to about 16-16.5 mpg on 37" KO2s (still 4.10 gears). About 25,000 miles on the bigger KO2s now and it's been consistent.

 

[beachbumm78]

I'm personally surprised at your excellent mpg stock. I went from roughly 17 mpg, stock JLUR and stock rubber to about 16-16.5 mpg on 37" KO2s (still 4.10 gears). About 25,000 miles on the bigger KO2s now and it's been consistent.

Wow I’m jealous. I went from stock JLUR with 17-18mpg to 13-14mph on 37” Cooper SST pros.

 

[Toycrusher]

Wow I’m jealous. I went from stock JLUR with 17-18mpg to 13-14mph on 37” Cooper SST pros.

To be fair, that's mostly city and back highway 60 mph. On 80mph open road my real-time mpg is 11-13

 

[beachbumm78]

To be fair, that's mostly city and back highway 60 mph. On 80mph open road my real-time mpg is 11-13

Haha ok I feel better. I mainly do highway driving (75-80) on way to work every day.

 

[Maverick909]

if i remember right with 35" tires FCA recommends 4.88 on the manual transmission. this was digussed with the XR package and the manual transmission. they gave the 8speed auto 4.56 and the manuals are to get 4.88 ratios. I am currently running 4.10's with some Milestar Patagonia's closer to 34.65" but besides that I can still run about 17-18MPG on avg at 65-75mph. i am hoping to regear some time next year into 4.88 in hopes to run 37's i know the recommended 5.13 for the manual trans and 37's but i feel that might be a bit much

 

[OllieChristopher]

I would be curious was to the age of the guys who have the manual jeeps and if they are a daily driver. I'm 60 and retired from driving tankers for over 18 years. I currently own a full size truck with manual transmission. I will never get another vehicle with a stick shift.

In bumper to bumper traffic here in Southern California it makes no sense at all.

 

[Toycrusher]

I would be curious was to the age of the guys who have the manual jeeps and if they are a daily driver. I'm 60 and retired from driving tankers for over 18 years. I currently own a full size truck with manual transmission. I will never get another vehicle with a stick shift.

In bumper to bumper traffic here in Southern California it makes no sense at all.

Not quite 40. Daily driver (well, fight wife for it, probably more often her daily driver). I can understand your dislike fighting the clutch in your GMC, but the JL clutch is so light, you don't even get any exercise value out of it, not even in heavy and slow traffic. Plus, the shifter, is pretty darn fantastic if we're being honest

 

[Maverick909]

I would be curious was to the age of the guys who have the manual jeeps and if they are a daily driver. I'm 60 and retired from driving tankers for over 18 years. I currently own a full size truck with manual transmission. I will never get another vehicle with a stick shift.

In bumper to bumper traffic here in Southern California it makes no sense at all.

I am 34 currently i also live in socal and i would daily drive my jeep with a manual without issue. But I am a lucky Bast.... and get to drive my company truck home daily. Put the wear and tear on the Pick-up i dont own LOL

 

[jim cornwell]

If I were in your shoes, I would give a really hard look into the family lol

I've had 4 Wranglers, The first an '89 YJ with 4 cyl and 5 spd. I ordered one of the first Rubicons in nov. 2002 and took delivery Jan. 2003, it had an auto and it sucked. the aT was the only thing about that Ruby I didn't like. Since they went fuel injection you never have to worry about carb flooding or starving. I've done Rocket Launcher in Moab with both aT and Mt. Altho I prefer the MT normally, in some technical rock crawling an AT is preferred. I currently own a 2021 JL with the 6 spd MT and it is smooth and a joy to drive. My wife, however, doesn't like it.

 

[jbcrane]

I would be curious was to the age of the guys who have the manual jeeps and if they are a daily driver. I'm 60 and retired from driving tankers for over 18 years. I currently own a full size truck with manual transmission. I will never get another vehicle with a stick shift.

In bumper to bumper traffic here in Southern California it makes no sense at all.

When our son was born many years ago I sold my favorite king cab pick up because its rear jump seats folded in, creating possibility of a back seat passenger's head/neck injury, snapping to the side in a collision. Broke my heart - loved that truck. Just turned 60 and am past the stage in life where others' needs aren't the main priority - and could simply get what I want. There was no question when I bought my first Jeep it would be a manual. Of the Jeeper's I know around here who have auto's, some (not all) regret not getting the stick after they drive mine. It's great though that there are such excellent options to suit everyone's preference... for now at least. Happy I bought my stick with a conventional gasoline (3.6L non e-torque) engine - while it was still an option. I think it will be one of those, 'remember when you used to be able to...' things in the (near?) future.

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