Manual vs. Automatic

[Kris K]

I just put a 6.5 t-case in my samurai and i have the 5 speed it's WAY low. it just idles up stuff and i'm in control. i have the stock 3.73 gears in the diffs. I had the same problem as you i didn't feel in control and had to play the clutch to much and that was with the 4.1 t-case so i just got lower gears and it's all fixed. BUt i think i'm going to start breaking the sami stuff i broke a rear axle shaft last week. but when i get an axle swap maybe toy axles with 4.10 gears in the axles my crawl ratio will be 97-1 right now with stock gears i'm 88-1. but i mit put in some 4.88 and go to 120-1. i say keep the manual and get lower gears.

 

[pokeyYJ]

Originally posted by sukaB
Pokey atlas is spendy at 2000 but a 4to 1 is less 1000 which one would you like.
That's what I would do first
a stickshift,four cyl,and 4 to1 go together like a hobo and ham sandwich..

I probably would go with the 4 to 1 because I don't have 2K to throw at my YJ.

Spence, I too have 4.56's but with the 4 popper I don't have the torque down low to crawl over the stuff.

 

[spencurai]

Originally posted by pokeyYJ


I probably would go with the 4 to 1 because I don't have 2K to throw at my YJ.

Spence, I too have 4.56's but with the 4 popper I don't have the torque down low to crawl over the stuff.

ya....the straight 6 tractor motor is a great crawler...time for 5.88s then right?

 

[troutbum]

I have an auto rev manual valve body with compression braking I am 64:1'ish and I love it.

slush boxs are not maintenance free, you got to be really aware of heat and when they sh!t the bed it sucks...water also sucks...but it is worth it to me in the long run

 

[James K]

Originally posted by Shawn



I have all the control I need. I wanted an auto until I installed the 4:1 gears. Now I run 122:1 and can climb straight up a wall with out touching the gas.

I love it


There is just something about Krawling that just gets ya..

manual. thats my vote. I have7.05x4.1x4.56=128to1 crawls well the driver just sucks

 

[redrock]

i have an auto. my dad bought a sister to my jeep just for the auto. and he also has a CJ-5 that he just bought a waggy for the auto to put in his CJ-5. but nobody can tell you what to put in your jeep it is all how you want to drive. my buddy just put a auto in his 70's bronco that thing before he put it in would walk up a straight wall like shawn rig, but now he has a auto he could not be happier and still performs the same. to me you either have a slow and steady or a little jerky depending on gearing, just my 2 cent just enjoy

 

[tweakeyjeep]

Originally posted by RockMonkey
I think for rockcrawling auto transmissions are better. If you say it takes the challenge out of it than you are not driving difficult enough terrain. To drive the most difficult terrain I want every possible advantage, and an automatic transmission is one of those advantages. Mike, if your bro's tranny is shifting through the gears while it's in first there is something very wrong with it. I use my engine for compression braking with my tranny going down hills, works great. Of course, I'm not running stock gears in the axles or the t-case. With all this said, I think you should stick with a manual, and lower t-case gears, and lower axle gears with your 4 cylinder. I think an automatic may just rob too much power.

Automatics RULE!

Well his Auto is kinda different to say...

it is set up like this...

P
R
N
D
3
21

So... Gears 2 and 1 are in the same spot, you can't downshift into either just 1 or just 2... So, when he puts it down into 1 and tries to just use the compression it shifts into 2nd... Sorry I didn't clarify that.

Now if he had a 4-1 kit in the T-Case and lower gears in the diffs, yeah it would make all the difference in the world...

What I'm trying to say is that if your rig is set up for an automatic with lower gears and lower t-case gears it would work awesome!

My YJ will outcrawl his XJ and we have same engine, tire size, gear ratio, etc... Only difference is the auto and the manual.

Sorry to blab on!

 

[sukaB]

Sweet, show some mad XJ tranny flex!!!!

 

[RockMonkey]

Hmm... Sounds like the XJ's shifter is set up to not allow you to shift into the lowest gear. I wonder if you swapped in a B&M shifter if you would find a new setting that would allow you to keep it in first?

 

[Caleb]

Originally posted by RockMonkey
Hmm... Sounds like the XJ's shifter is set up to not allow you to shift into the lowest gear. I wonder if you swapped in a B&M shifter if you would find a new setting that would allow you to keep it in first?

I dont think you would, I think its all in the Valve Body...

 

[spiderman]

I just think that it's nice to learn to wheel in a manual. I have wheeled with a lot of guys that learned and swear by automatics, and they hop into a manual, and they can't wheel for sh!t. If you learned in a manual, and you hop into an auto, you can wheel it. (for the most part). My project rig has an auto, just because, no reason. (except the the engine I got came with it.) If I am unhappy with it, I have a bellhousing and flywheel, all I have to do is find a manual tranny, and throw that in. I go for neither is better, both have drawbacks, but i tend to prefer manuals. And you shouldn't have to think about operating the clutch, it should be automatic. In many situations you don't have time to think!

 

[Hickey]

get the 4-1 and the torque plate from tri-county gear.

 

[mbryson]

Originally posted by RockMonkey
Hmm... Sounds like the XJ's shifter is set up to not allow you to shift into the lowest gear. I wonder if you swapped in a B&M shifter if you would find a new setting that would allow you to keep it in first?

Known problem....{arrrggghh}...very annoying. Known solution......cost $12 or less and some time.........{that said, I still haven't done it---the tranny will stay in first gear IF you come to a complete stop, put the shifter in 1-2, and crawl down whatever it is you need to crawl down}


The AW4 is controlled by a 'puter underneath the glove box. You just need to run a switch to have some control. Search NAXJA for more details.




NOW---to weigh in on the subject at hand............Auto's are way easier to drive and you can 'stall' safely on a hill or climb without doing a tap dance to get the rig going again. On STEEP decents, I would prefer a manual, but have gotten away with the above procedure and don't feel like I've lost a lot of control.

There is something to be said for the artistic driver that can crawl his manual trans wherever he wants to go......hat's off to that guy {not for long, 'cuz I'll get a sunburn}......because it's kind of the 'right' way IMHO. Artistic driver being the type that will come up on your XJ in Moab and wonder how you got the station wagon out there, stay with you for a couple of obstacles to ensure he's not leaving you out there, and then give you a driving lesson on an obstacle that you think REQUIRES 35"or greater tires that he does with a CJ-5 on 32s. To me that person is a 4WD artist. Very knowledgeable of HIS vehicle, it's capabilities and knows just how to control his rig.

 

[Moon]

I agree with the XJ artist the samies and the cj5s have balls and mad skill to get those death traps with manuals were they go but everyone knows to go were no one else can go you'll need and auto on top of a great set up
And all you all that say that is lazy to have and auto are just tying to hard to be satisfied with their set up. for real
their are times that the manual is the way to go. Like most rigs that are garage built and are done a very tight budget their lighter and you can get them cheep with mad low first or (low gear) dont rob as much power for the lower torque/power engines they get better gas milage and at time in my auto I wish I had a hand throttle or the ability to take my foot off the gas and still move forward up a hill or over an obstacle but ther are ways to have it all and that isnt avaible in a manual sorry

 

[tweakeyjeep]

This was a good topic... I learned a lot from it.

 

[OCNORB]

For competition auto all the way-- but for all around reliabilty the manual wins hands down. When an auto dies you are DONE. When a manual gives you problems, 75% (or better) of the time you can still drive it home. (even if you shouldn't)

I miss the auto at the dunes, but everywhere else the NV4500 rules. The gearing is low enough that I never use the clutch crawling- I can brake with the left foot and gas with the right, stopping is handled by shutting off the key. It is about as 'automatic' as it gets.

 

[N-Smooth]

i agree with mbryso completely... if your rig has a manual and you take it wherever you want, that just makes you that much better of a driver. in the end it is preference, but power to the manuals! besides that, i have a manual so i have to fight for the survival of my kind, and you can always use the ebrake on hill-stalls, oh crap i just realized i don't have an ebrake yet!

-nate

p.s. i drove my uncles yj on cliffhanger, it is an auto with 4to1, 4.10s and 33" swampers... it just seemed like point and shoot, not as much fun as a manual imho

 

[RockMonkey]

Yup, and that's why you don't see the guys with autos on Cliffhanger , they're all over on Upper Proving Grounds and Upper Helldorado. For me the auto makes me more competitive, and makes trails more enjoyable.