Who wheels a manual?

[alittleoff]

Manual for me

'03 TJ, NV3550, Atlas 5.1 to 1, 4.88 and 35" MTR's = 98 to 1 crawl.
In 2 wheel low, foot on the brake, let the clutch out and the front tires skid. I love it.
As far the clutch, to override it, I installed a blade fuse (don't remember the slot #) to complete the circuit. I don't know about other years though.

Steve

Self edit.... based on other posts, I really don't remember if I installed or removed a fuse, but it was one of the best cheapo mods I have done.

[Britain]

4.88's + atlas 4 speed, can walk away take a wizz and get back in the junk without it moving very far....

[Dezertdog]

Sorry, I'm not trying to insult you, but that's some misinformation.

3.07 and open differentials will not get you where 100 to 1 and lockers will. Going slow, letting your tires find traction and picking your way through the rocks will get you further, safer and with less damage.

And you never want to free wheel "down a steep decent". If you stall while going down hill, then you're not geared low enough. If you do stall going down something steep, leave the clutch out and hit the starter. If your starter won't engage with the clutch out, fix it so it does.

AGREED! But it a lot of fun tryin'!
ALso agree with avjeepfreak. learn your rig.(you listening Ron)I have had my Jeep through some pretty rough stuff. (albeit, not the HAMMERS) but Pumpkin Eater (had to be winched up the waterfall) Bullfrog twice on 32's, gold mtn. etc.
Bought it new in '05 and never smell the clutch. Still stock clutch.
Mine is just a matter of pullin a fuse to overide the clutch. Don't know bout yours though.

That's all

Scott

[Guest]

AGREED! But it a lot of fun tryin'!
ALso agree with avjeepfreak. learn your rig.(you listening Ron)I have had my Jeep through some pretty rough stuff. (albeit, not the HAMMERS) but Pumpkin Eater (had to be winched up the waterfall) Bullfrog twice on 32's, gold mtn. etc.
Bought it new in '05 and never smell the clutch. Still stock clutch.
Mine is just a matter of pullin a fuse to overide the clutch. Don't know bout yours though.

That's all

Scott

Is there an echo in here? :bonk:

I am like batman, I like the little toys "just incase"

[The-Hurricane]

see if ya'll would just mudbog like regular 4wheelers you wouldnt even think about automatics...standard all the way up here

[NikVallens]

There is a guy in the paper (I don't know him) who does them for $275 an axle! Not bad.
http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/pts/1333118039.html

I've wheeled with Robert and he's done all my gear work. He does awesome work and is great to deal with.

[OU812]

Thats a deal. You can hardly get the parts for $200.

[Guest]

I've wheeled with Robert and he's done all my gear work. He does awesome work and is great to deal with.

I sent him an email a few days ago with some questions. Never returned the email though. Good to hear. Maybe Ill try again soon.

[Jerry Bransford]

AGREED! But it a lot of fun tryin'!
ALso agree with avjeepfreak. learn your rig.(you listening Ron)I have had my Jeep through some pretty rough stuff. (albeit, not the HAMMERS) but Pumpkin Eater (had to be winched up the waterfall) Bullfrog twice on 32's, gold mtn. etc.
Bought it new in '05 and never smell the clutch. Still stock clutch.
Mine is just a matter of pullin a fuse to overide the clutch. Don't know bout yours though.

That's all

Scott

I'm one who has had both transmission types in my '97 TJ, it started life with a 5-speed and I converted it to an automatic two years ago.

It has done the Hammers with both transmissions and trust me, it does 1000% better with the automatic. Better low-end torque (yes, the auto's torque converter gives 2-3X greater low end torque) makes tough climbs even easier and gives significantly greater control... really.

And to give you a comparison you can relate to directly, I have done Pumpkin Eater at least five times and when I had the 5-speed with 4.88 gearing and 35" tires, I always had to be winched up the same three waterfalls. But the last two years with the automatic, I no longer needed to be winched up those same waterfalls. They're so much easier with the auto's greater torque that I almost felt like I was cheating the first time I made it up without needing to be winched. No other changes to my rig, just the switch from the 5-speed AX-15 to my present 32RH automatic.

Three years needing to be winched up Pumpkin Eater's waterfalls with my 5-speed manual & 4.88 gearing with 35" tires, two years without any winching since converting to the automatic with the same 4.88 gearing and 35" tires. Pretty good apples-to-apples proof right there.

If someone says it's simply because I didn't know how to drive a stick, I had 167,000 hard miles on the 5-speed in the TJ before converting to the automatic, and over 40 years of driving sticks before that. I learned how to drive sticks in the early sixties.

For sports cars, I wouldn't even consider an automatic... manual transmission all the way. But for hard-core offroading, it's an automatic all the way for me. And take a look at what the pro-competitors now run in the rock crawling championships... automatics. About the only offroading I would likely prefer a stick would be deep mud or deep snow... but that's it.

[curtis]

Jerry what were the things you had to change to make the switch?

[Jerry Bransford]

Jerry what were the things you had to change to make the switch?

Swapped out the flywheel for a flex plate, shifter, and install an extended output shaft seal onto the 32RH to prevent ATF leakage since my t-case was set up for a 5-speed... not much more than that. No fabrication is needed for a straight tranny conversion at all. The 32RH is a pretty easy swap for a 2002 and older TJ. The OE style radiator is ready for an automatic tranny too.

[curtis]

Shift down linkage and computer? And best place to find parts.

[Jerry Bransford]

Shift down linkage and computer? And best place to find parts.

Oops yes, it needed the automatic style computer too to control the lockup torque converter. There are lots of small misc. parts, I was lucky and bought my used 32RH from a guy who had nearly all the parts I needed in one box.

[2blk2drs]

do you automatic guys typically have a switch wired in to facilitate compression braking?

[Jerry Bransford]

do you automatic guys typically have a switch wired in to facilitate compression braking?

You don't lose compression braking by going to an automatic. If I need compression braking, I shift into 2nd or into Low. I don't have quite as much compression braking as when I had the 5-speed but it still works fine for steep descents like Heart Attack Hill I did again a few months ago.