How much will an auto to manual swap cost?
I guess all the pro-level rock crawlers are "sackless" then. Go to something crazy like the King of the Hammers combination race/rock crawl event in Johnson Valley and see how many are running automatics. In fact, the vast majority are running automatics. The King of the Hammers race/rockcrawl vehicle I had a small part building had an automatic (AW4) transmission.autos are sackless in my opinion.
I agree, i have an auto as well, and it is nice having no worry of an extra pedal!Jerry Bransford said:If I were buying a GTO, Corvette, Nissan 350Z, Porsche, Ferrari, an old Triumph TR-6 like I used to have, or any other sportscar, I'd only buy any of them with a manual transmission. I wouldn't have one if they had an automatic.
But for a Jeep that sees really tough or extreme level trails, an automatic actually helps it perform better. Not to mention the little-known fact that the torque converter used in all automatic transmissions gives 2-3X greater low-end torque which can make the difference in getting up an obstacle or not getting up an obstacle.
My previous (stolen) '97 TJ came with a 5-speed manual transmission and it had f/r lockers together with 4.88 gearing and 35" tires. I had to winch it up the same three rock crawling obstacles (dry waterfalls) on a trail I did nearly every year. No way no how could it make it up no matter what line I tried. Few others could make it up those waterfalls either. Then I converted that TJ to an automatic, with no other changes, and it then easily made each of those three rock waterfalls with no winch needed. The only change was converting from the 5-speed to the automatic.
That 2-3X greater low-end torque from an automatic is no jive.
x2indyjeepman said:i agree, i have an auto as well, and it is nice having no worry of an extra pedal!
I don't think a 502 Ram Jet is capable of crawling. If you call 30 mph up a hill full of rocks and trees crawling.....Ibuildembig said:And all the boys down there, no way your gonna make it up cable hill with the slow and deliberate crawling method I can tell you that lol
Someone should jump on that. In fact, I'd rather have your 3-speed 32RH in my '04 Rubicon than my present 42RLE 4-speed automatic. You're removing one of the best transmissions (Ford even tried to buy the manufacturing rights to it) to have ever come out of Detroit for the NV3550, which doesn't have such a great reputation.Oh, and for you auto lovers... I'll be putting together a package deal for an auto swap with everything included (32rh tranny, tc, flexplate, shifter, cables, 231 transfer case, linkage, colling lines, oil fill tube w/ dipstick, auto computer, everything *maybe driveshafts*). I should have it packaged and ready by end of the week.