[st0rmtr00per]

I have recently noticed while driving my jeep around town, that its tending to not want to stay in 2nd gear. Its kind of rare when it happens but as soon as I put the gear under load it pops out with a pretty loud clank. Jeep has stock tires, lift. Anyone else have this problem.

ALSO on a side note for the 6 speed manual trannys out there. Is anyone else as frustrated as I am about 1st gear being way to long. Lacks power unless your going over 5 mph. Who creeps through the woods and craws over logs at break neck speeds. This is my first jeep. Are jeeps just made to power through everything fast? Or did I get myself by getting the manual gearbox. Its really frustrating for me having to burn my clutch up just trying to creep over a log or craw through some mud without spinning my wheels cause first gear wants to go 10 mph.

 

[Blastek]

the jump out of gear problem is for 2007-early 2012s. it's just the shifter boot. there's a TSB for it so take it in to the dealer and they'll fix it.

as for the crawl speed in 1st, i find mine pretty slow, but i have 3.73s. if you want to crawl, you should be in 4-low! that's what it's for...

 

[st0rmtr00per]

I have the stock 3.13, maybe that is my problem. But like when 4 wheel low isnt needed and just creepin down the route, its hard to go as fast as 1st gear wants you to go..esp during tight times between trees and or narrow passways. I catch myself having to feather the clutch the whole time.

 

[Flyin Crispy]

1st gear is pretty tall for what it is. I'm having trouble getting used to it compared to my old truck but I guess that is the result of EPA and the current standards. Obviously they think Jeeps should be able to do 88 mph on the hwy. at 25 mph. I'm re-gearing to 4.56's just because I feel like I'm laboring the crap outta the engine on the trails in 2wd, 4 high is a joke, and 4 low just is overkill in certain areas, and that is with the stock 32's, (31.5" but I'm also going up to 33's). It is unfortunate, but with some models of jeeps you have to spend some cash to get it back to the state in which it was intended to be used.

 

[mtruckstuff]

1st gear is pretty tall for what it is. I'm having trouble getting used to it compared to my old truck but I guess that is the result of EPA and the current standards. Obviously they think Jeeps should be able to do 88 mph on the hwy. at 25 mph. I'm re-gearing to 4.56's just because I feel like I'm laboring the crap outta the engine on the trails in 2wd, 4 high is a joke, and 4 low just is overkill in certain areas, and that is with the stock 32's, (31.5" but I'm also going up to 33's). It is unfortunate, but with some models of jeeps you have to spend some cash to get it back to the state in which it was intended to be used.

4.46 in first gear is pretty low compared to most manual trannies. It doesn't sound as if you are doing wheeling that's that challenging. Sounds as if the range and gear you've chosen is too high and lugs the motor. You definitely do not want to do that.

Nothing says you have to even use 1st gear in low range. Try 2nd or 3rd and see if more RPM's make you feel more comfortable. 6th gear/low range will give you about 40 MPH at 3500 RPM's

If you regear to 4.56's and run 33's you'll sacrifice gas mileage and the Jeep will always feel as if it needs a 7th gear on the highway. However the 3.8 (you didn't say if you have a 3.6) likes higher engine speed and it should be fine.

It takes a while to get used to using 4WD and understand what it does. Overall, the stock Wrangler does exceptionally well in most off-road situations for a production vehicle. And the EPA has nothing to do with that, at all. Thank them for Can-Bus and throttle by wire.

The real beauty of any Jeep is the versatility to make it into exactly what you think it should be. In spite of AC, TC, ESA, Roll Mitigation, ABS and power windows, there IS no other vehicle that compares at ANY price.

Enjoy!!

 

[st0rmtr00per]

Can you change just 1 gear. 99 percent of my 6 miles of trail i cant get over 5 mph. only gear i wanna change it the 1st. I have a 2012. 3.6 motor

 

[Blastek]

Can you change just 1 gear. 99 percent of my 6 miles of trail i cant get over 5 mph. only gear i wanna change it the 1st. I have a 2012. 3.6 motor

sounds like you want 2-low on the transfer case so you can have the low range gearing, but still with the ability to turn tight corners with ease. don't worry, you can buy one and they're not that bad to install, so i hear.

 

[Flyin Crispy]

Well, I can definately understand where you are coming from, but for myself, I don't necessarily agree. For me, I agree with the thread-starter that 1st gear just feels way too tall. I 4x'd 13 years in a Tacoma, and on a lot of the trails that I would do in 2wd, or even 4 high, I'm having to get way down into 4 low in the Jeep, or really over-rev and feather the heck out of the clutch. For myself, re-gearing is better suited for my style. I don't need to do 80 mph in something that was aerodynamically modeled after a refridgerator box.

 

[st0rmtr00per]

Ok, so here is an update. I decided to make a couple of new trails on my property to test the jeeps ability. I have 6.5 acres in dale city. so why not. I strictly was using 4 wheel low, and I am much happier with the crawling speed of it. What are the downside of using 4 wheel low on the regular for off roading. I have always been a ( only use 4 wheel drive when 2 wheel gets ya stuck) kinda driver.

 

[Off Pavement]

There is little downside of using 4 low over 4 high other than the top speed you can run in each gear. The other piece of that is that you can't shift from 4 low into 4 high without stopping. On my Jeep, the transfer cases whines some in 4 low, but that is to be expected.

If you are feathering your clutch to go slow off road at 10MPH, you should be in 4 low. If the trail permits, I will start in 3rd gear in 4 low as long as I don't have to feather the clutch. As mentioned above, you get get up to perhaps 40 MPH in low range anyway. It doesn't hurt to stop, shift into 4 low to clear the obsticle, then go back to 4 high. I'd never drive in 4 high until I got stuck... I'd get stuck a lot if I drove that way.

 

[Silverton34]

Just keep using 4lo, that's what it's for.