Interesting --- 119 views of this post and poll so far, and not a single vote yet!

I guess JL Wranglers with manual transmission are scarcer than I thought.

 

Having owned both, the JL trans is better than the JK was. Maybe not the clutch, but the transmission is great. (hey, first vote!)

 

I have no problems with the trans. I would have liked the 5th and 6th gear ratios to be a bit closer to the JK series. Highway driving has more gear changes now than putting it in the JK's 6th and forget.

 

From all I have read the tranny is great its the clutch the is questionable.

 

Yes. I have done some pretty gnarly hill climbs and I've never gotten any clutch heat warnings or anything and for a stock shifter it is plenty crisp and never pops out of gear. I talked to one guy who had that issue and it turned out he was doing nasty climbs in 4H. 😬 I think some people feel like shifting in to 4L will instantly put desert stripes down the side of their rig, wreck the ball joints and fill their engine bay with mud. If I'm not on a prepared road I run 4L. I will say that the clutch could have better feel, but being so light makes it an absolute pussycat to wheel from sun up to sun down. The worst thing that I can say about the stick is that it doesn't come with remote start which would be nice when it's 30 below out. Jon

 

Hey Jon, thanks for that personal assessment!

And I had to laugh out loud at this:

I think some people feel like shifting in to 4L will instantly put desert stripes down the side of their rig, wreck the ball joints and fill their engine bay with mud.

 

I have had no issues with my JL manual. I take it out around here as much as I can and have had it out to Colorado as well, planning another trip west this year with it. I use it as a DD as well and no issues or complaints.

 

You are going to google yourself to death Chugiakguy. By the time you get your Jeep you will have felt like you drove for the past 100,000 miles.

 

You know it, Oldhead, LOL!

 

Holy crap that's a lot of posts for not buying one yet! I thought I overthought things! 😆 I'm fixing to make things real easy for you.
Get a V6. The bump in fuel economy in the 4cyl is NOT worth the cost of 91 octane fuel and the cost of replacing a turbo if you keep it a long time.
The automatic is great. The manual seems pretty good too. Get whichever one you want.*
*Don't get that e-Torque crap. If you get a manual transmission you are good. Finding an automatic without it might be more difficult.
Go. Be free. Buy a Jeep. While you're young.

 

Holy crap that's a lot of posts for not buying one yet! I thought I overthought things! 😆 I'm fixing to make things real easy for you.
Get a V6. The bump in fuel economy in the 4cyl is NOT worth the cost of 91 octane fuel and the cost of replacing a turbo if you keep it a long time.
The automatic is great. The manual seems pretty good too. Get whichever one you want.*
*Don't get that e-Torque crap. If you get a manual transmission you are good. Finding an automatic without it might be more difficult.
Go. Be free. Buy a Jeep. While you're young.

Stardog, you are the first person here who has made that observation (or stated it, anyway), and you made me laugh out loud with that comment!
But you're right, and I think about it EVERY time I log in here, and see my growing post count.
Hell, I might go over 2000 at this rate before even seeing my Jeep!

On the points you raise, yes, I am getting a Willys Sport with the plain (non-e-torque) V6. With manual transmission. And with the smallest (5") screen possible. For me, less is usually more.

(But of course, that still will not stop me from adding around $10,000 in mods right out of the gate.)

 

Willy's is a great package IMO. You can go back and forth all day on options but GET THE LED GROUP. I'm 38, I'm done not being able to see at night. The adaptive cruise is something that I only got because I bought from dealer inventory but I LOVE IT. Massively reduces fatigue on road trips. Ditto the forward facing trail cam. It's nice popping over the peak of a hill and not having to wonder which way the trail goes or if I'm about to fall off of a cliff. I use it a lot.

 

Willy's is a great package IMO. You can go back and forth all day on options but GET THE LED GROUP. I'm 38, I'm done not being able to see at night.

I hear you on that one, Stardog!
I did not get the factory LED group, but I am going to put in aftermarket LED headlights, and I already have some high-intensity LED backup bulbs that are plug-and-play that are just waiting for the Jeep, with no extra resistors required.

The adaptive cruise is something that I only got because I bought from dealer inventory but I LOVE IT. Massively reduces fatigue on road trips. Ditto the forward facing trail cam. It's nice popping over the peak of a hill and not having to wonder which way the trail goes or if I'm about to fall off of a cliff. I use it a lot.

I never thought about the trail cam much, but I can totally understand wanting it --- even in my very tall pickup, I can't count the number of times going over the crest of a road or trail that I thought "I hope the road continues here!".

Cruise control is unfortunately more a theoretical benefit than an actual one here in Alaska, as there are very few driving situations in which one could use it in practice for any meaningful distance.

 

Having mine for just a few days now, I can say that I am very happy that I went with the manual. The gear shift is miles ahead of the JK. Clutch does take some getting used to, but I think I have it mastered now. I did get the adaptive cruise, have not had a chance to use it yet but I am curious as to how it will work. But 10/10 would recommend the manual.

 

Dude. The adaptive cruise is the bestestest thing EVER. Fatigue on superslab road trips cut in half.

 

(I saw what you wrote there, Aldo!)

 

Sorry, my inner-me was being an asshole.

 

Chugiakguy

I don't own a standard but I did test drive a couple when looking for a jeep for my wife (mine is a 2.0 AT).
I must say I was very impressed with the 6 cyl/manual set up. it felt great on the little driving I did and sold me on it!

i also saw a recent thread that they have discontinued the manual with the willy's (may have been on the JL other forum- i bounce between the two). I assume you made it under the wire as you have been waiting quite a while. how long has it been now? do you have your jeep yet?

 

Hey 40Caliber, thanks for that observation and feedback!

I am now 15 weeks and two days (107 days) into my order period, with no movement yet towards my Jeep being built ---- still stuck in "D" status. At this point, I am assuming nothing, not even that the Jeep will eventually be built at all.

 

So let me start by saying I am 52 years old and have been driving manual transmission vehicles since 17. I have a 2020 JLU Willys with the six speed manual and its the worst I have driven, the clutch is garbage it's to light and very easy to stall since there are two pickup points due to the dual clutch setup. First and second gear are good, the shift from second to third is to steep and 5th and 6th are so close you can just skip 5th and go direct from 4th to 6th. The Rubicon 4:10 gears helps with drivability but the Willys with 3:73 sucks on anything but flat ground. I regeared to 4:56 and it helped a lot but I should have gone to 4:88 since I am now running 35's. My daily driver is a 2006 BMW 330i with a 6 speed manual the best manual I have driven so the difference between them highlights the Jeeps deficiencies.

 

Comparing the Jeep's manual shifting on a to a BMW is absurd.

Have you tried shifting that BMW on a trail...? Yeah, didn't think so.

Wrangler's long throws and clutch engagement are a Godsend when you are crawling at 2 MPG with only a few inches of trail to spare.

 

I've stalled my JL several times more than every other manual transmission I have owned combined. Sure, the light clutch is nice in 4L. But they could have made the engagement a lot better IMO.

 

As noted, the manual is super light. First time Impressed my foot to the floor, it about went through it!
Drives fine, but yes, it is geared a bit weird. 1-2 good. 3-4 very long when entering freeways. 5-6 near unusable unless 4000 plus shifts…and I have the 4.10s! Livable, but noticeably long. When winding up the gears, say 4-5k shifts, it actually feels fine…I just hate to tax the ole girl unnecessarily.
My only concern is (and I have posted about this to almost no avail from others) is that there is a “gate“ that electronically locks you out of 2nd (but not 1, 3-6?!) when going from say R to 2 while coasting for example. I have always had a habit of using 2nd before I use 1st…grew up with old british cars with no sychros is one reason.
This rig feels odd when I try to do this. It won’t let you. Must just go straight into 1st. Hard to get used to, but apparently I am about the only one that even notices this quirk.
Troy

 

As noted, the manual is super light. First time Impressed my foot to the floor, it about went through it!
Drives fine, but yes, it is geared a bit weird. 1-2 good. 3-4 very long when entering freeways. 5-6 near unusable unless 4000 plus shifts…and I have the 4.10s! Livable, but noticeably long. When winding up the gears, say 4-5k shifts, it actually feels fine…I just hate to tax the ole girl unnecessarily.
My only concern is (and I have posted about this to almost no avail from others) is that there is a “gate“ that electronically locks you out of 2nd (but not 1, 3-6?!) when going from say R to 2 while coasting for example. I have always had a habit of using 2nd before I use 1st…grew up with old british cars with no sychros is one reason.
This rig feels odd when I try to do this. It won’t let you. Must just go straight into 1st. Hard to get used to, but apparently I am about the only one that even notices this quirk.
Troy

Good observations, and thanks Troy!

I might never notice the 'gate' that you mention from R to 2 either, except that that maneuver comes in handy when trying to rock the vehicle when stuck in snow (skipping first gear, to avoid spinning the tires unnecessarily fast). I've only ever had to do that once or twice, though, in all my driving years, well less than half of those with a manual transmission.

 

No, don't like either tranny. Both are geared to high! Wish I knew they changed the gearing. I just traded in my 09 sport (2 door) JK X for a sport JL Rubicon. Not happy with either 6 speed! With the JKs 3.21:1 differential gearing I was barely doing 2000 rpm at 70 mph in 6th. To low for the V6. The inline 6 my old 96 Cherokee had would've loved it. I did the math using the old tranny's gearing and with the standard 4.11:1 diff's of the Rubicon I should be doing 2700 rpm at 70. With the new tranny though in 6th it's still barely 2100 rpm. Still to low for hills. Who wants an off-road vehicle that can break 100 mph? I should've went for the optional 4.88:1 ring and pinion gears. Now the standard JL's come with 3.45:1 gears only. That's probably abt the same as the JK's 3.21:1 (didn't do the math).

 

Yeah, after driving my 2022 with manual transmission for a couple of months now, I agree with you. That is why I am considering having it regeared, particularly in light of upcoming towing, from the stock 3.45 to 4.56.

 

Unfortunately I don't have adaptive cruise control. So I adjust my speed on the steering wheel. And if things get crowded or risky I take control of gas and brake.

 

I put 6K miles on my sport altitude before it was totaled/murdered (long story) but my new Rubi is on it's way thanks to my insurance co and post pandemic comps. More money = more Jeep.

Shifter is fantastic, I cannot get over how smooth it is/was. Seriously it's that good IMO.
Clutch takes some getting used to but I'm coming from a 93 YJ and a 99 Dodge w/ the Cummins.
Early JL clutches had serious issues as I understand but post 20 or 21 should be resolved.
Gearing is toooo tall with the 3.45's in the sport altitude and factory 32's but I'm confident the 4.10's in the Rubi will fix that and I do plan on sticking with 33's. Says everyone untill... I know.
Reverse tops out close to 60 MPH, haha. 4.10's should help there as well.
I love the little red reverse lockout ring.
With the manual, the throttle response is awful, completely F's with my timing. Tazer mini or throttle controller will fix that.
Anti roll back feature is wonky with the horrendous throttle response, again Tazer to the rescue.
So yeah, I'm pleased with the manual.

Side note, a friend of mine has railed against manuals for years, "why would anyone want a manual when auto's have gotten so much better". I let him drive it, he was like, "this is kinda fun... no, this is really fun".

 

Thanks for those observations, lg.

It's funny, but I must be the only one with a JL who does not experience that throttle lag that everyone else talks about. Once I got used to the (light) clutch, my shifting is smooth as silk, without any hangups.

 

Hang on, can my tazer fix the throttle goofyness? It seems like it's a lot smoother offroad with offroad+ on.

 

I’m glad to see this thread revived. I had a 2013 JKUR with a 6 speed manual for several years before my adult son talked me into selling it to him. It was a great rig. I’m an OG and learned to use a manual at age 14 in my dad’s old cracker box 1960 Jeep wagon, drove a 67 VW Beetle as a college kid, and several other manuals over the years. I found that JK manual transmission to be a little tricky although I did get used to it. The position of R was problematic.

I ordered a new 2 door JL Rubicon on September 30 and just got the word that it’s in the production queue, so imagine I’ll have it in a couple months, give or take. It’s a 6 speed. I’m very much looking forward to it. I specced adaptive CC, front trail cam, steel Mopar bumpers, cold weather package (I live in MT and it was -30 degrees here yesterday), and CAI (yeah, I know, probably doesn’t accomplish much but I wanted to give it a try), and am very happy to hear that you generally like the manual, and R is now in the correct position too.

I bought a Gladiator Mojave about 1 1/2 years ago and like it a lot, will be keeping it as I need a pickup quite often, and the new Rubicon will be my run about and RV. The Gladiator is an automatic and I have to say it’s a great transmission, but I miss rowing gears after a lifetime of doing so.

 

I think you're going to love the MT, I sure do. I started on a 71' 340 4 speed MT Duster when I was 14, I'm lucky to be alive, haha. I've only owned 2 auto's not counting my wife's rigs, the MT on the JL just feels right.

 

Was a good day with weather 50°^ after the big storm and frigid temps the weeks prior.
Decided to change the oil in the driveway with the mild weather and all went well but noticed I have some tranny fluid dripping where the housing mates above the transmission mount
Maybe just a re torque needed on the housing bolts or perhaps the gasket.

Looks like I have to call the service department.
Only around 5,000 miles.

 

Was a good day with weather 50°^ after the big storm and frigid temps the weeks prior.
Decided to change the oil in the driveway with the mild weather and all went well but noticed I have some tranny fluid dripping where the housing mates above the transmission mount
Maybe just a re torque needed on the housing bolts or perhaps the gasket.

Looks like I have to call the service department.
Only around 5,000 miles.

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Okay here was the diagnosis. I must say very pleased with my local Jeep dealership that I didn’t even purchase the Rubicon from.
Lots of dealer flaming on forums but here is a 👍 from me.
Synthetic oil change, rotate the tires and diagnoses free of charge.

 

I’m a noobie to wheeling and think the manual is great - only way to go! On my 2dr JLR with 4.1 diffs, I run 35 KO2s, only get 5th on the interstate, seldom 6th. The 4.0 transfer case gets really slow crawling over technical obstacles. 3rd gear gets ~8 mph! No need for pushing buttons for ”hill descent control” either. 6 speed handles that too.

When you see a guy “stall out” on a technical climb, that is an automatic and the driver let the RPM drop below torque converter stall speed - vehicle stops! I pick the appropriate gear, slide off the clutch at idle, keep my left foot flat on the floor, and my my JLR maintains momentum and crawls up the obstacle with no drama.

A 4xE at Killington Jeep Jamboree had some E/engine trouble and went into a 1500 RPM “limp mode.” Torque converter stall speed apparently is 1800! The 4xE had to be towed off the trail and back to base.

I would REALLY like a dual clutch transmission in a 2dr JLR. All the benefits of a manual, no torque converter or complex planetary gear sets, and ~instant gear changes, should the driver wish.

I‘m very pleased with my 6 speed choice.

 

VT-Rider, I am overall satisfied with the manual transmission in my 2022 Willys Sport also, although I have been considering getting a regearing, to have the same 4.10 as you have. Mine has 3.45, which makes 5th and 6th gear essentially useless for me. Why they made the 3rd and 4th gear so tall, I will never understand.

 

After I re geared to 4.11 with 33's, reverse is much better as are all the gears. I can actually use 5th and 6th now! The only way 3.45 gears make ANY sense is if you were running something like a 28" tire .

 

I have to agree. The tranny itself is fine. 5th and 6th gears could have been a lower/closer ratio. I find myself not even using 6th until 80+ MPH. I'm always in 5th at 70 or so. Around town i'm usually in 3rd at 35 and then after 40 Ill use 4th. I will not over burden the motor. The 3.45 gears absolutely suck. I only have 32" tires. OEM 255/70/18. I will never go bigger. Jeep should have used a 3.73 standard and then an optional 3.92. Probably a compromise between the 6MT and the ZF8.

Then, 4.11/4.56 for the Rubicon. So, I'm still debating to get 3.73's or 3.92's. 4.11's will be too much I think with OEM 32" tires.

Also, I had the sh!t clutch pulled out. I'm running an ACT. WAY WAY better.