AW4 hard shift from 1st to 2nd

I just drained the transmission and changed out the filter in my 97 XJ. I'm still pretty new to driving with an automatic and so I don't know if this is normal.

It now has more kick to it when it shifts from 1st to 2nd than before. From 2nd to 3rd it also has more kick to it but not as much as 1st to 2nd. It does not seem to be bad but It does bother me. It used to be much more smooth.

Is this increase in kick or pop in shifting normal when putting in new fluid?

Last week I noticed that the ATF was very brown. I've done 3 changes since Monday with the filter changed on the last one.

I also adjusted the throttle cable as advised on Gojeep and other post.

Hard to say without driving the vehicle. Sounds pretty normal, maybe you cleared some gunk out of the valve body.

What kind of fluid did you use in it?

Problem solved!!! I pulled the throttle cable conduit a few more clicks by hand and no more hard shifting. I was worried that it could have been worse.

I used Valvoline DexronIII/Mercon, with a Napa filter.

My 96' shifts 1-2 like a mule kickin' me in the ***. Its even worse with my new 4.10's and 30" tires! But I kinda like it! Actually all 4 of my AW4 XJ's shift hard 1-2 at times.