Automatic VS Standard

[DaffyXJ]

Yup, I vary rarely stall at 55:1 and it is almost impossible to stall at 141:1. I vote manual.

141:1 Why oh Why would anyone ever want to go that low?!!! :compwork:

hahahaha :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

 

[BRIANHO13]

141:1 Why oh Why would anyone ever want to go that low?!!! :compwork:

hahahaha :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

So I can get out of the jeep, leave it in gear and spot myself illegalflipoff.

 

[DaffyXJ]

So I can get out of the jeep, leave it in gear and spot myself illegalflipoff.

Perhaps you recall the discussions after I installed the 4 speed atlas?

It takes me me over 20 minutes to go 500 feet to the mailbox.:shiver:

 

[BRIANHO13]

Perhaps you recall the discussions after I installed the 4 speed atlas?

It takes me me over 20 minutes to go 500 feet to the mailbox.:shiver:

put it in another gear and enjoy it.

 

[woodbutcher]

what year and what vehicles does the NV4500 come in and I am assuming that it is an automatic?
Sean

 

[CanMan]

what year and what vehicles does the NV4500 come in and I am assuming that it is an automatic?
Sean

From 3/4 and 1 ton's. Dodge and GM. From 92 on. 5 spd, with a 6.3:1(The GM versions, cetian years) first, and a 27% OD.

Lots of good info here. http://www.offroaders.com/directory/products/NV4500.htm

 

[Goatman]

Like most things, it depends on what type of wheeling you do, and mostly personal preference. For rock crawling a stick can work nicely if the gears are low enough, but they need to be real low (t-case and rear end), while an auto works well without needing such low gears. You can't even think about doing serious rock crawling with a stick if you don't have low t-case gears as well as low rear end gears.

I prefer an auto, as do most rock crawlers. Nearly all comp rigs are autos. I wheel with a number of friends who had sticks and swore by them, but then ended up with a rig with an auto, and now they'll never go back to the stick. I also have plenty of friends who wheel hard and swapped out there sticks for autos.

You'll find those who are happy with manuals, but the vast majority prefer autos.

 

[unrealtrip]

You can't even think about doing serious rock crawling with a stick if you don't have low t-case gears as well as low rear end gears

Um... no.

My YJ has 4.56, 35"s, np231 stock gears, ax-15 stock gears, open front, detroit rear. Hammers, Shredder, et al- I've done many runs that require a front locker and didn't take a strap. edit: I guess it also depends on what you would call serious rock crawling (ARCA, CRCA, etc)

90% driver, 10% equipment. Just my 2 cents.

Though I've mellowed a lot, the whole 'core crawling thing doesn't have much appeal to me these days. Maybe I'm getting old... ugh.

 

[jrowell]

I guess it also depends on what you would call serious rock crawling


Follow Goatman around for a day... you WILL know what serious rockcrawling is!

 

[unrealtrip]

I guess it also depends on what you would call serious rock crawling

Follow Goatman around for a day... you WILL know what serious rockcrawling is!

He's one of those cats that drives up the entrance to Panimant isn't he. LOL

 

[vetteboy]

what year and what vehicles does the NV4500 come in and I am assuming that it is an automatic?
Sean

CanMan has it right - manual 5-speed. First gear in mine is 5.61:1 which is the much-more-common ratio but the 6.3:1 gears can be found and swapped in if desired.

It's a pig of a trans - 195 lbs dry w/o t-case attached. Here's how mine started life...

from a '94 Dodge Cummins 3500.

 

[BrettM]

Sounds like a lot of folks here that are complaining about stick shift things offroad (burning clutches, stalling, etc) have never driven a properly geared rig.

I agree, but I'd also say it sounds like you've never driven a properly geared, auto equipped rig. I'll second Goatman's post, although some rock-crawlers prefer a stick, the vast majority find an auto to make for a more capable rig.

 

[old_man]

I find I break a lot fewer axles with the auto. I grew up with and drove sticks for 40+ years so I have a bit of experience. I miss the compression breaking of the stick, but you can fix that with an auto.

 

[MudDawg]

I have never met Richard (Goatman)...but I saw a pic with his rig perched on an outcropping on some serious looking stuff....I swear I think he must have planted it there with a helicopter!!!! Either that or "Goatman" is a seriously good name...:greensmok

 

[vetteboy]

I agree, but I'd also say it sounds like you've never driven a properly geared, auto equipped rig. I'll second Goatman's post, although some rock-crawlers prefer a stick, the vast majority find an auto to make for a more capable rig.

The couple that I've had significant wheeltime in were all on 33-35" tires, with a crawl ratio of between 28:1 and 52:1 (not including any torque converter factors). In the first case I felt like I had to goose it more often than I liked to get it up and over things, in the second case it was fine while rolling (but a stick is too, for that matter) but I felt like I had to crush the brake or play games going between N and D. With a higher stall converter I think the second one would have been a better experience. What's your recommendation for gearing then?

I think one thing I like about the manual is being able to decouple the drivetrain from the motor without needing to move my hands from the steering wheel.

 

[seanyb505]

I prefer manual and have had it on all my cars. Auto is not as entertaining, and in my opinion allows the driver to pay less attention to driving. It also seems to me that standard repairs are less drastic(cost) than repairs to an auto.

 

[MPETESS10]

I havent really had much oppurtunity to wheel my 5 spd Xj yet
so far its all been limited to trails in the woods that I pretty much could handle in 2wd but used 4wd just for the gearing so I cant really comment on how I like the 5spd in the rough stuff yet
overall I havent really had much luck with auto equipped vehicles
in fact the only decent one is my 99 neon and it is loosely based on the old mopar tranny 727 if I remember correctly so it can handle a bit of abuse as long as you keep the bands adjusted properly all the rest of the auto's I have owned have given my problems
but then again I have never owned one since new either so I cant tell you how they were maintained before me owning them and lack of maintenance is more of a problem in auto's

I also agree with the post above mine that repairs are generally cheaper when something breaks with a manual and usually you get better fuel economy with an auto

the fact that my XJ had a 5 spd was a HUGE reason why I was so interested in buyin it
but I do have to say the 3.07 gears are such a waste and thats my biggest complaint about my 5 spd XJ
I really feel that in stock form a 3.55 gear would perfectly match the ax15 and 4.0L combo I am running 235/75's on stock steel wheels it it just feels like such a slug compared to my 4.3 2wd S10 which is also a 5 spd
now those sharp eyed readers will say "YEAH but the S10 has 4.10's!!!", and they would be correct but that has only been true for a little over a month now prior to that it had 3.42's and with those gears and the NV3500 tranny it was perfectly paired to the 4.3 and I loved it
not to mention that both city AND hwy MPG went UP!!!!!!!! after swapping in 3.42's in the S10 over the 3.08's it had stock
I hate the S10 right now with 4.10's and 255/70/15's (29" tall same as 235/75's) but it also tells me that 4.10's and 31's would be a perfect match as well
now granted the 235/75's are a tad bigger than stock and a bit heavier and paired with the steel wheels maybe thats a part of my sluggishness but my S10 started life with steel wheels and 3.08's and the Xj is lighter than the S10 by a good 500lbs so in reality the Xj should be as quick or quicker than my S10 and its just not there

I have never driven an AW4 equipped XJ but my roomate has an 00 and it seems to be a bit more peppy than my 5 spd but then again that perception is from the passenger seat of his xj so maybe its different when driving