Roxster

I have just over 2,000 miles on my manual and it's great. The top gear is not especially useful with the 3.21, but it definitely gives you the ability to keep the rpm's down on the freeway if you were to go with a lower ring/pinion ratio.
Notchiness in the shifting is there, but overall it seems like a nice set-up.

jkkat

Love RubyDoo's 6 speed with 19,000+ miles on her. She did have a rubbing problem with the line for the clutch but other than that its been awsome!!!!!!! The gearing with the 35's and 4:10's is not that bad eather.

Zylfrax791

Yeah, I did that but I guess I should clarify my point in that when you have 6 speed it really closes up the ratios. My thinking is there is too big of a jump between 2nd and 3rd. From what I can tell 1st and 2nd on both run a close rpm and mph with probably the auto running 2nd up a little higher. The problem is when the auto hits third to me it feel like shifting the manual from 2nd into 5th. Not so bad when you are driving on flat ground but try that going up to Mt. Hood on highway 26 and or any other generic mountain highway and its maddening.

Scenario is I'm ripping up the mountain knowing I have to keep it in sweet spot in 3rd gear and I come to a big sweeping corner and I let off ever so lightly cause I'm already going about 75 and the family is looking at me funny asking me "why are we going so fast" so I come out of the corner and of course its fallen out of the powerband now so now I press on the accelerator and it takes its time kicking down (all electronic, no linkage to adjust I'm told) and when it does, boom it almost goes up to redline and now my wife says "what are you doing" and I tell her thats just the way you have to drive this thing so she just rolls her eyes and says "huh". So I let off and now its lugging its brains out and we are going 50 now and people are blowing past me honking their horns and stab at it again and it howls down into 2nd again and it takes its time gaining any speed. Now I can't even imagine what it would be like if I replaced my stock Rubi tires with bigger meats.

Thanks for all the input guys. I actually used to work a Ford dealership and was a big Ford nut and had 4 different Ford 4x4's at various times and while I'm an Auto Body Tech by trade and at the dealership I did 99% of my own mechanical in the course of my occupation and back when I didn't have a family I spent most of my spare time rebuilding small and big block Ford motors, manual and automatic transmission and many different drive axles to maintain all the 4 bying I used to do. Needless to say my gut feeling is this automatic transmission is geared incorrectly between 2nd and 3rd and the lock up of the torque convertor is all wrong as well. I'm going down this morning to hammer on them again and I'll let you know.

HULKGREEN

I have 15400 miles on my 07 .... I do have 4.10 gears and 6 speed.... If at all possible make sure to get the 3.73 gears if you are not getting the " Rubicon" !!! When you go to bigger tires you prolly won't be happy with the 3.21s and big tires; so you will be looking at a RE-GEAR.


I had the clutch squeek done at the dealer and have no other problems.... I love the 6-speed !!!!

ronjenx

I understand what you mean about the ratios. I was addressing the delay in downshifting with the automatic. There aren't any big mountains here in Maine to drive over. That's why I am not seeing a problem like some people are.

jeeperjkj

The auto's ratios are 2.84, 1.57, 1.00, and 0.67.

By far the biggest spread is from 1 to 2. 2 to 3 is not even 1/2 as "far" away as the 1 to 2 jump.

mmcewen

Personally I won't drive anything other than manual. Back in 1998 I impulse bought a '99 Accord Coupe V6 EX. I thought I'd get over the fact that it was an auto because it really was a nice car, but never did... a little over a year later I traded it in on my 2001 GTI VR6 (5 speed manual) and have loved that car for almost 300,000kms now.

As for my Rubicon, I test drove both auto and manual (the first time I was at the dealership all they had on the lot were autos) and I absolutely loved the manual. The notchiness is a good thing IMHO. I've driven some really slushly gearboxes and I'll take notchy over slushy any day.

I know exactly the feeling of not being completely satisfied with your auto... If you can pull off the trade without too much pain, I would say go for it. I've got 4000miles on my Rubicon and I can't imagine not having the manual tranny.

Zylfrax791

Pulled the trigger. Glad I did. Took it up this hill that the auto always drove strange on and it drives so nice. Only difference was a rear tow hook instead of hitch (which would have to go with A/M bumper anyway), no privacy glass (which is nicer up here in Oregon as we only get 3 months of sun anyway), no locking gas cap (want the locking door anyway) and no MyGig (which is actually a good thing cause I almost rear ended people several times fiddling with it). Plus half the time the MyGig wouldnt even work so no big loss. Thanks for all the input people.

jeeperjkj

Sounds like you're happy... that's the main thing.

How'd you make out $-wise?

Did you strip your '07?

justinstoffregen

Welcome to the clutch club!