ShafferNY
Full Access Member
What's the better tranmission offered in the JK? 6-speed manual, or 4 speed auto?
Which is better for offroad use also?
Which is better for offroad use also?
JK Transmission
- Thread starter ShafferNY
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Auto I think has a lower gear ratio...not by much though.
Both I think are good depending on what you prefer, I've driven both stick and auto JK's.
Both I think are good depending on what you prefer, I've driven both stick and auto JK's.
ShafferNY
Full Access Member
I think the 6 speed would be more fun to drive, but the auto may be better offroad.
Same here, a stick would be great if not for a 120 mile commute...
I have an '08 JK X with the anemic 3.8L engine, 6-speed transmission and 3:21 gears. Two words... "IT *****"!!! On the trail I have to put it in 4low to get over the smallest obstacle, or make it up even a minor hill. Maybe a Rubicon with better gears would perform better than my X. I've never driven one, so I can't say. I wish I had bought the 4 speed auto instead.
I've been driving sticks, including big rigs, for many years and have never experienced a stick as bad as the one I have in my JK. Off road it's terrible. On the highway 6th gear is worthless, even more so on the slightest grade.
If I wasn't upside down on the payments/resale value, I'd trade it like two days after I bought it. The only other choice would be an axle and gear upgrade which = even more $$$.
I'm holding off to see what the redesigned 2011 Wrangler is going to be like before I decide which way to go. F'ing bean counters ruined the Wrangler X in my book.
NOTE: I would have loved to get the Rubicon model with it's higher gears and other goodies, but no Jeep, even the Rubicon, is worth $32k before taxes and license fees, so i got what I could afford. In retrospect I should of spent some $$$ to fix up and kept my '99 4 cyl 5-speed TJ. It performed much better than my JK.
I just gotta make do with what I have for now. At least I have a Wrangler. Here's a pic of the JK as my current desktop....
I've been driving sticks, including big rigs, for many years and have never experienced a stick as bad as the one I have in my JK. Off road it's terrible. On the highway 6th gear is worthless, even more so on the slightest grade.
If I wasn't upside down on the payments/resale value, I'd trade it like two days after I bought it. The only other choice would be an axle and gear upgrade which = even more $$$.
I'm holding off to see what the redesigned 2011 Wrangler is going to be like before I decide which way to go. F'ing bean counters ruined the Wrangler X in my book.
NOTE: I would have loved to get the Rubicon model with it's higher gears and other goodies, but no Jeep, even the Rubicon, is worth $32k before taxes and license fees, so i got what I could afford. In retrospect I should of spent some $$$ to fix up and kept my '99 4 cyl 5-speed TJ. It performed much better than my JK.
I just gotta make do with what I have for now. At least I have a Wrangler. Here's a pic of the JK as my current desktop....
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I have some driving time in an 07 JK Sahara with the A/T. It has Dana 44's with 4:10 gears. (it was a special order from the factory) It is pretty good off road in 4lo with the A/T ****** in first gear. I only had it stuck once and had to use the winch so overall it is pretty good off road as I had it in some difficult places. When I got it stuck it was my fault. I have had it off road a number of times. I have put about 500 pavement miles on it and it drives good on pavement. (it is not mine but I get to drive it when I want) I have not driven a JK with the standard shift. I have driven a TJ with the standard shift and liked that.
AZKJ is right about the rear end gears. (I test drove one) Personally I like the Dana 44's with the 4:10 gears in the rear. They make the JK better on and off road in my opinion. I am not sure if you can get them with the 5 speed standard ******. I havn't looked at the JK specs in a while.
That's the best I can tell you from my personal experience.
Dave
AZKJ is right about the rear end gears. (I test drove one) Personally I like the Dana 44's with the 4:10 gears in the rear. They make the JK better on and off road in my opinion. I am not sure if you can get them with the 5 speed standard ******. I havn't looked at the JK specs in a while.
That's the best I can tell you from my personal experience.
Dave
The JK only comes in a 6-speed stick and a four speed auto.
Next time I'll look more closely at the build sheet before I buy. As stated above, the gears on my X are 3:21 front and back. When you re-gear you have to do both axles. The front axle in my X is a Dana 30 and the rear is a Dana 44.
Stupid me for buying it....
Next time I'll look more closely at the build sheet before I buy. As stated above, the gears on my X are 3:21 front and back. When you re-gear you have to do both axles. The front axle in my X is a Dana 30 and the rear is a Dana 44.
Stupid me for buying it....
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ShafferNY
Full Access Member
I've been researching this because I'm teetering between dropping cash on my Liberty or trading it in for a JK. Now that the girlfriend is back to work, I'm planning on her taking over her Jeep payment. That means an extra $230 a month in my pocket.
I know the aftermarket is strong for the JK and the sky is the limit for modification and offroadablity. Where as the KJ has a very limited aftermarket and limitations(such as lift, gears, and tire size). I just think the JK would make a better starting point as an offroad vehicle.
I've read a few things indicating you can get a Dana 44 in a Sarah edition, but Jeep's website doesn't allow that option in the 'build my own' section. So that's interesting.
It seems like the guys with the manual transmissions don't have some of the issue the guys with automatics do when it comes to larger tires and regearing. They don't have to deal with readjusting shift points, just speedometer calibration.
Right now I'm thinking about a 2010 Wranger Sport (2door). I want it with Dana 44 front and rear axles with 4.10 gears(if it can be ordered that way.) I'm kind of leaning towards the manual 6-speed for a tranmission at this point.
I'd love a Rubicon because of the drivetrain, but they're going for about $32,000 and up around here. YIKES!!!
I know the aftermarket is strong for the JK and the sky is the limit for modification and offroadablity. Where as the KJ has a very limited aftermarket and limitations(such as lift, gears, and tire size). I just think the JK would make a better starting point as an offroad vehicle.
I've read a few things indicating you can get a Dana 44 in a Sarah edition, but Jeep's website doesn't allow that option in the 'build my own' section. So that's interesting.
It seems like the guys with the manual transmissions don't have some of the issue the guys with automatics do when it comes to larger tires and regearing. They don't have to deal with readjusting shift points, just speedometer calibration.
Right now I'm thinking about a 2010 Wranger Sport (2door). I want it with Dana 44 front and rear axles with 4.10 gears(if it can be ordered that way.) I'm kind of leaning towards the manual 6-speed for a tranmission at this point.
I'd love a Rubicon because of the drivetrain, but they're going for about $32,000 and up around here. YIKES!!!
With the 07 Sahara, you could order it with Dana and 4:10 gears when the 07's first came out. I don't know if they changed it with the later models or limited it to the Rubi.
With the Rubi, you get the rock-trac t-case I think it is called and the low range gearing in that t-case is lower.....4 to 1 I think. It is made for rock crawling I think. They want an arm and a leg for the Rubi as you and AZKJ said.
Also I thought they were going to use that 4 liter v-6 in 2010. That would be better. I don't know what ****** they will use in the 2010 behind that new engine. I will have to go and check Allpar.com and see what info they have.
As far as wranglers go, I like the 2 dr JK's over the 4 dr personally. Also, like the TJ's.
As far as the A/T or the standard ****** goes, I guess it is what your preference is.
Dave
With the Rubi, you get the rock-trac t-case I think it is called and the low range gearing in that t-case is lower.....4 to 1 I think. It is made for rock crawling I think. They want an arm and a leg for the Rubi as you and AZKJ said.
Also I thought they were going to use that 4 liter v-6 in 2010. That would be better. I don't know what ****** they will use in the 2010 behind that new engine. I will have to go and check Allpar.com and see what info they have.
As far as wranglers go, I like the 2 dr JK's over the 4 dr personally. Also, like the TJ's.
As far as the A/T or the standard ****** goes, I guess it is what your preference is.
Dave
