if you're worried about rolling back on a hill with a manual, you can always use the hand e-brake trick. set the e-brake, shift into first, when you feel the clutch grab, release the e-break and you're good to go without rolling backward.

 

You could also do in gear starts.Thats how I did it in my CJ also did it in my truck.You have to get rid of the clutch cancel start switch though.

 

yeah i forgot bout that... would be easier i would think... but then again i broke my e-brake... i need to fix that now that i think bout it...

 

E-brake whats that?

 

your kidding right? lol

 

Yes I was kidding mines been broken for awhile to.

 

ok good... lol... i was bout to start rollin on the floor... but act nicely on the computer... lol... mine didnt work when i had the d35 cause there was no pads left and when i installed the d44 and tried to lossen the cable but the rod snapped up by the lever... so now i got nothin... i need to pull that from the jeep i got the axle from since i know its there and not froze up... cant park the jeep on a big hill cause even in gear itll still roll... lol

 

Its where the cable comes together its missing a cotter pin or something. I just havent had time to really look at I work out of town I moved you know how it goes.

 

A manual transmission requires more driving ability. Useless to say is that in europe we have mostly manual transmissions. The ability is in chosing the right gear when in 4x4low and the speed in gear shifts when going up muddy hills. You have to "feel" the torque loss and throw in the right gear at the right moment as fastly as possibe and using the clutch as less as possible. All things that an auto do for you.
There is a thing that i miss of manual transmission though, when you're stuck and need to do the back and forth play to get out the auto takes much more time to shift than a manual, i remember throwing in first-reverse-first in less than 2 seconds on my zuki and using the "hit" of the clutch engaging to literally jump the zuki out.
The cluch though is the weak point. A sintherized clutch disk is a good upgrade.

 

this is exactly what i do, but i dont use the E-brake, i use the regular brakes, and just hold onto them, and let out on the clutch with the left foot, and once i feel it grab, i move my right foot off of the brake pedal onto the gas

 

yup, thats a very good point too...youve gotta be able to feel that loss of torque and now where to go from there

ive been going up a muddy hill before, and been in to high of a gear, heard the engine bogging down, and very quickly without losing any head way, i thru it down a gear, and up i went....but if you wait to long to realize you're bogging down, and shift it to late, then you could automatically start bogging down as you put it in the next lowest gear......i usually, once i here the engine start slowing/bogging down at all, i shift it into the next lowest gear so i know ill have the torque i need to continue on

 

The only time this happens is usually when the inspection pan is off and the clutch is actually submerged in mud. I used a couple of rigs in deep holes in Oregon for years and never had that happen. The reality is that you are far more likely to fry an auto from hard use and lack of adequate coolers.

 

There is a simple solution for this. Take a lesson from the straight liners and put a line lock in your brake line. Push button switch and it only locks when the button is pushed. Simple solution. I also used a Subaru hill holder that ties into the clutch linkage. Push on the clutch and brake at the same time and the brake stays on until the clutch is released.

 

Very good info here for sure! At present, I fear I must remain to muddy trails until I get it lifted and put some tires on her, but rest assure I will be practicing the fast shifts and clutch/brake combos on the more steep rides. I don't have the clearance for topping hills just yet.

Thanks everyone for sharing on the subject, I'm going to look into the sintered clutch for sure.