DFlintstone

My gravel road drops 1500 feet in 3 miles with some steep stuff at the bottom. (cement truck driver was killed a few years ago). And the kids, their anywhere. Over the bank, stuck in trees. We ignore them. (except when they smash somebody). My 4 speed 1990 really doesn't have a gear I like for going down. 25-30 or so is a nice speed for allot of it. Also a bit more is fine sometimes. So I can crawl in first, even giving it gas...going down, or shift out of first and cook the brakes.

I've found that if I downshift to first while maintaining over 32 or so it will provide some fair breaking without downshifting. Something I doubt it's designed to do. Question is, might I overheat something, blow a seal? I HAVE done it more than a bit and all seems fine...so far, although 32+ is pretty harry in a few spots.

Yea, 4 low in drive does the trick, but I don't like the hassle or the wear on my 4WD gear. Any thoughts? Thanks, Don

Slick761

You're shifting to 1-2. From a stop its in 1 and rolling like that its going into 2. Don't think its a problem. I would just cook my brakes though.

freegdr

upgrade the brakes to the double booster take a little strain of the trannys will help alot.

Mendax13

Try Reverse? lol just kidding.

cruiser54

No worries. Your trans will be fine. When's the last time you adjusted your rear brakes?Self adjusters don't.

DFlintstone

You can bet the breaks are always cool. Been on this hill over 30 years, 15 with two Jeeps, have a bucket full of old pads and am always looking for a use of old rotors. Yea they're adjusted.

What I'm talking about is downshifting into first while rolling down at over 32-33 mph. It will provide breaking WITHOUT shifting down. In this condition I can fly down with minimal pressure on the breaks. I'm talking about maybe one minute here, two minutes there. (there are spots where under 20 in first is fine, and coasting in 2+ is fine)

Right Mendax! Been done! (then stopped drinking)

Would be nice Freegdr, It is only 3 miles, and only 80% of it is steep, maybe after I pay off Wells when I'm 164!

cruiser54

You'll be fine in first gear. You're not putting any more stress on that trans than if you were pulling up the hill in the same gear.

freegdr

the brakes are always cool as you say because the early xj brake booster does not apply pressure worth the metal its made out of the double diaghpram booster on later models willdouble the brakeing of you xj

DFlintstone

......but it's not IN first gear, the shifter is in first, but over 32 or so it takes some load off the breaks, while still between, or in 2nd, without actually downshifting. If I let it slow a little it WILL downshift which can be a little harry. (I have a longish story about that which involves part of a stump getting stuck in my rack).

Noted Freedgr, Will look at that if I replace it. (By cool, I meant I do, do the maintenance), and thanks!

freegdr

the brake up grade is not costly at all mine cost around 40 dollars total http://www.jpmagazine.com/techarticl...des/index.html

Slick761

So are wj and later xj the same line pressure? I thought it had to be wj but this makes it Much easier!

cruiser54

Would it help if you could select either 1st or 2nd without fear of the trans shifting to the other gear on it's own?

DFlintstone

Well..the only "X" anywhere on anything is an "XE" on the sticker with the Vac. diagram. By the way 8-89 is on the post, 90 on the title.

Again to be doubly clear, coasting down at say 38 mph, with the selector in 1-2 is gets breaking from the trans. The RPM is not high and it is not engaged in first. Putting it in 3, I might as well be in nutral or drive until up around, or over 60.

It seems to be in-between, not in second ether. Maybe it IS...the automatic 4 speed is a bit different. To be honest, sometimes I'm not actually sure exactly what it's doing. There's "1-2", then "3" then D-ect. If it's going through 4 gears accelerating you cant see or hear it. Just one shift.

Cruiser, lowering the point it actually hits the skids and shifts to first, on the face of it might be nice. Currently though, it "up-shifts" to second where it should while accelerating. If the 4 speed has a secret gear a bit over first and below second and I could lock THAT in, sounds handy. Yea, first whinds out shortly above 20, 3rd. will go over 60. Maybe that IS the secret 1+, or 2-, gear it skips normally. I never punch it going that slow. My tools, my dog and the Jeep itself don't care for it.

Maybe I should bungee the dog and leave the tools in the yard and go explore my own transmission a little better!


EDITED::
OK Duh! That must be second that it never uses unless I downshift over 33 or really punch it. I really WILL empty it out and go give that a test. .

cruiser54

There is a way to electronically select EITHER 1 or 2 without the trans arbitrarily choosing it for you. I think you might be happy if it just stayed in 2?

DFlintstone

Yea, that might be the answer. Let me go out and give it a drive. I'll get back later with hopefully a definitive answer. THANKS! don.