I was wondering what you guys think about using (1-2) gear on my automatic transmission to slow down in poor conditions. Very close to where I park (Houghton, MI) there is a massive hill that I must slow down on, I have been using the low gear to help me slow down. Is this safe? Not only for the car, but also for me. I read on a site that was trying to sell a module to make it able to shift between 1st and 2nd gear, they say that using (1-2) can be dangerous because when the tranny shift from 2nd to 1st the abrupt change in resistance can cause the wheels to lock up, and cause a skid. Has anyone had this happen? Or are they just trying to get my money? Thanks alot

 

Living in the mountain's with steep hill's, i down shift all the time. You do have to be a little careful when down shifting in the snow, with my Detroit locker in the rear, it will do a 180 spin at the drop of a hat. Also just for info, i had a transmission shop install a switch so when i put the gear selector in (1-2) gear, i can choose which gear it will stay in. This is a very nice feature while rock crawling, i can put the gear selector in (1-2) gear, and flip the switch down, and the Jeep will stay in 1st gear going down steep hills, and will not up shift until i flip the switch to 2nd gear, or move the gear selector up into 3rd gear. It is a modification i highly recommend...

 

True story about the trans shifting down to 1 when you least need it.

 

Can this mod be done in late model ones? (97)

 

True, but not if you have the switch installed

 

Tha's a good question that i don't have the answer too Is the newer tranny on a 97 different from the AW4 in my 91.

Maybe talk to one of your local tranny shops...

 

I did it and like it OK. You DO need to pay attention with one more thing to handle.

The link I used is in this link as well.

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/dec...105739/index2/

 

As far as I can tell they just have bigger output splines. It's still reffered to as the AW4 but some things are different like the lack of the comfort/power switch. I'll talk to a tranny guy tomorrow

 

Oh and my ecu runs my Tranny. I don't have that fancy tcm on the antichrysler version. I have guys that can do anything though... for a price

 

My tranny does not have the comfort/power switch, maybe that's a good sign. I should have paid more attention on what the tranny shop actually did to install the switch, but i just dropped it off for the day, and picked it back up when i got off work. All i know is that it works

 

I want it cuz this torque monster motor doesn't know how to take off in the snow and on v6 fireturds and camaros, they have a way of taking off in second to bog down the engine a bit

 

I think it should work, I believe it's controlling the same solenoids. Maybe your FSM can show if the color codes are the same or not.

 

FYI, the comfort/power switch, which its better to run in Power, less slippage. Newer ones IIRC, 92+ were "hard wired" in power mode.

 

Defiantly was a problem for me. Long story but once ended up with part of a stump stuck in the luggage rack. Going down with the selector in first, over 33 or so it would stay in 2nd. Works fine around 40.( + --). Slow for a curve though, watching for on-comming, (not the speedo) sometimes it would hit first, (and the skids), before I could up-shift. You CAN feel it start to downshift and catch it, but you gotta be right on it.

 

What does this kind of job usually cost?