Manual or auto?
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 4,618
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From: Alabama
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: I6
So I have a dilemma. I dot know whether I get a manual or auto Cherokee. I do a lot of mud, and some trails. I like driving a stick, by sometimes I like the simplicity of a auto. Prett much just wanted your alls opinion
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 4,618
Likes: 0
From: Alabama
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: I6
No I've only owned a auto xj I'm 16. Im building more of a mud rig than rocks. Not to many around here. Been driving stick for 3 months but feel like I have been all my life
CF Veteran
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 7,387
Likes: 10
From: City of Trees, CA
Year: 93 2 door
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
I loved my DD ax15 jeep. there's nothing like it and I miss it all the time. HATED my ba10 with a passion. but now that I'm getting into crawling, auto seems to be the only way.
if it's just a DD mild build I wouldn't settle for anything less than ax15. the +2mpg is fun too. but manual puts more stress on the driveline, you have a clutch to worry about, and you'll have 3.07 gears.
a plus would be the 4.10 8.8 swap. that would be the determining factor. a regear for 33's at the cost of an axle swap and match the front?? done deal
if it's just a DD mild build I wouldn't settle for anything less than ax15. the +2mpg is fun too. but manual puts more stress on the driveline, you have a clutch to worry about, and you'll have 3.07 gears.
a plus would be the 4.10 8.8 swap. that would be the determining factor. a regear for 33's at the cost of an axle swap and match the front?? done deal
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 632
Likes: 1
From: Ft. Myers, Fl.
Year: 1997, 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
I have both.... auto is much better off road and the stick makes a great daily driver.
If I planed to do a lot of off road id stick with the auto, occasional off road the stick would probity be fine. I wheel the stick some times and its fine but I also live in flat Florida.
If I planed to do a lot of off road id stick with the auto, occasional off road the stick would probity be fine. I wheel the stick some times and its fine but I also live in flat Florida.
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As others have said, auto's are very nice offroad just for simplicity. Another nice thing about the AW4 is that it sort of has a granny gear (it's actually a rev limiter) built in. put in 1-2 while in 4-LO and unless you hit the gas you won't go past 1200 rpm's, even downhill. It definitely helps save your brakes. Of the manuals that you can get in a XJ I would go with an AX-15. A little more work offroad, but great for a DD.
Last edited by no rdplz; May 20, 2012 at 03:37 PM.
CF Veteran
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 7,387
Likes: 10
From: City of Trees, CA
Year: 93 2 door
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
a jeep isnt gonna shift like any beam beam. it revs loud and shifts hard. I refrained from downshifting because it sounded like my engine was in pain haha
but I'd still highly recommend the 5 speed jeep. it's a great experience and if you're not trying to crawl up steep rocks it'll be fine off road. once you've been driving stick long enough you dont even think about it. you dont even look at the tach you just listen to then engine when shifting. stick shift actually makes me pay attention to the road more and helps me focus on what I'm doing. keeps me out of trouble
but I'd still highly recommend the 5 speed jeep. it's a great experience and if you're not trying to crawl up steep rocks it'll be fine off road. once you've been driving stick long enough you dont even think about it. you dont even look at the tach you just listen to then engine when shifting. stick shift actually makes me pay attention to the road more and helps me focus on what I'm doing. keeps me out of trouble
CF Veteran
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 7,874
Likes: 100
From: Northern Ontario, Canada
Year: 1990, 1999, 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
auto tranny gets hot as hell. this makes it almost unbearable on a warm day wheeling with no carpet or a/c.
my tj's are stick, they wheel great if you can work the pedals on the hills.
toss up for me. but i do like wheeling my auto xj, other than the heat.
my tj's are stick, they wheel great if you can work the pedals on the hills.
toss up for me. but i do like wheeling my auto xj, other than the heat.
Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 182
Likes: 0
From: Watkins Glen NY
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: I6 4.0 HO
I wheeled a 5spd ax15 for about a year and love it, I'm actually getting ready to do a swap from auto AW4 back to my AX15. I can't wait, once you drive it for a while it becomes second nature and my 5spd didn't have a tach, I had to do it totally from sound and feel, and it was my first vehicle! Love a 5spd jeep!!


