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Manual or auto?

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Old May 20, 2012 | 12:17 PM
  #1  
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From: Alabama
Year: 1996
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Default Manual or auto?

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
Old May 20, 2012 | 12:17 PM
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From: Alabama
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Sorry guts meant to put in chat
Old May 20, 2012 | 02:18 PM
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From: City of Trees, CA
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have you owned an ax15 xj before? are you building a serious rock crawler? how old are you and how long have you been driving stick?
Old May 20, 2012 | 02:23 PM
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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
Old May 20, 2012 | 02:30 PM
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From: City of Trees, CA
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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
Old May 20, 2012 | 02:33 PM
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From: Brookfield, WI
Year: 1997
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Engine: 4.2L bored out 4.0L I6
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DD = 5speed
Jeepspeed = 5speed
Rock crawling = auto
Trail riding = 5speed/auto
My 2cents
Old May 20, 2012 | 03:12 PM
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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.
Old May 20, 2012 | 03:28 PM
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I'm probably leaning towards an auto. Just like being on the trail and not worry about shifting lol.
Old May 20, 2012 | 03:31 PM
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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.
Old May 20, 2012 | 03:33 PM
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It would be a dd. but even in the Beamer it's hard to oncentrate on anything but shifting. I guess because of my lack of expierience
Old May 20, 2012 | 03:40 PM
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From: City of Trees, CA
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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
Old May 20, 2012 | 03:53 PM
  #12  
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From: Alabama
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Haha. I guess it's gonna be whatever comes up for the rift price.. Idk like I said I like diving stil it's fun but I like not worrying too.
Old May 20, 2012 | 04:16 PM
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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.
Old May 20, 2012 | 08:42 PM
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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!!
Old May 20, 2012 | 09:32 PM
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An auto makes it easier to eat a burger and talk on the phone while driving.



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