When it comes time to put it into 4 wheel drive to navigate some rough terrain, is an automatic better than a manual? Manual better than automatic? Does it just come down to personal preference?

 

I think it is easier with a auto trans that way you can use one foot on the gas and one on the brake and control your speed .

 

A manual (remember the clutch) can be a bummer when you need to drive yourself with a broken left ankle 50 miles thru a snowstorm to the hospital .
The good news was that I didn't throw up....

 

Most vehicles I would say a manual due to reliability, but on the XJ the AW4 is a great auto transmission. I still prefer a manual for the control you get but the AW4 isn't too bad, I am putting a 5 speed in my ZJ. When letting it crawl through rough terrain with a 5 speed you can put it in 1st gear in 4x4 low range and it will crawl right through without touching the gas pedal.

 

I got the aw4 and an Atlas II. crawls very well.

I am a stickshift guy for road vehicles, but automatic for wheeling.

 

To an extent, you can do that with a manual too. I left-foot brake a lot. Especially in low range, it's really not that easy to stall out since there's so much torque multiplication and the 4.0 is such a tractor. You really got to commit to a line though to reduce the amount of actual stoppage. For that stuff, auto for sure!

 

A lot of people don't know how to drive manuals off road and it shows.

 

Like me.
Watch "jeep run" on YouTube

 

A lot of people dont know how to drive manuals on the road either

 

A manual is more involving to wheel and manual shifting requires skill. However, whatever is in the stream or pond you just went through is now in your clutch and bell housing. This can cause rapid deuteration of both the clutch and the throwout bearing. I love heal and toeing the 5 speed on my lowered Integra GSR corners, but I'm pleased that my XJ has an AW4

 

Thanks everyone. I appreciate the input. It doesn't sound like there is any real pros to manual other than fun to drive.

 

Manual 3.55 gears and knarley technical trails were frustrating. 4.88 gears really helped. Im running the bigger Dakota clutch and get in a groove slipping it to slow down beyond crawl speeds.
ive had people impressed I crawled buggy lines in a xj with a Manual. Then ill Stall on the easy stuff. 4low and 4.88s only go so slow.

Auto kinda has infinite slow speed since it wont Stall.

Id prefer a auto but haven't found it feasable because there's not much for beefy tourqe converters Butt the stock aw4 is supposed to hold up to some abuse.

Ive actually got a aw4 hanging out here for later on pipe dreams.

 

Engine braking is a major pro to a manual - especially offroad. That really hasn't been mentioned. There have been so many trail rides I've been on where the rig in front of me rides its brakes while still going too fast down a hill and all I have to do is downshift and crawl. I do it in traffic too - look ahead, see all the brake lights and down shift to slow the vehicle down.

Plus, you can't get mad at a manual transmission for gear hunting... I moved a 6'x12' UHaul with mine last week and had to climb a grade to get up to the mountain to Asheville - just left it in 3rd gear/34000 rpm for the six mile climb.

But when it all comes down to it, it's definitely just a personal preference these days. I currently only own manual vehicles (two XJs and a Saab 9-2x Aero). The last automatic I had was an awesome 5EAT in a factory flat six Outback and it's "manual mode" legitimately provided engine braking and was fairly responsive. Still, it just wasn't a stick shift and that pedal & shifter action is what makes me happy.

I do sometimes miss the pure laziness of an auto though... only sometimes.

 

If I really want to shift, I'll drive one of my Alfa Romeos.

 

If I really want to shift, I'll drive one of my Alfa Romeos.