Topic: Automatic transmissions?

[BoringDave]

How many people have them with the 2.5's and how do you like them off road?

 Well this is where I'm going. My 95 YJ has the 2.5 , ax-5 and like normal 4:10 dana's. I bought a Chrysler 8 1/4 29 spline to gear and swap in the back. I personally don't like the 5 speed I get tired of shifting it.

 My plan is to gear the axle's to 4:88's and see how it goes with the shifting. Also forgot to say I have 33's as of now but plan to SOA when I re-gear and bump up to 35's.

 In the back of my mind I think the automatic would help on the trail since it should act like I have lower gears then the 5 speed would but again it's a 2.5 not 4.0l. I also have a 4.0 aw-4 with the 3:55's and 31's it don't seem to be a problem with it but it does have a 4.0.

Any thoughts?

Dave

[chrisfranklin]

I remember driving a fairly new stock 4.0 YJ Auto way back like 20 years and it was pretty bad.  Any power the 4.0 had seemed like it was getting dissipated by the auto tranny when I was driving around town.  
Auto trannys have probably improved a lot over the years in TJs, 4.0 or 2.5L.  But driving the 4.0L YJ Auto is one of the things that I had in mind buying my 2.5L 5spd  -- the 2.5L YJ 5spd might be underpowered but at least it didn't have anything like the auto tranny in the 4.0 I drove.  (No offense if some of you guys have 2.5 autos, though)  
 

[JohnnyO]

We haven't taken ours off-road much but in low range it seems to do fine.  One of my cousins has had more Jeeps than Carter has pills (<--old euphanism) and actually prefers the 4-banger for off-roading, whether auto or stick.  In his opinion the 4-banger doesn't have enough power to break parts and while the street mpg for both is about the same, off-road the 4-banger is much better on gas and you can 'froad all day on one tank.

[Torch_Ind]

We haven't taken ours off-road much but in low range it seems to do fine.  One of my cousins has had more Jeeps than Carter has pills (<--old euphanism) and actually prefers the 4-banger for off-roading, whether auto or stick.  In his opinion the 4-banger doesn't have enough power to break parts and while the street mpg for both is about the same, off-road the 4-banger is much better on gas and you can 'froad all day on one tank.

 

only thing I would add personally is I'm partial to standards but have seen some advantage for rock crawling.. 

[grumpygy]

I would be worried about the power loss, since we don't have that much power to begin with.

[JohnnyO]

only thing I would add personally is I'm partial to standards but have seen some advantage for rock crawling.. 

Off-road, sticks and autos each have their advantages and disadvantages.  Generally speaking I prefer a stick, but sometimes you just don't have enough feet.

[neale_rs]

off-road the 4-banger is much better on gas and you can 'froad all day on one tank.

Yes, huge difference off road.

[jfrabat]

sometimes you just don't have enough feet.

I have found the hand throttle to help A LOT in this department...  And for under $15 (bike gear shifter), it sure is worth it!

[Torch_Ind]

I have found the hand throttle to help A LOT in this department...  And for under $15 (bike gear shifter), it sure is worth it!

 

go standard go!!

[BoringDave]

So anyone know for shure if the A904 ( that is suppose to be the same as the 30rh ) that comes in the 86 v6 Cherokee will bolt up to the 4banger? The reasion I ask it because I maybe able to pick one up cheep.

Dave

[sharpxmen]

So anyone know for shure if the A904 ( that is suppose to be the same as the 30rh ) that comes in the 86 v6 Cherokee will bolt up to the 4banger? The reasion I ask it because I maybe able to pick one up cheep.

Dave

is yours a manual transmission today? you need a lot more than just the transmission (bellhousing, shifter, t/c, flex plate, transfer case input is different i think - what i can think of on top of my head; don't know if the d/s lengths are different but i kinda remember hearing something regarding this at some point as well).

[BoringDave]

Mine has the ax-5 in it now. I know this is not going to be a one night swap over but that being said.

 This rig is a 3rd car bought for the sole purpose to be a toy for me and my son. I don't daily drive it and when I do it's around the small town of Boring Oregon. I can't even remember the last time it got over 35mph other then behind my motorhome. So I think I am going to try it and see what happens.

 I talked to the guy with the 2.8l Cherokee and worked out a deal on the whole rig. So I should end up with it by next week or so. Still not shure if it's a A-904 or 909, eather way I don't care if it has a lockup converter
or not.

Dave
 
 

[MarkyB]

I have a 2.5L TJ with the 30RH it does just fine in 4Lo.  Comparing it to my previous rig, 84 4Runner with a 5spd, the auto makes wheeling more enjoyable for me.  Maybe I'm just lazy, but it's nice to not have to lock hubs, or shift gears.

Horsepower matters on the street, but offroad, it's all about gearing. IMHO

[DieselJeeper]

Horsepower matters on the street, but offroad, it's all about gearing. IMHO

It's torque, but gearing is one way to get it. 

The 2.5 is pretty anemic with a stick behind it, the automatic will eat away at the power you have left.  Keep the tire size stock and it may be tolerable.  Go to bigger tires and that regear effort would be absolutely required.  Seeing as that is all in your plans anyway, it sounds like you've got it thought out.  You may want to consider the costs of your plans vs a repower effort, putting something like a SBC+TH350/TH400 in place.  A truck "take out" 350 would provide plenty of power and torque while being fairly inexpensive and you could keep the gearing you already have.

[BoringDave]

I under stand where your going with installing a small block but I don't need that kind of power. I have an old Cummins 4b non turbo that I was planning on installing in it. But it needs a bunch of work to be converted from stationary to non stationary  not to mention a turbo.

 I have the money as of today and found a local shop to do my gear work. I found him from one of the guys I wheel with. He charges $150.00 per axle labor and his cost + 10% for parts. He uses Yukon gear most the time, but I asked if he would use Nitro for the rear axle and he said yes. (I have researched and found Nitro to be the better gear for a 8.25 IMO)

As I go I am going to take pics and make a build thead. It may take a few months because of money. But the big part will be out of my way with having the gears done by a shop. I know I could install gears on my own but by the time I buy the proper tools to do so I may as well pay someone that does them daily. I feel this to be the wise choice.

Dave