05 Flame Red TJ Build

PNW_LJ said:
I'm confident you'll love the control and precision the auto gives you.

We gotta get out to Reiter sometime, maybe once Rick gets his done as well.
Click to expand...

I agree. We’re coming into wheelin’ season. I’d like to hit some trails. This is a good time of year for me till August. I can hit the road some, which means I can hit the trails!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Blackjack, Alex01 and PNW_LJ
I also want to thank one of my best wheelin’ buddies I met through the forum, @Alex01. He and I talked about my options till things were narrowed down. He really helped me sort through what I really wanted and why. He’s got really good ‘Jeep’ sense.

@NashvilleTJ, you should know that Pritchett is one reason I decided to solve my R problem with an auto. That means I have to go back now! 🙂

P.s. my wife is pumped for summer to arrive so we can put on the half doors and enjoy long summer days!
 
  • Like
  • Love
Reactions: Blackjack, Alex01, NashvilleTJ and 1 other person
JMT said:
You can’t see it till you see it. Sometimes laying it down is what you have to do for it to click. BTW, I initially forgot to put you in my hall of praise, so I went back and added it. Thank you! You’re obviously have tons of knowledge I pick up around here. Most of it over my head.
Click to expand...

I'm impressed with how fast you have been picking up wrenching skills here. Good job man!

I've been looking at auto swap options in my 97 for the last half hr 😂
 
  • Like
Reactions: Blackjack and JMT
Rickyd said:
I'm impressed with how fast you have been picking up wrenching skills here. Good job man!

I've been looking at auto swap options in my 97 for the last half hr 😂
Click to expand...

Generally there are 3 options. They all suck, some more than others. The easiest is the stock OEM 32RH. It needs a tolerable OD but other than that, excellent transmission. 2nd is the 98-01 AW-4 out of a Cherokee. It is longer, taller, and terrible in that it robs power, runs hot, and has a crap OD that is only one gear step better than the 42RLE, .75 versus .69. If you are in tune with your vehicle and how it runs, an AW-4 will have you looking in the rear view mirror to see if you are dragging something heavy. 3rd is a 700R4 done with an expensive pile of adapters from AA. I've known a few folks that have gone that route, and then reversed course and removed them because they could never get the stall speed on the converter tolerable.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rickyd and Blackjack
JMT said:
It seems like the vibes at idle are worse than they were with the manual. Hey @bobthetj03, are you done with my OEM motor mounts? I want them back! 🤣
Click to expand...

Yes and no, the difference is the manual is in neutral at idle and the auto isn't. Put it in neutral for an accurate comparison. That and it takes a bit of time for the bushings to break in if they are new, if they aren't, it may be worth swapping in some TJ Upper control arm bushings in the Clevite brand.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Blackjack, Jamison C and JMT
mrblaine said:
Yes and no, the difference is the manual is in neutral at idle and the auto isn't. Put it in neutral for an accurate comparison. That and it takes a bit of time for the bushings to break in if they are new, if they aren't, it may be worth swapping in some TJ Upper control arm bushings in the Clevite brand.
Click to expand...

Yep, I switched into N at the first stop light and the vibes reduced greatly. The bushings are 2017 Brown Dog. Just a few days ago I read about the superiority of the clevite bushing on the upper at the axle. Thanks for the tips!
 
mrblaine said:
Generally there are 3 options. They all suck, some more than others. The easiest is the stock OEM 32RH. It needs a tolerable OD but other than that, excellent transmission. 2nd is the 98-01 AW-4 out of a Cherokee. It is longer, taller, and terrible in that it robs power, runs hot, and has a crap OD that is only one gear step better than the 42RLE, .75 versus .69. If you are in tune with your vehicle and how it runs, an AW-4 will have you looking in the rear view mirror to see if you are dragging something heavy. 3rd is a 700R4 done with an expensive pile of adapters from AA. I've known a few folks that have gone that route, and then reversed course and removed them because they could never get the stall speed on the converter tolerable.
Click to expand...

Interesting comment about stall speed with the 700r4. Yep that is the list, and not an attractive one to me.

The most tempting overdrive option to me is a v8 swap,though i have reasons not to go there either.
 
JMT said:
It was freaky just R out of the driveway. Giggly for sure. Hit the road with my wife I flipped the OD switch off and when we got out of the neighborhood I floored it. RPM's hit 4500. Yeah! Gearing isn't great, but I'm glad to know that I have a reliable transmission and I can get in R! I had moments of, "I miss my manual," and my left foot searched for the clutch a few times. My right hand reached for the manual shifter that is no longer 5" above the new Auto shifter. 🤣 All in all I want to wheel it now and see what happens. I'm very interested to see how it goes and the control I have. Thanks for watching!
Click to expand...

Welcome to the club! My 42 has been installed for about a year. I still think it was one of the best things I have done to the Jeep for all around drivability. It gets even better with 5.38 gears. The transmission is much much happier with the deeper gears.
 
  • USA Proud
Reactions: JMT
jjvw said:
Welcome to the club! My 42 has been installed for about a year. I still think it was one of the best things I have done to the Jeep for all around drivability. It gets even better with 5.38 gears. The transmission is much much happier with the deeper gears.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the great ideas you share on the forum and for constantly challenging to think.

I can’t wait to get on the trail. As for road. I didn’t get 300 yds before noticing the low rpm’s and flipping the OD switch. A few more rpm’s and better, but not much. At least the switch worked, so I was happy about that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rickyd, Blackjack and jjvw
P man said:
Im proud of you @JMT I admire your tenacity in getting this done. Now time to enjoy the fruits of your labor!!!
Click to expand...

Thanks! Once I get buried in a project I have to claw my way out. My wife was at work yesterday and she texted me asking whether I wanted to go get pizza together since all five kids would be gone. She also asked about the Jeep. I sent her videos. She told me later she was relieved it all worked and was dreading coming home if it wasn’t because I’d be a bear! I can’t get a project off my mind till I’m done!

Then she wanted me to install the new washer and dryer. Got that done after pizza!!
 
  • Like
  • Wow
Reactions: P man, Blackjack, Apparition and 2 others
JMT said:
.... As for road. I didn’t get 300 yds before noticing the low rpm’s and flipping the OD switch. A few more rpm’s and better, but not much. At least the switch worked, so I was happy about that.
Click to expand...

The funny thing about the OD switch is that even with 538 gears, I still turn off OD in town. When off, the shift points are moved higher, which makes driving better. OD only gets used on the highway.
 
jjvw said:
The funny thing about the OD switch is that even with 538 gears, I still turn off OD in town. When off, the shift points are moved higher, which makes driving better. OD only gets used on the highway.
Click to expand...

Funnily enough, with 3.73s and 35s, I find OD on to be preferable around town. I can’t pinpoint why, but the shift points are noticeably better.

On highway OD goes off, of course.
 
PNW_LJ said:
Funnily enough, with 3.73s and 35s, I find OD on to be preferable around town. I can’t pinpoint why, but the shift points are noticeably better.

On highway OD goes off, of course.
Click to expand...

I wonder if there is some awful balancing act related to the engine load where yours is downshifting to make up for the terrible axle gearing.
 
  • Haha
  • Like
Reactions: Mike_H and PNW_LJ
Top Bottom
Back