5-speed vs 6-speed

[overlandingEverest]

Hi, I am looking to buy a manual TJ and I have come across both 5 speeds and 6 speeds.

I plan on straight piping my Jeep so the 6speed could offer less drone on the highway due to lower gear ratios, but in terms of reliability, is there known issues with the 6 speed compared to the 5 speed?

Any advice is greatly appreciated, just trying to learn.

 

[meangreen98]

Here's some advice, please don't straight pipe a Jeep 4.0.
That being said, my AX15 has given me zero issues.

 

[eastbloc]

6speed could offer less drone

That is it, you have done it! The never ending debate on 5spd vs 6spd is officially solved!

Tomorrow im gonna re write my "things to look for when buying a Jeep" list.
"Does this Jeep drone ?"
"If i chose package A over package B, on a scale of 1 to 10, how much droning will i lose ?"

 

[CharlesHS]

By droning I suspect you mean gear whine....
Doubt you will see much difference between the AX-15, the 3550 and the 370 (IIRC).

 

[billiebob]

no, the way to reduce the droning is to leave the cats and mufflers on.
Can you even legally modify the exhaust in CA ?
And why do it ?

 

[DustinfromOhio]

Back in high school I bought a 240sx with some loud fartcan exhaust. Sounded great around town but on the freeway the sound would start to eat holes in your brain after the first half hour.

 

[jjvw]

Straight piped 5 speed...



...vs a straight piped 6 speed.

 

[RustyAutoholicGuy]

SO the AX-15 has a lower overdrive than the NSG370.

Here are the AX-15 gears:
1st is 3.83
2nd is 2.33
3rd is 1.44
4th is 1.00
5th is 0.79
Reverse is 4.22

Here are the NSG370 gears
1st is 4.46
2nd is 2.61
3rd is 1.72
4th is 1.25
5th is 1.00
6th is 0.84
Reverse is 4.06

I'd take the AX-15 over the NSG370 for several reasons. First the gear shift from 1st -> 2nd gear is much better. In my LJ at times 1st gear feels too short and trying to take off in 2nd gear feels like I'm slipping the clutch too much.

Second the gears for 3rd and 4th on the AX-15 feel better to meet then 3rd through 5th gears on the NSG370. It feels like I shift between 3rd to 5th constantly.

Finally I like the overdrive much better on an AX-15, on the NSG370 it's barely an overdrive. I'm shifting into 6th gear at 45mph in my LJ.

Also in terms of exhaust, don't straight pipe the exhaust, get a cat-back system like the System from Banks.

-Grant

 

[skrelnik]

SO the AX-15 has a lower overdrive than the NSG370.

Here are the AX-15 gears:
1st is 3.83
2nd is 2.33
3rd is 1.44
4th is 1.00
5th is 0.79
Reverse is 4.22

Here are the NSG370 gears
1st is 4.46
2nd is 2.61
3rd is 1.72
4th is 1.25
5th is 1.00
6th is 0.84
Reverse is 4.06

I'd take the AX-15 over the NSG370 for several reasons. First the gear shift from 1st -> 2nd gear is much better. In my LJ at times 1st gear feels too short and trying to take off in 2nd gear feels like I'm slipping the clutch too much.

Second the gears for 3rd and 4th on the AX-15 feel better to meet then 3rd through 5th gears on the NSG370. It feels like I shift between 3rd to 5th constantly.

Finally I like the overdrive much better on an AX-15, on the NSG370 it's barely an overdrive. I'm shifting into 6th gear at 45mph in my LJ.

Also in terms of exhaust, don't straight pipe the exhaust, get a cat-back system like the System from Banks.

-Grant

I second the Banks exhaust, quick and easy install, not expensive at all, sounds increases but not a terrible sound at all. Good clean sound.

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/banks-exhaust-mini-review.22962/
Do you really shift into 6th gear at 45mph? I am in 4th gear at that speed, and I don't hit 6th gear until like 70mph.

 

[overlandingEverest]

That is it, you have done it! The never ending debate on 5spd vs 6spd is officially solved!

Tomorrow im gonna re write my "things to look for when buying a Jeep" list.
"Does this Jeep drone ?"
"If i chose package A over package B, on a scale of 1 to 10, how much droning will i lose ?"

SO the AX-15 has a lower overdrive than the NSG370.

Here are the AX-15 gears:
1st is 3.83
2nd is 2.33
3rd is 1.44
4th is 1.00
5th is 0.79
Reverse is 4.22

Here are the NSG370 gears
1st is 4.46
2nd is 2.61
3rd is 1.72
4th is 1.25
5th is 1.00
6th is 0.84
Reverse is 4.06

I'd take the AX-15 over the NSG370 for several reasons. First the gear shift from 1st -> 2nd gear is much better. In my LJ at times 1st gear feels too short and trying to take off in 2nd gear feels like I'm slipping the clutch too much.

Second the gears for 3rd and 4th on the AX-15 feel better to meet then 3rd through 5th gears on the NSG370. It feels like I shift between 3rd to 5th constantly.

Finally I like the overdrive much better on an AX-15, on the NSG370 it's barely an overdrive. I'm shifting into 6th gear at 45mph in my LJ.

Also in terms of exhaust, don't straight pipe the exhaust, get a cat-back system like the System from Banks.

-Grant

Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it, probably going to end up getting a catback. Looking at magnaflow, but Ill check out Banks for sure.

 

[Rooscooter]

I second the Banks exhaust, quick and easy install, not expensive at all, sounds increases but not a terrible sound at all. Good clean sound.

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/banks-exhaust-mini-review.22962/
Do you really shift into 6th gear at 45mph? I am in 4th gear at that speed, and I don't hit 6th gear until like 70mph.

It depends on where I'm driving but in the East Valley here in PHX stoplights are a mile on center with a 45mph speed limit on most roads. I typically skip from 4th to 6th at 45-50 all the time.

 

[skrelnik]

It depends on where I'm driving but in the East Valley here in PHX stoplights are a mile on center with a 45mph speed limit on most roads. I typically skip from 4th to 6th at 45-50 all the time.

Ah, that makes sense in that case, but the other poster said he found himself regularly shifting from 4th to 6th, but I guess it depends on where you are driving, like you mentioned, and I was coming from the more traditional sense, like highway driving.

 

[suicideking]

First the gear shift from 1st -> 2nd gear is much better. In my LJ at times 1st gear feels too short and trying to take off in 2nd gear feels like I'm slipping the clutch too much.

Agree with this. I had the 6 speed for a few years and 1st is pretty useless.

Shift to first, as soon as you're moving, time for 2nd. Normal street driving was all 3rd and 4th. Then 5th and 6th for the freeway.

Off road, obstacles were mostly 1st. I have the 241 TC. So if I was in 4 lo and in between obstacles, I'd be in 5th doing 10mph.

 

[Plumber1]

I second the Banks exhaust, quick and easy install, not expensive at all, sounds increases but not a terrible sound at all. Good clean sound.

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/banks-exhaust-mini-review.22962/
Do you really shift into 6th gear at 45mph? I am in 4th gear at that speed, and I don't hit 6th gear until like 70mph.

Really 70 mph, I am shifting into 6th more like around 50 - 55 mph

 

[skrelnik]

Really 70 mph, I am shifting into 6th more like around 50 - 55 mph

Yeah, on the highway I usually don't go into 6th gear until I get up to the speed limit, then I shift into 6th gear.

 

[Queticon]

It's not speed, it's RPMs. I know that's splitting hairs, but the reality has to do with the power band.

Looking at this, it's time to shift right about 3500 RPM. Regardless of the transmission. If you're lucky enough to have a TJ with a shift idiot light, that light will come on based on the vacuum draw, indicating either slow or hard acceleration. When I had my TJ, I tried to moderate economy by shifting before the light came on. After a while, ended up with CEL. Don't recall the code, but I think it was some kind of lean condition. Started shifting at higher RPMs and the CEL cleared. Could just be coincidence. CELs on these things seem to come and go with the wind.

 

[Queticon]

And I'll second the comment that the AX15 seems "peppier". The 6-speed was intended to give us a super ultra granny gear for, you know, when driving over parking blocks at the mall.

Also, please no on the straight pipe. There are some beautiful sounding straight sixes out there. The Jeep 4.0 is not one of them.

 

[cpwolf]

I have 2 Jeeps currently with the 6 speed, and 05 TJ and 08 JK. Just had the TJ rebuilt. It shifts like a work truck to some degree, and I don't mind, no grinding but it feels mechanical. The 08 is like butter, weird how different they are, weird.

Driving wise, I am in town a lot, 45 to 55 mph type roads with decent stretches between lights. I'm rarely if ever in 6th. I drive 1-5. If I am moving at all, tires rolling even minimally, I go from 2nd on both Jeeps, 33's on the TJ and 35's on the JK.

Hill Country rock climbing, wheeling etc, 6 speed 1st gear is like having 4 Lo when you're in 4 Hi. I like that, personally, it's super torquey, just rolls and climbs things, excellent. 4 Lo, 1st gear is for emergency wheeling, its crazy torque, which can be useful, I have less than a handful of times needed.

On the highway, I do between 70-75 and it's the only time I'm in 6th, and they both cruise no issues, where they should be. Lots of vocal folks love the 5 speed and hate the 6, free country and their opinions are valid. I have no problem with my two 6 speeds, shifting isn't a bother to me, I actually like driving, then again I had a CJ5 V8 3 speed and drove an hour in Houston traffic both ways for about a year, and just considered it fun.

 

[jeepguy03]

As for reliability I'd give the edge to the AX-15. For 5spd vs 6spd I guess that depends more on what you plan to do with the Jeep. 6 speed would probably be better for larger tires and allow you to put off re-gearing longer.

 

[jeepins]

I have the magnaflow on mine and love it. Easy to install yourself too.