Am I driving my TJ properly?

Denverdean1

Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2018
Messages
50
Location
Ontario, Canada
Dumb question but I've been reading alot of threads about rpm's and lugging the engine and I just wanted to make sure that I'm driving properly. I taught myself how to drive manual alittle over a year ago and what I'm doing right now seems to be working well but I'm always looking for advise to better myself, the last thing Id want to do is hurt the life of my engine too. When I first started off I would only rev to 2000 rpm's and shift. I quickly realized that wasn't very good. So now I rev to about 3000 rpm's and shift. My cruising rpm is around 1750. Is that okay or should I be cruising at a higher rpm?

I have 3.07 gears and stock tires (28"?) With 4.0L engine and nv3550.

Thank you in advance.
 
Well DoubleD, glad you checked in...we have had a lot of complaints about your driving .

Shifting somewhere around 2650-3000 seems to be a sweet spot on my 4.0 5 speed, and I judge it by the incline , or my need to get moving .

Now , quit running people off the road , we have 2 texting and driving reports on your vehicle (we monitor every TJ on the road ) and we know you gave someone the finger.

Remember , your behavior is a reflection on us all , and we have a pretty bad reputation already.

Tighten up.
 
This isn't the Christian Science reading room ...we are an active forum . If we keep getting complaints , we will yank your wheels .... especially if they are AEV Pintlers with good tread . 😁
 
Shifting at 3000 RPM is great, that's right around where you want to be shifting.

Cruising at highway speeds at 1750 RPM is way too low, but that has to do with the 3.07 gear ratio.

For highway cruising, somewhere around 2500 RPM (give or take) is where your RPMs should be.
 
You’re driving it right from a shifting perspective, but you need a regear.
I’m not sure of your exact configuration but this is with 33” tires, it would be worse with 35’s.

88BC975D-B868-4583-9831-8F68378D5FB2.jpeg

this is with 4.56 and 4.88
542ED095-6EF0-4036-B0A9-DE117FF2ABB3.jpeg




Here is the link to the gear ratio calculator;

http://www.grimmjeeper.com/new_gears.html
 
Lugging your engine is not good. I rebuilt one in my basement workshop one winter. In the spring, I lugged it up the stairs and damn near broke my back! 😊
There you go.... More timeless advice from the TJ Wrangler forum
 
  • Like
Reactions: DrDmoney
Shift at around 2,800 for leisurely driving. Up to 3,500 for a bit more juice. If you have no load on the engine 1,750 is fine to go casually down the road. If you need to accelerate be sure to downshift otherwise you will be lugging the engine. For 4 lane highway driving I like to keep the rpms 2,500 or a bit higher if is much traffic so I can react to a dumbass quicker.
Every engine is different. Yours will tell you when to shift up or down if you listen to it. I doubt many of us actually look at the tach very often. The sound and feel of the machine will guide you. Sort of like 'the Force'.
 
If i may, you ever considered swapping out those 3.07 gears for easy to find 3.73s?
That is really what you should do, would be a direct bolt in, wham bam, thank you, you're welcome.
Then you will really enjoy zipping around town shifting at 3 grand and bein cool. 👍