[dgutier0922]

Which is better for off road driving, a 4x4 with a manual or automatic tranny?
I would imagine the bigger the engine it really doesn't matter, but what about the smaller engines?

 

[shadow61]

For a smaller engine I would go with manual. with the right gear ratios you can crawl around fairly easy, But you must be careful of overrevving your engine. My vehicles are automatics so i can pay more attention to where i'm going.

 

[FXjohn]

manuals are always better. an automatic can't choose a gear as well as you can.

 

[trixie]

small engines, sports cars, street driving i like manual trans. i can drive a stick off road and dont mind it, but prefer automatic for off road stuff.

 

[Idaho]

I don't like automatics because you can't slow them down enough going down steep hills, you have to ride the breaks pretty much.

 

[LuniticFringeInc]

I cant believe it...I think this is the first time I agree with FXjohn! All kidding aside...

I think FXjohn is dead on right. I have both an Auto and a Manual and unless Im in Bumper to Bumper traffic I very much prefer a Manual and think it gives you the most advantage in just about every other type of driving, on road or off road. It gives you far better control if the drive gearing is properly chosen and allows you to choose the gear best suited for the road your driving and the conditions of the road. On another note I am also getting better gas milage out of my 5.7 liter Manual than I am off my 4.6 liter Automatic. I knew there would be a bit of a difference but I didnt thing there was going to be that much of a difference!

JMHO.

 

[mgd_only]

manual cause a auto you can't pop the clutch on if your battery is dead weather your on or off a road thats a winner for me

 

[trixie]

i'd worry more about the trans reputation for holding up. theres lots of bad autos out there. some weak manuals not too many.

 

[bignasty]

I like manual betters. But if your going on a bumper to bumper trail ride i hope u have lower gears than you buddies i rode the clutch the last time i went i would just let off alittle move a few feet and back to neutral. I causes alot of wear when your clutching several hundred times in a few hours. so in that situation i would like and auto. Also if you hurt your right arm or left foot its hard to shift.

 

[Vendoh]

Manual tranny if you are good with it. Automatic if you are not. The problem with an auto that I have found is if you are going up an incline you can't tell your vehicle to downshift so you get more power, and you end up getting stuck. With a manual you are in control. So for 4x4 if you are expierianced i would have to say manual.

 

[trixie]

Manual tranny if you are good with it. Automatic if you are not. The problem with an auto that I have found is if you are going up an incline you can't tell your vehicle to downshift so you get more power, and you end up getting stuck. With a manual you are in control. So for 4x4 if you are expierianced i would have to say manual.

lol have you ever driven a motor vehicle before?????

if your going up hill with an automatic, the trans shifts down for you, or if you want to hold it in a lower gear you just put that little lever in the "3" or "2" or "1" spot.

trying to work the brake or parking brake, gas, and clutch all at once is a hell of a lot harder and more likely to get you stuck on a hill, like if you have to stop for some reason.

its an old "thing" that real men or good drivers drive manual trans only. its hogwash. they are both good, both have their pros and cons, both have their place, and everyones got their preference.

 

[sayter liften]

i'll stick with my auto, better for towing to

 

[Vendoh]

Auto's don't work that well when shifting, especially when going up or down an offroad incline, and still shift when it is too early or too late. It has happened to me many times. The diffent "gears" in the auto you can put them on never feel right either. This is of course my opinion, and manuals for offroad are my personal prefrance.

 

[rridgeoutlaw]

For off road riding I still prefer a mule. 4 legged kind.

 

[sailinghudson25]

for offroading automatic put less stress on other parts like axles driveshafts and suspension components. Also, clutches don't any way of staying cool. automatic transmissions have coolers and bigger cooler can be added. 6 cyl ford explorers have bad transmissions, I would get a manual there.

Automatics have a much smoother application of torque than manuals. Automatic multiply torque in the converter. Don't worry about being underpowered, your only going 5 mph. If you have a underpowered vehicle, don't put oversized tires on them without regearing. If serious enthusiast offroading is done 33's do fine on jeeps, suv's and trucks.

I've seen some very competent 4 cylinder jeeps out on the trails. The best mildly modified offroad machine hands down are suzuki samari's. With some 31's and a cheap offroad kit, they haul.

For survivalist reasons. Any 4 wheel drive with a decent amount of ground clearance and cargo will do. Just make sure it has factory skid plates, 31 inch tires, and good points where you can hook up recovery chains. Make sure you have a truck based 4 wheeler with a 4lo range. Those honda, toyota, and other cars on steroids are useless. though some truck based toyotas are decent. A rear locker, trans cooler, and winch is a nice addition in that order. Get a full sized spare and have a offroad jack like a hi-lift. also, doubles as a winch too (with cable). http://www.hi-lift.com/hi-lift-jacks/all-cast.html Anything else is more for fun. Which is fine with me. Where you need to go and stay put. Just chop a tree down on the trail, that keep you secluded. Humvee's suck as far as offroading. They weigh too much for their tires. Their long wheel base makes their lift not as good as you think. And, very few woodlands trails are wide enough for humvee's. So don't worry about hiding from miltary vehicles as much. Seen these things in action in the mortheast, they as good as a mild modded jeep.

A quick way to kill any drivetrain. Using chains to yank stuff out with. Chains don't have a give and put a nice whap on gear teeth and stamped metal transmission parts. Get a nylon strap, then you can hook cable or chain to it. 10 ft min. Also, huge crane straps don't have enough give. The spring in the nylon can also help you get out with one tug. A good amount of times offroading before I got a winch, I took a comealong and snug up a 30ft nylon to the point where it just starts to push the car out. Get back in and go. That strap gives you about a half foot of push, enough to get some momentum.

 

[birdman]

lol have you ever driven a motor vehicle before?????
...
its an old "thing" that real men or good drivers drive manual trans only. its hogwash. they are both good, both have their pros and cons, both have their place, and everyones got their preference.

Say what you want, but a manual beats an automatic in at least 2 cases I'm aware of. The first is using the engine to hold the vehicle back on a downhill grade. Some autos let you select a lower gear, some do not.

The other, more important in my opinion, is driving in snow. If you're going uphill on a slippery road you do NOT want the lower gears. It will cause your wheels to break free of the road surface and start spinning, whereas keeping the upper gears and letting the engine struggle will get you over the top. An automatic downshifts whether you want it to or not.

I learned to drive in Massachusetts. Our driveway was an uphill lefthand turn off a downhill grade. You had to be going fast enough to make the corner, but not so fast as to slide into the far bank and then give the engine enough gas to make it to the top of the driveway. An automatic would never make it. About half-way up the hill the tranny would downshift, the rear wheels would start to spin and then you'd slide downhill back into traffic.

With a manual transmission you are in control. With an auto the transmission is in control. Most of the time that's fine, but when things get real dicey you want as much control as you can handle.

Allan

 

[dgutier0922]

Thank you for all of your responses, I've learned a alot.

 

[62bravo]

Everything I own has manual. I almost launched my wife through the windshield going for second on her Forester. It has an auto.

 

[Hillwog]

I bought a automatic recently after 15 years of manuals because I got a good deal. I am hating it next rig will definitely be manual.

 

[SkullyWV]

I bought a automatic recently after 15 years of manuals because I got a good deal. I am hating it next rig will definitely be manual.

Same here but I'm getting used to it.