Driving a Manual up Rocks??

ozzie

ozzie

Member
Ok I know this is going to sound like a newbe but oh well, I am not use to driving a standard off road but I was wheeling off road this last weekend and was going to go up some rocks. I was in 4 low and 1st gear, I could go over a gradual incline on rocks but when I got to some rocks that were bigger my JK didnt want to go up the rocks. I thought I did everything to work, like ride the clutch and give more throttle but wouldnt go and I could smell the clutch starting to burn or smell like it was. My JKU has 3.21 gears with 33" NITTOS. I can go over pretty much everything but bigger rocks. How do you drive a Standard up Rocks.
 
You need to use your e-brake. Pull it up, give some gas, start letting your clutch up and, just as you feel your Jeep wanting to move forward, slowly release your e-brake at the same time. Once you're moving, you want to try and stay off your clutch and just let 1st gear low range do it's thing. Of course, this is much easier with a 4:1 transfer case but, it should still help out a lot.
 
Make sure you are in 4low, 1st gear and let the clutch all the way out, don't ride it. In 1st you should be able to almost stop/go right up the rocks without stalling.

Regearing would help this, but that will cost some $$, as well as a Rubicon transfer case.
 
Thank you

wayoflife said:
You need to use your e-brake. Pull it up, give some gas, start letting your clutch up and, just as you feel your Jeep wanting to move forward, slowly release your e-brake at the same time. Once you're moving, you want to try and stay off your clutch and just let 1st gear low range do it's thing. Of course, this is much easier with a 4:1 transfer case but, it should still help out a lot.
Click to expand...

I never thought about that and I will give it a try next weekend. Thanks for taking the time to answer.:clap2:
 
Thanks

dannymalkin said:
Make sure you are in 4low, 1st gear and let the clutch all the way out, don't ride it. In 1st you should be able to almost stop/go right up the rocks without stalling.

Regearing would help this, but that will cost some $$, as well as a Rubicon transfer case.
Click to expand...

I thought the jeep would cut out so I didnt release the clutch all the way. I will try that also and thanks for the suggestion.:clap2:
 
Even with your gears you should be able to coast with no clutch. To get a feel for it, find some nice flat pavement, put yourself in 4L and first gear, and just let the clutch out slowly with no gas. Once you have lifted the clutch you'll be moving forward at crawl speed - the higher your gears (I have 5.13s) the slower your crawl speed. It's definitely counter to the instinct you build up driving a regular street car with a clutch, but knowing you can drive in 1st (or 2nd or 3rd depending on your gears) with no clutch OR gas calms down those rock crawls until you can just ooze your way over them smooth as butter.

You'll eventually get a feel for when you need to add gas to keep the Jeep from stalling but I can vouch for the fact that riding the clutch in 4L is just going to reduce the life of the clutch and stink the whole place up.

There's nothing like the feeling of crawling uphill without a foot on either the gas or the clutch! :clap2:
 
UndeadJeeper said:
Even with your gears you should be able to coast with no clutch. To get a feel for it, find some nice flat pavement, put yourself in 4L and first gear, and just let the clutch out slowly with no gas. Once you have lifted the clutch you'll be moving forward at crawl speed - the higher your gears (I have 5.13s) the slower your crawl speed. It's definitely counter to the instinct you build up driving a regular street car with a clutch, but knowing you can drive in 1st (or 2nd or 3rd depending on your gears) with no clutch OR gas calms down those rock crawls until you can just ooze your way over them smooth as butter.

You'll eventually get a feel for when you need to add gas to keep the Jeep from stalling but I can vouch for the fact that riding the clutch in 4L is just going to reduce the life of the clutch and stink the whole place up.

There's nothing like the feeling of crawling uphill without a foot on either the gas or the clutch! :clap2:
Click to expand...

Excellent I appreciate the tips, happy off roading:thumb:
 
ozzie said:
I thought the jeep would cut out so I didnt release the clutch all the way. I will try that also and thanks for the suggestion.:clap2:
Click to expand...

No problem! It's all about what works for you, the e-brake suggestion is good as well!
 
i am not sure if the JK has a clutchpedal defeat fuse like the TJ. this is a fuse you put into the fuse box that makes it unnecessary to depress the clutch when starting the jeep. you want to do this when going into rocks because sometimes you are in a peculiar situation where you stall the engine and can not depress the clutch and brake at the same time. just turn the key and the jeep will start moving electrically until the motor starts and you are moving under power again. don't do this in high range, in low it is perfectly OK to do that.
as someone said try these techniques on a parking lot or somewhere where you are alone just to get the hang of them.
 
wow! i am an idiot! i never knew you could simply pull a fuse in the tj! Thanks Kavanji!
i did some searching and it doesn't sound like the jk has a fuse that can be pulled, but it sounds like there is a relay that bypasses the clutch safety switch when engaged in 4 low.
I will go test this later. :thumb:

And otherwise- x2 on using the parking brake
 
pvanweelden said:
wow! i am an idiot! i never knew you could simply pull a fuse in the tj! Thanks Kavanji!
i did some searching and it doesn't sound like the jk has a fuse that can be pulled, but it sounds like there is a relay that bypasses the clutch safety switch when engaged in 4 low.
I will go test this later. :thumb:

And otherwise- x2 on using the parking brake
Click to expand...

Yessir - JK in 4LO will start without the clutch depressed. Good to keep in mind if you happen to high center it in a mud hole that is deep enough to cover the exhaust and comes over the bottom of the doors... you know when it came straight from the factory 3 weeks earlier and you have your wife and daughter with you and no one there to recover you. Ask me how I know.
 
pvanweelden said:
wow! i am an idiot! i never knew you could simply pull a fuse in the tj! Thanks Kavanji!
i did some searching and it doesn't sound like the jk has a fuse that can be pulled, but it sounds like there is a relay that bypasses the clutch safety switch when engaged in 4 low.
I will go test this later. :thumb:

And otherwise- x2 on using the parking brake
Click to expand...

Yes. In 4-low you can just start engine with no clutch. You can also just push into 1st from neutral with no clutch as well.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
Thanks Greg and turbineguy! That is great info to know! :thumb:

now i can go record a video and say "i read this on a forum...." :D :clap2:
 
Greg__Berger said:
Yessir - JK in 4LO will start without the clutch depressed. Good to keep in mind if you happen to high center it in a mud hole that is deep enough to cover the exhaust and comes over the bottom of the doors... you know when it came straight from the factory 3 weeks earlier and you have your wife and daughter with you and no one there to recover you. Ask me how I know.
Click to expand...

Ill bite... HOW DO YOU KNOW? :D

2014 JKUR
 
UndeadJeeper said:
Even with your gears you should be able to coast with no clutch. To get a feel for it, find some nice flat pavement, put yourself in 4L and first gear, and just let the clutch out slowly with no gas. Once you have lifted the clutch you'll be moving forward at crawl speed - the higher your gears (I have 5.13s) the slower your crawl speed. It's definitely counter to the instinct you build up driving a regular street car with a clutch, but knowing you can drive in 1st (or 2nd or 3rd depending on your gears) with no clutch OR gas calms down those rock crawls until you can just ooze your way over them smooth as butter.

You'll eventually get a feel for when you need to add gas to keep the Jeep from stalling but I can vouch for the fact that riding the clutch in 4L is just going to reduce the life of the clutch and stink the whole place up.

There's nothing like the feeling of crawling uphill without a foot on either the gas or the clutch! :clap2:
Click to expand...

Great info!!! Learning something new everyday!!! Thank you~
 
Kavanji said:
i am not sure if the JK has a clutchpedal defeat fuse like the TJ. this is a fuse you put into the fuse box that makes it unnecessary to depress the clutch when starting the jeep. you want to do this when going into rocks because sometimes you are in a peculiar situation where you stall the engine and can not depress the clutch and brake at the same time. just turn the key and the jeep will start moving electrically until the motor starts and you are moving under power again. don't do this in high range, in low it is perfectly OK to do that.
as someone said try these techniques on a parking lot or somewhere where you are alone just to get the hang of them.
Click to expand...

What situation would you ever not be able to depress the clutch and the brake at the same time? Maybe if you lost a leg but if that's the case you should probably buy an automatic.
 
wayoflife said:
You need to use your e-brake. Pull it up, give some gas, start letting your clutch up and, just as you feel your Jeep wanting to move forward, slowly release your e-brake at the same time. Once you're moving, you want to try and stay off your clutch and just let 1st gear low range do it's thing. Of course, this is much easier with a 4:1 transfer case but, it should still help out a lot.
Click to expand...

Funny. I think a lot of these new features like hill start assist left people without the basics. This is how you start from a hill too btw :)
 
Wow I would like to thank everyone for your input. I truly learned a lot and will try these methods. The Wayalife is truly the best Forum out there. Everyone is willing to help and I appreciate it. Thanks all
 
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