7speed manual for off-road/crawling

[BigFootie]

Crawl is basically 1 mph per 1000 rpm. I drove one at a local off rodeo for an hour. It’s crazy fun and simple to use but then I’ve drive manuals for 50 years. You can dump the clutch in crawl and not stall with no gas pedal.

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[Oldhippie]

Having driven the rubicon over 50 times plus many other off roading trails from rock crawling to high speed deserts with all kinds of vehicles/transmissions automatics have too many advantages over manuals the only reason to have a manual is “l want one”. Look at what any serious competition 4x4 rig is running (Auto).

 

[Bravo Foxtrot]

If you want a manual on a daily basis, off roading is no reason not to get one. It’s amazing! My girlfriend who hadn’t drove a manual in 10+ years did the hardest parts of the trails at Austin Off Rodeo with no problem. Crawl is usually not needed but it’s like an easy button. if in doubt put it in C, let the clutch out and steer.

 

[okbob]

About 20y of crawling with both manual and autos in 66-77 broncos.......and our 22' 2D Badlands with sasq is an auto and we'll crawl with it. All the hard core guys we wheeled with all have autos, no matter the make or model. The 7sp in the bronco was offered purely from a sales point imo, just like offering the 4 door. Jeep has both, so the Bronco offers both. Technical obstacles are so much easier and safer in an auto, no matter how much lower the manual crawl ratio may be.

 

[yabu00]

Hi, I’m curious on others thoughts/experience using a manual transmission for off-road fun having, Vs automatic transmission. I’m no stranger to a standard transmission, my daily driver is a 6 speed Audi. My question is related to off-road, low speed use. How much of a pain in the ass is to use a clutch for off-road? Like if I’m crawling will I wear that clutch out as it would be disengaged. If I’m at a Harry spot on descending grade and I need to stop, I’ll then be worried about stalling out trying to navigate the obstacles.

what are your guys experience with standard Vs auto for off road obstacles?

with banks opening soon, I want to make sure I make an informed decision when I place my order. I really want a 7spd, but a little concerned. Thank you.

You won’t wear the clutch because you won’t use the clutch. The low range on this thing is pretty crazy. In 4L and crawler, you can dump the clutch with no gas and start crawling along like it’s nothing. Once you’re in gear, forget that the clutch exists and everything will go smoothly. Constantly slip the clutch in the low torquey gears, and you’ll burn it up pretty good.

 

[DaveInSA]

Just as a counter point to every one here saying they drove a manual crawling at off roadeo.....


Off roadeo no longer has manuals because people destroyed the clutches.

 

[BottleShark]

Perfect. Thanks for all the insight thus far.

I’m pretty much where I was.
BL non sas 7spd upgraded wheels
Or WT with H3.0.
There is not one trim that gives me exactly what I want…thinking it’s the BL for the W though. The standard trans sounds like it’s not much to stress about wheelin.

I have Non Sas BL MT. Here are some points to think about (coming from someone who owns 6 manual trans vehicles right now).
1. 7speed is just fine off road and fun to daily BUT auto is kinda better in every way.
Off road it's way easier
On road it's easier
2. With MT you give up options that I kinda wish I had.
No remote start. Can't start with the key fob or Ford Pass APP
If you have Lux package, adaptive cruise won't do stop/go in traffic
No "trail turn assist" with MT
I love my bronco and enjoy my build, those are things that stand out to me after have the MT. I've taken to some really hard off road stuff and the 7speed has been great. Just a few things that I really didn't realize until owning the MT for right at 5000 miles.

 

[BottleShark]

Just as a counter point to every one here saying they drove a manual crawling at off roadeo.....


Off roadeo no longer has manuals because people destroyed the clutches.

Yep. Been teaching the wife how to wheel with a manual. She races a Miata and can work a clutch better than most, but off road is different. Having to teach her to put it in gear and get her foot off the clutch.

 

[thesocalexplorer]

7MT + rear locker here. Extremely forgiving transmission, the engine automatically gives gas when letting the clutch out or bogging, which frees up a lot of mental bandwidth when doing more technical offroading.

As far as ratios go, in 4HI I never really go past 2nd gear unless im in higher speed desert type terrain. In 4LO, 1st gear gets incredibly short. Crawler literally can make you idle at 1mph or less... perfect for negotiating rocks.

 

[Merc4x4]

2. With MT you give up options that I kinda wish I had.

If you have Lux package, adaptive cruise won't do stop/go in traffic

I have Badlands Sasquatch 2.7 (auto) Lux.
ACC is not stop and go with the auto, it turns off at ~7mph.

 

[DaveInSA]

I have Badlands Sasquatch 2.7 (auto) Lux.
ACC is not stop and go with the auto, it turns off at ~7mph.

Yeah, they only put the stop/go capable adaptive cruise on the Bronco Sport.. slightly annoying, I got used to that even though I only had it for a month. Quite nice in stop and go rush hour traffic.

 

[DaveInSA]

Also, while yes the computer automatically gives the engine gas when you let out the clutch, you CAN still stall it if you let it out too quickly. It's not fool proof.

 

[Merc4x4]

Yeah, they only put the stop/go capable adaptive cruise on the Bronco Sport.. slightly annoying, I got used to that even though I only had it for a month. Quite nice in stop and go rush hour traffic.

My first vehicle with any of this tech. I love the ACC, but now getting used to it I would greatly prefer stop and go. Also wish they upped Lane Keep to Lane Centering.

 

[DaveInSA]

My first vehicle with any of this tech. I love the ACC, but now getting used to it I would greatly prefer stop and go. Also wish they upped Lane Keep to Lane Centering.

The Sport had the lane centering too.. It worked OK. But here in Texas at least it sometimes had problems figuring out the lanes. By it's nature it is more aggressive in steering corrections than basic lane keeping so would sometimes try to steer you off the wrong way.

The sport also had the speed limit sign recognition. They'd disabled the cruise speed changes based on it before I got my sport, so it was just used for telling you the current speed limit on the dash. It worked great. Too great. Sometimes it would read the speed limit signs on the access road next to the highway, suddenly thinking the 70mph highway now had a 45mph speed limit
Probably why they removed it from the cruise control portion (probably temporarily, but there were no comms on it)

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