Slow on highway??
 

Hi all;

I recently took my '99 TJ 4.0L up to the NC mountains. Around town I have no problems but taking it on the highway, in the mountains, I was having some real issues going up some of those hills, even dropping to third gear on a few. Fifth was almost unusable up there. At one point I got passed by a tractor trailer, uphill. Is this normal? It is stock except for 31" BFG AT's. Do they slow it down that bad? Seems to me that 181 HP and 200+ ft-lbs of torque should be plenty, but it isn't acting that way.

Thanks,
Josh

Re: Slow on highway??
 

Those are peak horsepower and torque. If your gear ratio is the dreaded
3.07, you may not be able to find the right gear for mountain use. As I
remember, some of those hills are pretty steep, too. It should go without
saying, that your air cleaner, spark plugs, wires, etc. should be in good
shape, but you never know. That truck was probably empty. They are pretty
fast that way.

Earle

"Felix Wankel" <rotaryrx@triad.rr.com> wrote in message
news:C0V%e.79859$Jp.2595752@twister.southeast.rr.c om...
> Hi all;
>
> I recently took my '99 TJ 4.0L up to the NC mountains. Around town I have
no problems but taking it on the highway, in the mountains, I was having
some real issues going up some of those hills, even dropping to third gear
on a few. Fifth was almost unusable up there. At one point I got passed by
a tractor trailer, uphill. Is this normal? It is stock except for 31" BFG
AT's. Do they slow it down that bad? Seems to me that 181 HP and 200+
ft-lbs of torque should be plenty, but it isn't acting that way.
>
> Thanks,
> Josh
>

Re: Slow on highway??
 

Those are peak horsepower and torque. If your gear ratio is the dreaded
3.07, you may not be able to find the right gear for mountain use. As I
remember, some of those hills are pretty steep, too. It should go without
saying, that your air cleaner, spark plugs, wires, etc. should be in good
shape, but you never know. That truck was probably empty. They are pretty
fast that way.

Earle

"Felix Wankel" <rotaryrx@triad.rr.com> wrote in message
news:C0V%e.79859$Jp.2595752@twister.southeast.rr.c om...
> Hi all;
>
> I recently took my '99 TJ 4.0L up to the NC mountains. Around town I have
no problems but taking it on the highway, in the mountains, I was having
some real issues going up some of those hills, even dropping to third gear
on a few. Fifth was almost unusable up there. At one point I got passed by
a tractor trailer, uphill. Is this normal? It is stock except for 31" BFG
AT's. Do they slow it down that bad? Seems to me that 181 HP and 200+
ft-lbs of torque should be plenty, but it isn't acting that way.
>
> Thanks,
> Josh
>

Re: Slow on highway??
 

Those are peak horsepower and torque. If your gear ratio is the dreaded
3.07, you may not be able to find the right gear for mountain use. As I
remember, some of those hills are pretty steep, too. It should go without
saying, that your air cleaner, spark plugs, wires, etc. should be in good
shape, but you never know. That truck was probably empty. They are pretty
fast that way.

Earle

"Felix Wankel" <rotaryrx@triad.rr.com> wrote in message
news:C0V%e.79859$Jp.2595752@twister.southeast.rr.c om...
> Hi all;
>
> I recently took my '99 TJ 4.0L up to the NC mountains. Around town I have
no problems but taking it on the highway, in the mountains, I was having
some real issues going up some of those hills, even dropping to third gear
on a few. Fifth was almost unusable up there. At one point I got passed by
a tractor trailer, uphill. Is this normal? It is stock except for 31" BFG
AT's. Do they slow it down that bad? Seems to me that 181 HP and 200+
ft-lbs of torque should be plenty, but it isn't acting that way.
>
> Thanks,
> Josh
>

Re: Slow on highway??
 

Air cleaner, plugs, and wires are all about a year old ... How can I check the diff ratio? I run around 2K rpm at 70 mph.

Josh

Earle Horton wrote:
> Those are peak horsepower and torque. If your gear ratio is the dreaded
> 3.07, you may not be able to find the right gear for mountain use. As I
> remember, some of those hills are pretty steep, too. It should go without
> saying, that your air cleaner, spark plugs, wires, etc. should be in good
> shape, but you never know. That truck was probably empty. They are pretty
> fast that way.
>
> Earle
>
> "Felix Wankel" <rotaryrx@triad.rr.com> wrote in message
> news:C0V%e.79859$Jp.2595752@twister.southeast.rr.c om...
>
>>Hi all;
>>
>>I recently took my '99 TJ 4.0L up to the NC mountains. Around town I have
>
> no problems but taking it on the highway, in the mountains, I was having
> some real issues going up some of those hills, even dropping to third gear
> on a few. Fifth was almost unusable up there. At one point I got passed by
> a tractor trailer, uphill. Is this normal? It is stock except for 31" BFG
> AT's. Do they slow it down that bad? Seems to me that 181 HP and 200+
> ft-lbs of torque should be plenty, but it isn't acting that way.
>
>>Thanks,
>>Josh
>>
>
>
>

Re: Slow on highway??
 

Air cleaner, plugs, and wires are all about a year old ... How can I check the diff ratio? I run around 2K rpm at 70 mph.

Josh

Earle Horton wrote:
> Those are peak horsepower and torque. If your gear ratio is the dreaded
> 3.07, you may not be able to find the right gear for mountain use. As I
> remember, some of those hills are pretty steep, too. It should go without
> saying, that your air cleaner, spark plugs, wires, etc. should be in good
> shape, but you never know. That truck was probably empty. They are pretty
> fast that way.
>
> Earle
>
> "Felix Wankel" <rotaryrx@triad.rr.com> wrote in message
> news:C0V%e.79859$Jp.2595752@twister.southeast.rr.c om...
>
>>Hi all;
>>
>>I recently took my '99 TJ 4.0L up to the NC mountains. Around town I have
>
> no problems but taking it on the highway, in the mountains, I was having
> some real issues going up some of those hills, even dropping to third gear
> on a few. Fifth was almost unusable up there. At one point I got passed by
> a tractor trailer, uphill. Is this normal? It is stock except for 31" BFG
> AT's. Do they slow it down that bad? Seems to me that 181 HP and 200+
> ft-lbs of torque should be plenty, but it isn't acting that way.
>
>>Thanks,
>>Josh
>>
>
>
>

Re: Slow on highway??
 

Air cleaner, plugs, and wires are all about a year old ... How can I check the diff ratio? I run around 2K rpm at 70 mph.

Josh

Earle Horton wrote:
> Those are peak horsepower and torque. If your gear ratio is the dreaded
> 3.07, you may not be able to find the right gear for mountain use. As I
> remember, some of those hills are pretty steep, too. It should go without
> saying, that your air cleaner, spark plugs, wires, etc. should be in good
> shape, but you never know. That truck was probably empty. They are pretty
> fast that way.
>
> Earle
>
> "Felix Wankel" <rotaryrx@triad.rr.com> wrote in message
> news:C0V%e.79859$Jp.2595752@twister.southeast.rr.c om...
>
>>Hi all;
>>
>>I recently took my '99 TJ 4.0L up to the NC mountains. Around town I have
>
> no problems but taking it on the highway, in the mountains, I was having
> some real issues going up some of those hills, even dropping to third gear
> on a few. Fifth was almost unusable up there. At one point I got passed by
> a tractor trailer, uphill. Is this normal? It is stock except for 31" BFG
> AT's. Do they slow it down that bad? Seems to me that 181 HP and 200+
> ft-lbs of torque should be plenty, but it isn't acting that way.
>
>>Thanks,
>>Josh
>>
>
>
>

Re: Slow on highway??
 

Depending on your gear ratio, 5th or overdrive gear is useless in hilly
areas except for downhill with the larger tires on it... I don't use
5th at all with my 3.31 gears and 33's.

I find I have to watch my rpm because of my 33's. If I keep it around
2300-2500+ rpm I can climb any highway hill. If I approach the hill too
slow or in too high a gear, I lose it fast and as you say have to drop
to 3rd even.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Felix Wankel wrote:
>
> Hi all;
>
> I recently took my '99 TJ 4.0L up to the NC mountains. Around town I have no problems but taking it on the highway, in the mountains, I was having some real issues going up some of those hills, even dropping to third gear on a few. Fifth was almost unusable up there. At one point I got passed by a tractor trailer, uphill. Is this normal? It is stock except for 31" BFG AT's. Do they slow it down that bad? Seems to me that 181 HP and 200+ ft-lbs of torque should be plenty, but it isn't acting that way.
>
> Thanks,
> Josh

Re: Slow on highway??
 

Depending on your gear ratio, 5th or overdrive gear is useless in hilly
areas except for downhill with the larger tires on it... I don't use
5th at all with my 3.31 gears and 33's.

I find I have to watch my rpm because of my 33's. If I keep it around
2300-2500+ rpm I can climb any highway hill. If I approach the hill too
slow or in too high a gear, I lose it fast and as you say have to drop
to 3rd even.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Felix Wankel wrote:
>
> Hi all;
>
> I recently took my '99 TJ 4.0L up to the NC mountains. Around town I have no problems but taking it on the highway, in the mountains, I was having some real issues going up some of those hills, even dropping to third gear on a few. Fifth was almost unusable up there. At one point I got passed by a tractor trailer, uphill. Is this normal? It is stock except for 31" BFG AT's. Do they slow it down that bad? Seems to me that 181 HP and 200+ ft-lbs of torque should be plenty, but it isn't acting that way.
>
> Thanks,
> Josh

Re: Slow on highway??
 

Depending on your gear ratio, 5th or overdrive gear is useless in hilly
areas except for downhill with the larger tires on it... I don't use
5th at all with my 3.31 gears and 33's.

I find I have to watch my rpm because of my 33's. If I keep it around
2300-2500+ rpm I can climb any highway hill. If I approach the hill too
slow or in too high a gear, I lose it fast and as you say have to drop
to 3rd even.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Felix Wankel wrote:
>
> Hi all;
>
> I recently took my '99 TJ 4.0L up to the NC mountains. Around town I have no problems but taking it on the highway, in the mountains, I was having some real issues going up some of those hills, even dropping to third gear on a few. Fifth was almost unusable up there. At one point I got passed by a tractor trailer, uphill. Is this normal? It is stock except for 31" BFG AT's. Do they slow it down that bad? Seems to me that 181 HP and 200+ ft-lbs of torque should be plenty, but it isn't acting that way.
>
> Thanks,
> Josh