Drive on uphill

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pygmaro

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When I drive my Liberty on uphill, it seems very hard, do I need change to 4X4 or D2?
 

kj924

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Um....a little more info would be helpful, like what type of hill, on pavement, dirt, mud, grass?????

Are the tires spinning?? What's going on that it is "hard"???
 

HoosierJeeper

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If it is steep and un paved, 4wd may help. In extreme conditions, 4lo may be nesessary........
 

67Customs

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My driveway is a hill. If I leave the trans in Drive, it pulls it really slowly. However, if I drop it into 1, it drives up just fine. The Auto just doesn't drop down a gear when we think it should to pull up a hill.

I think I know exactly what you are talking about.
 

Powerslave

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These things shift into 4th, then lockup at a VERY low speed and RPM. It has nothing to do with terrain. When I am going up a hill towards work, at 35MPH, in 3rd with O/D off; the TqC locks up too, and I need to step on the gas hard to get it to downshift back to 2nd, and then it goes right back into 3rd-lockup as I ease up. So, I actually have to drop to 30, just to keep it in 2nd gear to get up the damn hill... There is TRAFFIC, so I can't step on it and go faster, it is so damn annoying!

I don't know why these are programmed to shift and lockup at such low speeds and RPMs, but I don't like it. I am going to install a lockup bypass switch as soon as I get around to it. This will prevent the Torque Converter from locking up while it is engaged. I am irritated with this...
 

flair1111

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what year is it? wifes 02 has the tougher ****** and hills are no big deal in any gear. hers has a very real hook up kind of feel like older cars used to have.

my 06 has a softer feel in the pedal and i must give it more gas to climb the same hill,(different ****** and other cpu crap going on). depending on the speed i usually downshift manually for more power and a better hook up in my 06.

i assume most 03s and all 04-07 are like mine in that reguard. and unless youve drove both trannys it might be hard to understand what im talking about.

edit... and i gotta say too that my lib is the weakest feeling thing ive ever drove when it comes to pulling a hill. mostly due to the way it shifts. doesnt hit the right gear unless i manually do it and try for a certain rpm before i shift higher, then its a lot better. even a 97 escort i used to own had more get up on a hill than this 06 has. i still love my jeep though haha
 
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AlexKJ

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These things shift into 4th, then lockup at a VERY low speed and RPM. It has nothing to do with terrain. When I am going up a hill towards work, at 35MPH, in 3rd with O/D off; the TqC locks up too, and I need to step on the gas hard to get it to downshift back to 2nd, and then it goes right back into 3rd-lockup as I ease up. So, I actually have to drop to 30, just to keep it in 2nd gear to get up the damn hill... There is TRAFFIC, so I can't step on it and go faster, it is so damn annoying!

I don't know why these are programmed to shift and lockup at such low speeds and RPMs, but I don't like it. I am going to install a lockup bypass switch as soon as I get around to it. This will prevent the Torque Converter from locking up while it is engaged. I am irritated with this...

Isn't easy just put it in "2"? I just can't see the issue here... :confused:

Or I miss the joke again :D

Cheers :)
 

Powerslave

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Yeah, I can down shift, but the RPMs are then too high going up the hill at 35MPH, and the gas hog they already are; who needs that on a DAILY basis. I want it in 3rd gear, with no TqC lockup. That won't be an issue once I install the switch. There is a sense wire at the brake pedal, I usually interrupt it there. Lockup disengages when you hit the brake too, so I use that wire, and ground it or supply 12V and lockup won't engage until I flip the switch back to normal. If not, I will interrupt it from the ECM, which is still easy...

I will only need to look at the wire diagram for the brake pedal wire harness with the 06 FSM, and see which wire, and what condition it must be in to tell the ECM to disengage lockup, it will just think the brake pedal is pressed. I did that with my Geo Tracker, the bypass, worked like a charm. I could also lockup the TqC manually with another switch, but that's another story...
 

flair1111

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These things shift into 4th, then lockup at a VERY low speed and RPM. It has nothing to do with terrain. When I am going up a hill towards work, at 35MPH, in 3rd with O/D off; the TqC locks up too, and I need to step on the gas hard to get it to downshift back to 2nd, and then it goes right back into 3rd-lockup as I ease up. So, I actually have to drop to 30, just to keep it in 2nd gear to get up the damn hill... There is TRAFFIC, so I can't step on it and go faster, it is so damn annoying!

I don't know why these are programmed to shift and lockup at such low speeds and RPMs, but I don't like it. I am going to install a lockup bypass switch as soon as I get around to it. This will prevent the Torque Converter from locking up while it is engaged. I am irritated with this...

if you do this lockup switch and it works, please post how you did it.
 

jnaut

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i assume most 03s and all 04-07 are like mine in that reguard. and unless youve drove both trannys it might be hard to understand what im talking about.

edit... and i gotta say too that my lib is the weakest feeling thing ive ever drove when it comes to pulling a hill. mostly due to the way it shifts. [...]

Feh, just either gotta give my '04 a little punchdown on the pedal forcing a downshift, or tap the O/D and she speeds uphill with no problem. I have the infamous 'dead spot' at around 40mph when the O/D is on.
 

Powerslave

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Wouldn't this problem be corrected with a PCM flash?

Sure, but not just a dealer flash without any tweeking... You would have to input new lockup or shift parameters, if you CAN do that at a dealer. If you had your own programmer, sure, but not just going to the dealer and have them FLASH it, it wouldn't do any good unless they acknowledge an issue, and the new flash corrects it.

Still, manual control over the lockup solenoid is fine for me.

You can interrupt the signal at one of THREE places with a switch.

1. At the brake pedal, force the release condition by grounding the lockup signal from the pedal switch, OR putting voltage to it, whichever condition it requires to release the TqC lockup clutch.

2. At the TCM wire harness, find the wire, and splice in a switch that completely bypasses the signal from being sent to the lockup solenoid. The computer will be sending it, but it just won't get there.

3. At the lockup solenoid (trans wire harness), interrupt the power or signal with a switch.

I will look at the FSM and see which wire on the brake pedal harness it is, and what condition it requires to release. Usually it is ground, but I will look to be sure.

Be warned, that without lockup, you will generate more heat in the transmission. The lockup clutch allows a 1:1 communication with the drive-plate, and reduces overall friction and heat. Lockup was a federal mandated EPA addition to automatic transmissions. You waste more gas too, since your RPMs will be higher. Just only use it when needed...
 
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SDLiberty

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Sure, but not just a dealer flash without any tweeking... You would have to input new lockup or shift parameters, if you CAN do that at a dealer. If you had your own programmer, sure, but not just going to the dealer and have them FLASH it, it wouldn't do any good unless they acknowledge an issue, and the new flash corrects it.

Still, manual control over the lockup solenoid is fine for me.

You can interrupt the signal at one of THREE places with a switch.

1. At the brake pedal, force the release condition by grounding the lockup signal from the pedal switch, OR putting voltage to it, whichever condition it requires to release the TqC lockup clutch.

2. At the TCM wire harness, find the wire, and splice in a switch that completely bypasses the signal from being sent to the lockup solenoid. The computer will be sending it, but it just won't get there.

3. At the lockup solenoid (trans wire harness), interrupt the power or signal with a switch.

I will look at the FSM and see which wire on the brake pedal harness it is, and what condition it requires to release. Usually it is ground, but I will look to be sure.

Be warned, that without lockup, you will generate more heat in the transmission. The lockup clutch allows a 1:1 communication with the drive-plate, and reduces overall friction and heat. Lockup was a federal mandated EPA addition to automatic transmissions. You waste more gas too, since your RPMs will be higher. Just only use it when needed...

Well i was thinking something more along the lines of B&G Performance PCM/TCM Flash.
 

J-Thompson

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all this for what?
all I do is push the gas ,to the floor if needed
heck if I need to I will force my TJ to crank out 4,000 rpms on road to pass up hill
you are not going to save enough on gas to spend the time and effort needed
think about it
gas is about $2 a gallon if you burn 1/4 gallon that is 50 cents
if 50 cents is breaking you then you are driving the wrong vehicle
and should buy a Hybrid

just my .02
 

HoosierJeeper

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My advice is to keep momentum, and if need be gear down....and I agree 100% with what J-Thompson said above....
 

ShafferNY

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Be warned, that without lockup, you will generate more heat in the transmission. The lockup clutch allows a 1:1 communication with the drive-plate, and reduces overall friction and heat. Lockup was a federal mandated EPA addition to automatic transmissions. You waste more gas too, since your RPMs will be higher. Just only use it when needed...

This would be my number one concern with posting this mod for others. Someone will burn his/her transmission up because they forget to toggle the switch off, or don't fully understand how it works.

BTW, I annoyed by this too. It's my biggest complaint with my Liberty. It's a dog going up hills. Either the RPM's are crazy, or you're doing 20mph up hill.
 

Powerslave

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The heat would not be ALL that much of a problem... When going up a hill in 2nd, you have no TCC anyway. I merely point that out as a precaution, more than a warning. My TRACKER lost lockup (TCC) ability three times, bad clutch, it just burned out. The 3rd time, I let it go, and nothing happened to the transmission. I had over 90k miles on it, and went 30k miles or more without TCC. It is mainly used because of newer FEDERAL MPG laws... IF the FED would butt out of the car MFR process, there may not be lockup clutches made so early on. As time goes on, the FED keeps demanding more and more MPG from cars. The TCC was one of THE VERY FIRST STEPS in increasing it. The benefit was heat reduction, due to less friction, but that's at the Torque Converter... You would still cycle all gears, into O/D, just with no TCC. You would not BURN up your transmission. So, what if TCC fails (like it did me THREE times), then you are in even more danger? That isn't 100% true. You can go without TCC if it fails, and nothing will happen to the transmission, you just lose gas mileage. Some people won't even notice it...

Also, there are OTHER models of cars where TCC is not available in 3rd gear, when O/D is active. When you then turn O/D off, and TCC is available in 3rd. The specs for my former Dodge Avenger said that, and, I had no TCC while O/D was on for 3d gear. When I needed that boost up the hill I mentioned, while in the Avenger? I just turned O/D on, and the TCC would disengage, and I was happy. Also, you can have PARTIALLY engaged TCC in certain conditions, while in 3d gear. This isn't true for the Jeep, I get TCC while in 3rd, at 35MPH at almost down to 1500 RPMs, with O/D on! So, I pressed it off, and there was absolutely NO change...

AS I SAID, for the other person; I can't punch it, because I would smash into the person in front of me. This hill is bumper to bumper every morning, at 35MPH. I can downshift, but the RPMs would be higher than I want. So, if I can achieve 3rd gear, without TCC, it would be fine, and I WILL do it. I looked at the FSM and I can't find a wire or pin out diagram for the brake switch.
 
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flair1111

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yeah, i think ill skip the switch on second thought and just keep manually shifting if needed. my problem even with just giving it more gas to make it downshift, is like powerslave said. for me it either takes way to long to downshift on its on, even when giving it hell, or if when it does downshift, you have to be careful of the guy in front of you.

i just simply wish there was a dealer flash to reconfig the shift points and all of that. ild even pay for it. a b&g flash is the best thing for now i suppose.
 

pygmaro

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My lib is 2005 Renegade. Who can tell me how to operate while driving on uphill? I really do not know.
 
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