I saw a few posts about Wrangler Trans, but my situation is a little different. I have a 95 Wrangler 4cyl Manual transmission. I believe it has the hydrolic clutch.
I have no problems shifting up from 1-5. Seems like everything is ok, but when I try to down shift the gears seem to grind. For example if I coast around the corner take it out of second to neutral and after I get around the corner I am going 15-20. I want to drop it back into 2nd to go, but it doesn't want to go. If I go into second I get a big grind.
Also if I go down the road in second, step on the clutch take it out of 2nd and then step on the clutch and put it back in second I get the grinding noise.

So it only happens when I try to down shift or go back into a gear I left, for primarily 2nd gear and 1st. I have to more or less slow the jeep to near stop and put it into 1 or 2nd to not get the grind.

I took the car to my local mechanic because I thought maybe it was the clutch, but they said the vehicle was fine since they drove it and it shift up fine. I know its not and I want to head this off before it means a new transmission.
THanks in Advance.

Probably your hydraulic clutch linkage. There is a Master and Slave cylinder to it. If you just fill it up near the cylinder for the brakes it should work again for a while. Read it - but it should use DOT 3 brake fluid. Now find the leak if the case. The flexible hose and the Slave cylinder are more common. It can still fail without leaking That makes it harder to diagnose.

Take care of this soon or you will wreck the transmission, even if my guess is incorrect. Some older ones the slave cylinder was not easy to replace. Good luck, - T
Tom Greenleaf - MetroWest Boston - USA
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http://www.autoacsystems.com/tomgreenleaf/

I don’t know if it would be a clutch problem if the transmission is only being difficult down shifting, I’m thinking worn or dirty syncro’s. If they are worn you’re into a rebuild but you may get lucky and hold off doing that by changing the fluid in an attempt to clean things up internally.
Sometimes dirt will collect in the threads that are machined into the syncro’s. These threads are there to cut through the oil so that the syncro can grab the next gear you’re trying to shift into, that’s so the two different gears are spinning at the same speed before they are forced to mesh.
Change the fluid two or three times in a row with short drives and lots of shifting in between, on the last fill, use synthetic 75W-90 gear lube.
There’s nothing to lose (other than a bit of oil) trying this and like I said you may get lucky and squeeze a little more time out of it before a rebuild.
Dan.
Here’s a picture of a syncro showing the threads.


Canadian "EH"

Dan - I've owned cars with NO synchomesh and they upshift great and you have to learn how to double-clutch the things for a down shift. That was the norm of the day!! I'm not all that old but used to buy 20 year old cars even in High School.

Funny how the kids (anyone under 30) today couldn't have made it to a pizza place if the clutch didn't disengage or veh didn't have synchomesh. I'd of taken the car and shifted it by timing speed vs gear wanted and have!! Same kids can make my cell phone do tricks without instructions! Go figure!

I still love your flag. Got to get some IT help as I don't know how you did that. Be well, T
Tom Greenleaf - MetroWest Boston - USA
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http://www.autoacsystems.com/tomgreenleaf/