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2015 Rubicon 500 DCT shifting

22K views 24 replies 9 participants last post by  PRO-V 
#1 · (Edited)
Hi! I recently bought a brand new 2015 Rubicon 500 DCT Deluxe. I'm new to these forums and I'm happy to be part of this community !

So here my concerns:
At first with no mileage, the DCT in Auto or ESP had hesitation, harsh shifting but now after 45miles it's much better (except when the oil hasn't warmed up). The 1st-2nd, 2nd-3rd shifts are now really smooth, in Auto mode and in ESP mode.

My question is about the 3-4 and especially the 4-5 shift , which is never smooth. The shifts are harsh, quite slow and it seems that the clutch always slips a bit. You can feel the delay on these upshifts, and you can hear the engine RPM raise and decrease during the upshift, which is really annoying, and certainly not good for the clutchs. The only way I found to do the 4th-5th shift in a way that I'm not wearing the clutch is by releasing the throttle in ESP mode during the shifting process (just like you do on a foot shift model). I never had/found any conditions that made this upshift super smooth.

Is it just mine? Has anyone else noticed the longer delay/clutch slippage of shifting to the 4th and 5th gear?


I plan to use Amsoil ATV synthetic 0w-40 when I hit about 100-125 miles, hoping to improve the shifting. If it doesn't work, I might try some thinner 0w-30 or 5w-30 ATV synthetic.
 
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#4 ·
get about 200-300 miles on it and let everything break in and stay away from the synthetic oil until you have about 500 miles on it ...... or read what the owners manual recommends since the engineers at Honda are waaaaaay smarter then us
 
#5 ·
If I follow the owners manual, I can switch to synthetic at 100miles, since it only ask for a JASO certification and not a specific mineral oil. The range of compatible oils is very wide (from 0w to 40w). I will try a lighter mineral GN4 oil first. If it's not better, after a couple hundred miles I will put my synthetic Amsoil 0w-40 and hope for the best.

I'd just want to know if other rubicons have that 4th to 5th slow and slippy shifting issue...
 
#6 ·
Yeah, I agree. I would let it break in. Mine is a foot shift model, but it shifted poorly for about 25 miles or so. Got poor gas mileage until I got about 150-200 miles or so. I would guess your lower shifts are better because your machine is in those gears more often. Everytime you ride you are going to shift from 1st to 2nd. But you might not get to 5th as often. So you lower gear shifts may be more broken in the the upper ones.
 
#7 ·
So far at 65miles, no difference from 45 miles. Can't wait to try a new oil weight. I think something that doesn't help is that i'm riding at very cold temperatures up here in Canada (about 35F). Hopefully in the summer it will shift better.
 
#8 ·
My 2015 did the same thing I was do for an oil change by hours before mileage because of all the idling I did when I first got it cause I was using it for work around the yard . my first service was do before I reached 100 miles so I did the first service with Honda 10w30 synthetic and all my shifting problems went away after the oil change.
 
#9 ·
Wife's 420AT has gotten noticably smoother shifting the more she rides it. I put Rotella T6 5W40 in it.
 
#11 · (Edited)
Update: I changed the OEM oil to AMSOIL 0w40 and so far no improvement in shifting. Maybe a tad smoother on cold engine, but once warmed up it's pretty much the same.

I ordered Honda HP4 0w30. I will switch right away: I want to find the best oil for this transmission. I suspect a lighter oil will accelerate the shifting process, just like it does in a car manual synchronised gearbox (synchronisers have less oil drag to accelerate the gears). I'm not worried about a liquid cooled engine with 0w30 in the summer, they don't get as hot as air cooled engines. If the honda oil is better for the Rubicon DCT, I will use the dropped AMSOIL in my snowblower, and my lawnmower. Not that it's a bad oil: I absolutely love AMSOIL in my car and gearbox, but maybe the DCT needs a lighter oil. :)

If it's an oil pressure thing, heavier oil grade should improve the shifting, so I will switch to honda 10w40 HP4s. I don't care spending 200$ in oils to get a new machine on the right track.


Will update soon.
 
#13 ·
Yes I considered that but I wouldn't be afraid of running a light oil in the summer, as long as you don't drive it crazy. It's still a 30w grade. I read a lot of lab results on my car (Evo) about running 0w30 in the summer (AMSOIL signature series 0w30) and they proved that you can't go wrong with that oil even in the summer. The wear indicators in the blackstone lab results were still better than any other oil grade in the market. The honda 0w30 should be similar, but I will stay light on the throttle in the very hot days.

Right now I just want to do the complete oil weight testing with the DCT, and I will end up using the heaviest oil that shifts smoothly. My testing will also be useful for owners who seek information here.
 
#14 ·
I don't understand why you would spend $200 on oil to get it to shift smoother without letting the motor break in .......to me you wont be happy no matter what so spend away my friend ...... spend away
 
#15 ·
It will shift better with use. Breaking it in will help more than changing to different oils.

Wife's Rancher with the same transmission would almost buck her off at first. The more she rides it, the smoother it gets.
 
#16 ·
Thanks for the information and for your thoughts guys. I will be patient and put more miles on it.

Mine is really worse in ESP mode. I have to lift off the throttle to shift to 5th gear, especially in "High" mode, to avoid the hearing the engine reving up during the shift. In Auto mode, it's like it cuts the throttle by itself to avoid that, but there is still some hesitation. It's really annoying because I like the bike more in ESP mode for drivability and flexilbility.
 
#17 ·
Have a '15. Changed oil at 100 miles with Honda HP4 and it shifted much better. At 500 miles changed to Amsoil 0-40. More I ran it the better it got. Like was said, I think it needs to run through all the gears to get broke in. Have 675 miles on it now and shifts good. Ran it in cold temps icefishing and it was good.
 
#18 · (Edited)
Which grade of HP4 did you use?
Why did you switch to Amsoil after it?



*I just read in the Honda owners manual that to shift in ESP mode, the procedure is to release the throttle, then shift. Surprising to me, because 1-2-3 shifts are so smooth at any throttle position.
 
#19 ·
HP4 in 10-40. Got a deal on it since I bought my machine there. Switched to Amsoil because that's what I ran in my Rancher for 10 years and my Honda 2000 generator. Flows well on cold weather startups. My buddies that put it in their Hondas after me said their machines appeared to run cooler as the fan did not kick on as often.
 
#20 ·
. My buddies that put it in their Hondas after me said their machines appeared to run cooler as the fan did not kick on as often.
I've definitely noticed this on machines that were switched from Dino Rotella or Valvoline to Rotella T6 synthetic.
 
#21 ·
How fast do you ride. If the bike doesn't get to shift into higher gears often it will shift like junk. Wife's 420 was hard for 600km. Then at 1000 I put a gear reduction in and it had to go trough it's whole learning process again. Now and 1500km it shifts like butter.

Oil won't make any huge difference, minor when it's cold but nothing when it's warm. Best thing is to drive it. Get out on a gravel road after break in and hold it to the bar trough all the gears.
 
#22 ·
Yeah my wife's is getting better with use. The more she rides it the smoother it shifts.
 
#23 ·
2016 Rubicon

I just bought a 2016 Rubicon FA and notice the gears shift a little abruptly when the engine isn't hot as well but seem okay in ESP. I have also noticed it has to crank over maybe 10-15 full revolutions sometimes before it starts. There's only about 70 km on it yet, maybe after its broken in it will shift and start easier?
 
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