I personally don't feel the 5-speed is all that bad. I've seen some put through some pretty rough abuse and hold-up just fine. They just don't like a ton of torque. It's easier to gimp a M/T home from the trail than an auto, just FWIW.

-Austin


1988 SWB Montero - 2.6L - 5-speed
Weber Carb
(Coming Soon) Rugged Ridge AVM Hubs