Manual transmission Fan Club and BS thread (All Generations Welcome)

After waiting for more than a month, I finally got to drive a DCSB OR M/T MGM.

The truck had 4 miles on it, right off the delivery truck and a quick mechanical PDI. It wasn't even washed yet.

I drove it for 20 miles in both stop n' go traffic and at 65-70mph on 35E.

My impressions:
1st gear is short and jumpy. I only used this gear from a full stop.

2nd gear handled stop n' go traffic really well, even at 1-1.5K rpm. You just have to know at those rpms you cannot accelerate that hard. The power is just not there.

Higher gears are fine. I never noticed the vibration between 2-2.5K rpm.

The shifter went in and out of gears smoothly. The clutch travel was fine.

I found the M/T to be much more quiet than the A/T on the same uphill roads.

It was easy to feel what gear the engine wanted to be at. Maybe being a motorcycle trackday rider helped me understand this.

The interior was quiet. I did hear the howling noise at 60mph but it wasn't bad...like someone blowing air into a coke bottle.

There were only a few things that I didn't like:

I didn't like how short 1st gear was.

When taking a corner, shifting from 3rd to 2nd, it felt like for a second or two the engine was accelerating even as my right foot was still easing off the brake. This happened multiple times. It was weird. I was hoping for engine braking but instead got that odd coasting/accelerating feeling. I'm sure I would have eventually figured out how to better handle corners while shifting to 2nd.

The brake was a little to sensitive. I'm sure this just takes getting used to, and the feeling would get better after a few hundred miles.

The sidewalls on the tires on the OR were too soft over cracks for my liking.

There was a noticeable jump in torque after around 2800 rpm. It felt like turbo kicking in after the lag. I wish the power was more linear.

OK, so after the test drive, I felt I was at 7 out of 10 on buying the truck. If I didn't know of the issues that manifested for others here at around 1-5K miles of ownership, I would have bought the truck. However, given all the info I got from TW, I passed on the Taco for now. Instead, I put $3K on a base 4Runner Trail MGM that will be arriving from Japan tomorrow and will be at the dealership in 3 weeks. The 4Runner is not without flaws. It's heavier, it's at it's 7th year, it's not as nimble as unibody SUVs. But it shares its engine and tranny with my old 07 Taco and I like it.

I hope you guys don't mind if I continue to hangout here. I want a Taco, and I'll wait to test drive another in 3-5 years.

 

If I'm not mistaken, the 07 and current 4R both have the 4.0, but doesn't the 4R put out a LOT more power from the same block? (236hp vs. 270hp?) If so, I think you will be pretty happy with your decision. I don't know what tires come on new 4R now, but getting rid of the stock Dunlops did wonders for lateral stability in mine. You mentioned a nimble feel for an SUV and I always thought mine felt way better than comparible GM unibody SUVs.

I love my 4R, but its time to have a truck again. I'm still trying to justify keeping it around for one of my kids in the future.

 

ROFL I bought the T shirt and the back window decal. standards are becoming extinct. Raise awareness by demonstrating that thing you can do with the back tires where smoke comes out the back. LOL

 

So much yes to this ^^^

 

New Manual Tacoma Owners here! Picked up a white access cab 4x4 today.

 

Wow the white looks better on the access cab than I thought. My last was white my new sport is blazing blue.

 

https://youtu.be/lpmbfmSJxuE

I made a video of my clutch pedal on a very squeaky day. Is it worth taking it to the dealer?

 

A known issue on the genIIs when it got very dry mine used to sound like an old screen door. Can't remember what I use to do to mine but in the long run I just got used to it.

 

Mine just started making this sound yesterday. I'm sure my dealer will blame it on my tires and then tell me it is normal. Not wasting my time taking it in.

 

I'm 6'2 and have a '16 Double cab manual. Like the other tall folks have already stated, there's plenty of room for us. I don't drive with the seat all the way back either. I did have to get the non-tech package though as I felt the headroom was an issue with the sunroof. Couldn't be happier with my truck!

 

Mine started doing that the the other day too, but not nearly that loud! 4,700 miles

 

Here's the tech bulletin on the genII clutch squeak sounded exactly the same. as you can see not an easy repair. I just got used to mine.

 

I'll have them look at it next week when it's in for its leaking sunroof. Thanks for the link to that tsb.

 

Mine just started this. Not quite this bad yet, I will have the dealer look at in when it goes for service.

 

Mine was doing the same thing. Dealer lubed it up and hasn't squeaked since.

 

Here is my manual 2011 DCSB TRD. Clutch control has become second nature in situations like this. Love the ability to be in touch with the trail/ road!

 

Fkn hott. Enjoy

 

Over 9k mines quiet for now...Hmmn

 

Love my third peddle. However the one BIG downside is that it's a bit tough to use with my damn broken L ankle

 

Mine started at 11k.