Shifting Question- Clutch Pedal

Just got into a 17 SR AC 4x4 with 2.7L 5spd. This isn't my first manual vehicle. Coming from an 09 Honda Civic Si and have an 86 Land Rover 90 in MT.

So my question is this- If I'm starting off in 1st, while letting the clutch pedal back out to get going, is there a sweet spot? Does the pedal "break in" over time? I know it will get some used to after the Honda clutch pedal, but the few times I've stalled like a 16 year old with his first MT is a bit embarrassing. Any suggestions or tips?

 

All of your clutching is done in the last 1-2" of travel closest to you. It blows. Also shifting @3,500 helps ease you through the gears, especially 1st to 2nd

 

www.tacomaworld.com/threads/manual-transmission-fan-club-and-bs-thread-all-generations-welcome.406844/

 

You want to ditch the clutch accumulator- lexus and BMW guys have been doing it- I have the parts I need time.... this comes up a lot-

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-2nd-gen-2006-2013/688815-6mt-remove-clutch-accumulator.html

pretty simple from the looks of it... when time/life allows I'll get it done on my truck and do a write-up.

 

Hmm, I do not have any clutch issues and found this 3.5l 6spd to be very easy and smooth. I imagine after a day or two you will get used to it.

 

In my 6MT, the clutch engagement "area" is in the last maybe 1.5" of pedal. Very odd place for it and takes some getting used to.

 

First thing is you have to slip more into 1st then you are currently. Gotta rev up the engine more than you did in the Honda, trucks are heavier so you have to store more energy through the flywheel in order to get the truck moving. Then once its revved up just slowly let the clutch out until you feel it start to grab. This is your release/catch point. Once you get familiar with it, you can skip the first 1/2-2/3 of pedal travel and skip right to the engagement part every time but that takes practice and a good feel for the truck. The main thing is that you have to rev this truck a lot to get it going, even more than my last car an S2000. Another thing that will help you is it is crucial to roll onto the throttle the same time you let off the clutch. It will help avoid lots of the clunkiness during shifts, and keep you from stalling out in first.

 

Way too much clutch travel to be comfortable. That's why I went with an auto

 

I've had the same issue. From starting to engage to fully engaged is not much travel. Also after sitting at an idle for awhile, it seems the engine drops a few hundred RPM which further complicates the whole operation. I've been driving manuals for over 45 years and this has been the hardest one to get used to so don't feel bad.

 

Thanks for all the replies and advice. It's def a unique clutch. It's only day two of ownership.

 

It took me a while to get used to it as well, but it's super easy to drive for me at this point.

Once you let the clutch a little more than half way out, the spring effect seems to increase. This also happens to be right about where it grabs.

The left leg just needs a little repetition, then it is no problem at all. I let a friend drive my truck the other day, and he had this same problem with it. Stalled it immediately.

Another thing I was confused about when I first started driving it, was the hill assist. Touching the gas cancels it, so I had to de-train myself transitioning from the brake to the gas too quickly on hills. Rolling back on a hill while still uncomfortable with the clutch makes for some interesting panic starts.

 

When I got my new Taco the clutch felt spongy and grabbed pretty high. After about 1500 the clutch broke in and the pedal became stiffer and you can definitaly feel where it engages much better. My engagement point is pretty much in the middle now after break in. Also the clutch engagement is super easy to adjust if it grabs too low or too high. Just thread in the rod into the cylinder to raise your engagement point and thread out from the cylinder to lower it. Takes 5 minutes. But don't do it until you break your clutch in and it stiffens up.

 

Every clutch is different. Even among the Tacomas each will be slightly different. It just takes a few hundred pushes to get the feel. There is no worse or better, they are just different.

 

I thought so at first too, but after a few months driving it---it becomes second nature and I don't even think about shift points anymore. I've learned how the truck drives. I rarely pay attention to the RPM gauge when driving now as I already can feel when itneeds to be shifted.

 

My pedal took a while to get use to on my 2016. I'm not real crazy about the Hill Start Assist. I wish you could toggle it on and off. Its good in certain situations, but can get annoying at times. I did find it very difficult to float the gears compared to my other Toyota's.

 

Mine is normal for a tacoma, the 2nd gen my friend has felt the same way, but the 4cyl may be much different since I am comparing 4.0L to the 3.5L. Has anyone had any sort of crunchiness at the very top of the clutch pedal? Like if I rest my foot on it, I can hear it and feel it creak a little. Maybe it just has some more wearing in to do, but I almost have 5k on my truck already....

 

With the radio on (Some of us use it), hard to hear the engine, I find I'm revving the engine some to get rolling. Killed the engine a couple times the last few days. Arrrrg.
Duane

 

Let her scream a little, she's a rev happy engine, like someone mentioned earlier in this thread, let her whine around 3500 rpms, makes all the difference.

 

Is the 4 Cylinder Rev happy like the 3.5 too?

 

Yes