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

I skip 5th gear too.

 

In that case, not the engine. It is most likely just your intake opening up. The clutch is getting a workout though.

Work on your feel here. If you feel that the RPMs are not right at the beginning of the friction zone, then don't engage the clutch any further. Let the revs drop.

 

How?

 

Thank you sir, can I ask how you know so much?

 

If I'm trying to go fast, 3rd offers the best chance to get into the 4K+ RPM power band. I do like 5th though. Dunno why. Maybe cuz I used to drive a 2.4L and it couldn't do anything in 5th except cruise. I can climb light grades in 5th with the 3.5L.

 

First post, came here looking for some info and this seems like a decent place to ask it.

My ride is a '94 Pickup, 2WD manual with Xtra cab and 6' bed. Bought it in '95 and at only ~167K miles it's still going strong. Low miles for its age, as it hasn't always been my daily driver. This truck has taken its share of abuse and just keeps going (earning the nickname Bruiser) .

The other day my wife mentioned that a couple we know was wondering if they could borrow Bruiser to move some furniture (which made no sense to me as they own an Econoline van with more cargo space than my truck). This couple is kind of clueless about a lot of things if I'm being honest, and there was no way I was taking the risk of letting them borrow my daily driver. But it got me thinking, what if I did have a catastrophic loss (or unjustifiably expensive repair) with my truck? I would want a new (or new-ish) Tacoma. So I went to Toyota.com and started looking at my options.

If their truck builder feature is accurate, I can't get a manual 4x4 with both a 6' bed AND a double cab. My choices for MT are either double cab and 5' bed, or access cab and 6' bed.

Is this correct? And if so, anyone know why?

I'd really like to be able to have a full second row now that I have a family, but I'm hesitant to lose that extra foot of bed space. Maybe I'd get used to it, and I suppose a bed extender is one option. But it sure would be nice to have more space up front while not losing space in the rear.

 

I believe that's right. Only Canada gets that option for some reason. Not a clue why though.

 

No problem!

My Wife and I have over 300k on MT cars, and I have over 120k on motorcycles.

Three of the cars, including the Taco, were bought new, and one had 40k on it when we bought it. We never had to put a dime into the clutches or transmissions on the cars.

I started riding in 2006 (early mid-life crisis). Two of my three bikes were more or less trouble free. Of course, Ducati dry clutches do wear, but they are stupid easy to work on. The last bike, a Russian Ural GearUp, is a real POS. Sometimes the part materials are good, sometimes they are butter. I've struggled with the entire drive train on that thing. It usually runs better after I mess with it, but it is getting kicked out the door. The Taco is replacing it.

Otherwise, I like wrenching and reading about mechanical bits. Either wheels or wings.

Have a good one.

 

There are lots of things that I ask WHY about. Like why no leather and sunroof on an AccessCab with a MT? And, why the blue couldn't be a bit darker and easier to find on a dealer lot. =P

I have two teenage Daughters and bought the AccessCab a couple weeks ago. The 2005+ are larger than the first gen, and 2009+ have larger jump seat bottoms. Mine has a full LATCH setup back there. I don't know when they rolled that in.

I'm 6ft 0in with a shorter inseam. I haven't ridden in the back yet, but I have sat back there in both a 2007 and my 2017. It is roomy enough with the fronts seats set comfortably. And, the Girls don't mind it back there either. They like it a whole lot better then the sidecar bike that it is replacing.

Also, smart move not loaning your truck out. I'll do favors for folks, but they aren't getting my keys.

 

Amazing, this is my first MT Vehicle. Drove a Camry for a short time then got a 08 Nissan Frontier from my uncle, unfortunately the engine is now in bad shape and it is collecting dust in my garage. I really like this Taco and want to know what is normal and what isn't when driving a Manual.

 

My 07 Tacoma had 227,000 before it got totaled. And it still had the original clutch. So I must be doing something right? Or just lucky.

 

IMO, you started with a really good setup to learn on. Two of our cars had sad MTs (a 1995 Geo Metro and the used Volvo V70 T5). The shifts and clutch feel would vary a lot with the seasons. I bled the crap out of the clutch on the volvo, but the friction zone would always move around a bit. Our saab was nice, but not near as nice as the Taco once broken in. That was sold to our neighbor for their 16yr old. It is still rolling along with no drive train problems. I think it is a really fast sled for a new driver, but he did really well.

About the only thing that I have driven myself that felt better was a Miata. But nothing touches a Miata for a total package. The Taco is a truck, so the long shifter throws are there and the clutch is more vague. IMO, the 2nd gen clutches felt better.

That said, what is normal is just having shifts feel like an automatic. Basically, you don't want to see you passengers' heads rocking back and forth when motoring along. It's all about the Smooth.

Just keep on rolling and learning.

 

I vote for doing it right.

 

Here's my 07 wrecked by somebody not paying attention. I paid 32,000. 6spd manual. 227,000 had it for 6 years. 2013 totalled. The only thing that was done over and above reg. Maintenance. Front main seal 4.00. And water pump 132.00. That's it.
Insurance paid me? Well see if u guys can guess. And it was in 3 other accidents before this. 2 weren't my fault. The 1 was. Looking at a chick and well. That was 7,000.00. The other, side swiped by a Saab. The other passed out on a mountain passing a kidney stone. And then this one. Not my fault. So guess how much they said it would cost to get another like this one? They gave me a check and said that should do it?

 

Yikes. Damn saabs!

Considering the used prices that I saw when looking, you should have got a good bit for it. So, right around $15k?

 

Hey I am new to this particular thread, just traded in my automatic for a 2017 Manual and so far love it in comparison to the automatic.

 

You will get the hang of it thru trial and error and then you won't even think about it any longer.

 

Smart move! But, I'm really biased.

 

That really sucks to see your truck smashed, good luck in your search for a replacement

 

Toyota hates options. I couldn't get a TRD Off Road with access cab and manual like I wanted because that was only available with an auto. I was bouncing between a Jeep and this a short while back and while I eventually went with the Taco, the lack of customizability compared to a JK threw me off.