3rd gen manual trans characteristics.

For those of us with a manual trans... How the heck do you drive it... I've been driving manual for a while, and this truck specifically for over two years now... It seems I can never get consistent results, and no matter what I do it's a rough or crap shift.

No amount of foot work with the pedals seems to yield a good result and now it's started to kinda click into second instead of smoothly transitioning. I've tried lower rpm shifting, normal, adhering to the manuals "recommended speed per gear" and all out redlining it/high rpm shifts...
It's a dog off the line, borderline dangerous in the passing lane, and no engine braking.

How do you guys drive it and what results do you get?

I was in an awkward lane the other day were I needed to get up in front and over 2 lanes (new to an area and was in the wrong lane) so I did a 4k rev dump from a stop in 1st with traction control off and it literally died on its face, even at WOT. My past vehicles(all trucks/jeep, no sports cars) would of ether smoked the tires for an eternity or launched pretty quickly... Let's not forget about trying to drive in the parking lot... Do you over rev 1st, or lug in second? Speed bumps? Forget smooth... It'll start bucking and jerking...


Help!

 

I've been driving manual transmissions my entire life. I like my 3rd Gen just fine. It does have some Rev hang and seems to shift or ride a little hurky jerky when it hasn't been warmed up good but for the most part I like it a lot. I've owned the 3rd gen 5 speed m/t and the 3rd gen 6 speed m/t and I did like the 5 speed better. Seemed like it was a better combo than the 6 but the 6 is okay once you learn how to drive it. Maybe you should trade it in for SR?

Read enough of these posts on this site and you have to "learn" how to drive your truck.

 

That is definitely not how my 2017 acts. How early is your 2016? It sounds like the very first version of the ECU (4B10) was real crap. The only way to know that is with a tune cable plugged in.

I don't get wheel spin unless I am turning, but accelerating straight on, I have a ton of get up and go. I do have inconsistent feel to shifts, but it is manageable / not a major hindrance.

What kills me is the lack of engine braking and rev hang. You have more serious problems than that.

 

Mine is definitely not a dog off the line. It's not a sports car but it gets up and goes in my opinion. You'd be surprised what you can do and the acceleration you can get in 2nd gear. Don't be afraid to put your foot into it. When it gets up around 4K it really jumps to life.

 

I've noticed if going up hill it's gotta be above 3krpm, normal driving I shift around 2500 right before power band kicks in and enough to keep it smooth.

 

It’s deifnitely different than other manuals I’ve driven but I’ve gotten used to it at this point. I typically rev first a little higher than I’m used to because there is a pretty big jump to second.

But now that I’ve got the OVT tune on my truck I don’t have to worry about it. Drives much more normal. I can actually drive around in second without it bogging down.

From the factory it’s definitely better than the auto but it’s still far from perfect. It definitely took some getting used to

 

Ovt tune? I'll have to look into that, how much does that run?

 

If i did a 4k dump I would definitely have tire spin. I have found that only depressing the clutch about half way during shifts has given me a very smooth shift.

 

Agreed. OVTune made a world of difference in this truck's ability to use second gear.

 

There’s a couple threads around, a general one and then one for the auto and manual.

It’s around $770 usually unless you get it on a sale which he’s run a couple of.

I personally think it’s worth every penny for what it’s done as far as drivability on the truck. I’ve got a couple thousand miles on mine and I don’t think I could ever go back.

 

Mine isn't like other manuals I've had in the past, sounds like the op's truck needs some tuning. Mine will herk and jerk if going too slow in a gear or have a brief stutter when shifting, not all the time. Wait until you take a hill in cruise control and it suddenly dies because it can't maintain speed. Takes a couple seconds to realize what happened and your engine didn't stall. Shift down.
Duane

 

It definitely took some getting used to with the lack of Low End Torque, but my truck never feels dangerous so you might wanna get yours checked out. Anyway, I usually rev 1st Gear to 4 grand or so and shift very quickly to 2nd to not lose RPMS, 3rd and 4th feel ok and I skip 5th almost always and just do 4th to 6th.

 

I've owned ton of different cars mostly manual. Currently have an M4, GT3RS along with my '17 taco all in manual. Keep in mind, I drive all three differently on highways, parking lots and local roads. The RS which is supposed to be the pinnacle in manual transmissions is absolutely the worst in parking lots etc The taco is fine and felt very similar to my old 2000 v6 M/T. It's a truck and drives like one. I posted my thoughts in a youtube vid as well on my manual trd pro.

 

Mine drives fine with no issues. Plenty of power.

 

My 3rd gen is the latest in a long line of manual trans vehicles I've owned. I've had it for a year now. The URD short shift kit definitely helped with the timing for me. The truck is very easy to drive, but yeah the acceleration leaves quite a bit to be desired.

You really can't ever "dump" the clutch and expect takeoff to be smooth. Mine will either fall on its face or buck like crazy doing that. Be a little smoother with the clutch engagement, roll into the throttle, and you can get some decent speed from a standstill if needed.

 

Yeah, I don't have any of these experiences either. I have no issues rolling around parking lots in 2nd gear without really lugging. As long as I'm going about 4 mph, 2nd works.

Shifting from first to second is a pain in the butt because the drop is huge, and the revs do hang. I've also noticed that the delay in you letting off the gas and the revs starting to actually fall is noticeable, so I've gotten into the habit of letting off the gas a bit earlier than I would in my previous manual vehicles (which have been cars and motorcycles).

I'll give you, as a driver, the same advice I give everyone who's having a hard time getting 'smooth' shifts- when you go to shift instead of actually forcing the stick into a gate, just push it gently against the gate and once the revs drop to the appropriate level the stick will go in like butter. When that happens wait about 1/10 of a second and let the clutch out. It will be silky.

I have no issues with rev matching downshifts or anything else, really. It's a truck so its got a way heavier clutch and longer throws than my cars, obviously, but other than that I drive it like a slow ass car and it does just fine.

 

Funny, I do this too, almost EVERY time. I rarely ever go to 5th. 4th to 6th for me. Wonder if it's poor gearing ratios?

 

Yeah, it almost feels unnecessary, about the only time I use it is when downshifting.

 

I have had many manuals as well and find the Taco to be very easy and smooth. I do not have your characteristics.