New Taco Access cab 5 speed shifting question

I've been diving 5 speed for years and trying to get used to my new Taco Access Cab w/ 2.7L + 5 speed.

It seems like Taco vibrates when I'm trying to shift at lower RPM especially 1st & 2nd gear.
With today's gas price, I'm really trying to stay under 2k RPM as much as possible... unfortunately, sometime it cause my Taco to vibrates pretty bad.
Is this type of vibration bad for my engine, flywheel, clutch, etc?
Any thoughts?

 

Yes, it is bad . You have to keep the rpm's higher in 1st and 2nd gear. I shift all gears at around 2500 rpm

 

It seems like I've to stay at min 2K~2.5K to avoid vibration.
How bad is it to the engine & tranny?
Also, I put the gear into neutral position just before the engine die while stopping.
Someone told me that it will save the brake since I'm using the engine braking.
Is this also bad practice?

 

I personally wouldn't shift under 3k rpm. I have an auto these days so no worries for me, but when I did have the stick I found somewhere in the 3k - 4k range to be normal, fluctuating within that range with the driving conditions (hills, acceleration, etc).

I am pretty sure you can't really harm the engine by shifting it too low.. but it certainly thrashes about if you do.. geez. You don't save that much gas.

 

I edited that post, I usually shift at 2500 rpm's, i usually downshift if I have time and use the engine to brake. I idle in gear rather than neutral.

 

Could you clarify a little bit more?



So it seems like I've to rev up to 2.5K to shift and it will not hurt the MPG that much or clutch?
I used to rev up 3K+ on my previous car but I'm trying to baby my new Taco + I thought it will save me some gas & clutch...

 

When I'm at a stop light, Im idling in 1st gear rather than neutral.

 

ic... thanks.
So apparently, you shift into 1st while stopping as a engine brake and ready to launch when the light turns to green without shifting again?
Sounds like a good idea.

I'm getting old these days and my leg hurts if I keep depressing that clutch pedal too long.

 

The 1st gear is weird on these 2nd gens, it will not let you shift into 1st until you are almost completely stopped. And you can't force it or you'll screw up the synchros. I never shift into 1st until I'm completely stopped but I will downshift from 4-3, 3-2 if I want to save on the braking.

 

Shifting into first while moving? Isn't that really bad for the tranny?

 

Thanks for the .02 cents!

 

yes, it is . At least on the Tacoma. Most cars will allow you to downshift into 1st if you are creeping along at a slow speed but the 2nd gen locks out 1st until you are stopped. Many people have noticed this.

 

shouldn't be in first if you're rolling anyway, anyone can take off in 2nd ;p

 

Not on mine. I've read this often here, so I'm not doubting what people are saying -- but mine shifts like every other truck I've had, and you can get into first while moving (though you'd only want to if you were going slow, obviously). I don't know if there are actual design differences at play, or if it is just some combination of manufacturing variances and differences in drivers.

Anyway, I probably shift between 2500 and 3000. The engine pulls ok from about 1500 but lower than that (or uphill, or with a load) you'll be lugging the poor thing.

 

you hold the clutch in while at a stop light? i personally would not be holding the clutch in for a long period of time at a stop light.

 

all you need to do is rev-match to get it into first if your going more thatn 5mph. by doing that your bringing everything to the same speed, doesn't really screw things up. plus its an aisin transmission, theyre pretty bulletproof anyway.

 

It's a matter of preference, I know a lot of people that will do this. I don't think it hurts the clutch because I'm not moving.

 

I've noticed the thing about first gear, too... you basically have to be stopped to shift into first. The previous manuals I drove were a 95 Jeep Wrangler with the most sensitive transmission in the world (at least it felt that way to me at age 14) and a 99 F-350 dually that had all sorts of wiggle room for shifting and I never got that feeling with them.

I hardly ever engine brake but it's something I need to start doing.

I've driven manuals since I was 13 years old and there's still stuff to learn about them!

 

So true....

 

not too sure but i think i remember reading somewhere that holding the clutch in like that wears out something.