Can't downshift into 1st gear

Hey guys, I have a question about driving manual. Whenever I try to put it into 1st from like neutral or second, I can never get it in there. There is like a lock or resistance from keeping it getting into 1st gear.

An example is going to wal mart. It is crowded in the parking lot and my speed is too slow for second gear. I am going around 3 mph in this situation and i always hear my car lug in 2nd gear. What do you guys do when you are rolling at this low speed? i can only get it into 1st gear when i am coming off a complete stop. what should i do when i am in 2nd gear, 10 mph, then the car stops in front of me and starts rolling making my speed drop to 3 mph? my car does not allow me to put it into 1st gear. should i continue to just let it lug in second gear? i wasn't sure because my whole car is shaking so much. thanks!

 

Shifting in to 1st from a roll in the Tacoma sucks! As you've seen, it just doesn't like it. Don't lug it, what I do is just slow down enough until it lets me shift in to 1st. Most of the time I really don't need to slow down, but it's only for the truck to allow me to get in to gear. Then just keep it in 1st as your roll around the lot.

 

I can shift into first while rolling no problem. I have to be under 10 mph or so, but I have no trouble at all.

The reverse thing is just a synchro thing. If it won't go, just ease out the clutch to move just a hair and it'll drop into reverse no problem

 

As long as im under 10mph im good .[ try double clutching i have to sometimes it might help.

 

hey, i have the 09 too but i cannot get it in there. what do you mean by double clutching? how can i get into first gear from neutral going less than 10 mph? every time i try to push it in there, it won't let me in. should i force it in there? i'm scared because i don't want to ruin anything. thanks!

 

release ur clutch and engage it again. I don't find I have a problem going from 2nd to 1st at speeds under 10mph. I think it's just something you gotta get used to.

 

Clutch in and give the truck a little throttle to match approximately what rpm your truck would otherwise be at in 1st gear, it will pop right into gear.

 

so is this right? in neutral, clutch in, rev a little, shift from neutral to first, clutch out/ease gas? i don't get the order above, were you talking about going from 2nd to first or from neutral to first?

 

2nd to first, or neutral to first. Both will work but I find my self going from neutral to first while using this technique more often.

You have the order correct. neutral, clutch in, rev match to aprox. rpms of gear desired (1st), and then ease the clutch out after it drops into gear. You can apply a light amount of pressure onto the gear shifter in the direction of 1st while rev matching, once you hit the correct RPM the synchronizer will allow the transmission to drop right into first.

It might take a bit of practice to get everything down, but it works like a charm after you get a hang of things.

 

Hmm, I don't think I have had this issue... I go from 2nd to 1st with no problem.

 

I bought an Auto, to avoid these kinda issues.. Just my .02 ..

 

I'd rather DRIVE my truck than be a passenger.

BTW How's that No Hope Pope thing working out for ya? Enjoying all them army folks?

 

I've found that it actually works better if you:

1) Shift to neutral
2) Let the clutch OUT
3) Rev the engine to the approximate RPM you expect to be turning in 1st gear.
4) Push the clutch in
5) Shift to 1st (should go in EASY)
6) Let the clutch out

It sounds worse than it is... you can do this in a couple of seconds.

I may be wrong, but I think this works by getting the input shaft in the transmission spinning at close to the same speed as the output shaft so the 1st gear synchro doesn't have to work so hard to do the same thing. Doing it this way you accomplish the same thing as reving the engine with the clutch IN (get the engine RPM's up to where they need to be) and you ALSO get the transmission input shaft spinning faster so the tranny will engage 1st gear easier. 1st gear is really low in these things so the first gear synchro has to work pretty hard to get the input shaft spun up otherwise. If you just push the clutch in and push hard - forcing it into first, you're putting a lot of wear on that synchro. You'll hear it whining as the input shaft spins up.

This is not necessary when downshifting to other gears - I guess because the ratios are closer together between the other gears (unless you're going from like 5th to 2nd while still going pretty fast - same thing applies then).

Don't know if I explained that well, but I KNOW it works. Just try it.

 

Men, I have same problem. I have to stop to shift to 1st. gear.

 

^^ Correct.

 

Is there a way around it? Is it a manual or electric feature that prevents shifting into 1st?

 

That's what I do and it hasn't failed me yet!