Trouble Shifting into 1st from a stop - Dealer says new transmission??

If you are moving and you properly rev match the correct speed then it is fine. Revving to 2k RPMs at a stop is a lot of torque for 1st gear to have synchronize.

 

If you are coasting to a stop and trying to grab first gear , your rear driveshaft begins driving the transmission output shaft . When this happens , your transmission first gear synchronizer is trying to match the speed of the input shaft with the speed of the rotating output shaft . This is called reverse powerflow and is something a lot of Tacomas suffer from . If there was a clutch on your rear differential , you could grab first gear at any speed .
Others above mention the shifter ball and seat and a new clutch with fresh hydraulics ....highly possible
Hard to grab first gear or reverse is the first signs of clutch issues
How most Tacoma owners get around this ? slow to a complete stop and then select first gear .

 

Replace these two parts 1st
https://www.google.com/search?q=shi...ECA4QAg&biw=1024&bih=661#imgrc=fFaPg53nwxGsIM

 

Surprisingly the little white bushing on mine didn't appear to have hardly any wear when I changed it at 180k or whatever miles it was.

 

Mine too but it fixed my shift issues, the knob was my issue

 

I mean it's only a few dollars, might as well replace it!

 

Looks like from this vid below that a loose shifter bushing will also make the stick feel sloppy once engaged. May aid diagnosis, thanks for mentioning it.Looks like yours was popping out by not getting fully in gear in the first place.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=utO0C0ftgAg

@ireymon

 

So I'm totally guilty of this. Bad for the transmission I take it.

Thanks for the clarification.

 

His issue was at stop he can't get it to go into any gear.... This is why I was thinking some of those other ideas were good, like the pressure plate broken finger or two

Which is why it makes sense that we've seen the comments on the hydraulics or the pressure plate or any component involved in the 'pushing' of the hydraulic process.

Curious what OP finds out here. He gave some good initial info that makes his scenario a bit different from the common poor shifting stuff we see here.
-At a stop he can't shift cleanly into ANY gear.
-While moving can shift into all gears besides first.... I think, shoot, I think that's what he mentioned.

 

Yep I think any real issue like that is confounded with the fact that sometimes the MT needs a clutch pump to get into 1st occasionally to avoid forcing it, even when new off the lot as both of mine have done.

 

I do downshift myself but usually only down to 3rd or 2nd gear, 1st always feels like it takes too much 'force' to get it into gear..which I've just always assumed can't be good for it but @gearcruncher explained it way better than I could have lol.

This does make me wonder though, does the same thing happen when downshifting into other gears or is it just 1st?

 

My rubber bushing was trashed at 60k. Truck sat too long and it dryed out I guess. Was a fun 40 mile trip home when it decided it didnt like staying in gear anymore haha.

 

I have an RA60 6MT on an 05 Tundra. Last night trying to accelerate onto the freeway in 4th gear, the shifter popped out of gear and shook the whole truck pretty hard. Scared me pretty good.

 

Usually just first gear
When you have your clutch pedal mashed to the floor , your input shaft comes to a complete stop , but because your rear diff is driving the rear driveshaft , your first gear synchronizer now has the task of matching the speed of the rotating output shaft to the speed of a stationary input shaft . Depending on the final drive gear ratio , its better for your transmission if you come to a complete stop before selecting first gear . I know a lot of 4 cylinder trucks use 4:11 final drives . You are really asking a lot from your 1st gear synchronizer with this ratio .
When you are in 2nd or 3rd gear , at least both shafts are slightly rotating making it easier for synchronization

 

You guys are the best, thanks so much for the input! Here's what I did last night, after driving back from the stealership:

- Change out the fluid for MT90 - Old stuff didn't look too bad, and there was prettymuch no metal in it (hah)
- Check the seat and shifter bushing - Both of these look fine, it's actually a marlin crawler tranny with the short shift kit and heavy duty seat
- Check the master and slave cylinders - No signs of leakage, however they appear to be quite old, I bought the truck when it had 210k on it and have put about 80k on it since and have no idea when these were last replaced

It shifts just a touch better, and it seems as though the 2nd-to-1st trick works now when it's having trouble at the stop. Honestly.. It just feels at this point as though depressing the clutch doesn't provide quite enough "throw" to get the disc off the flywheel. I think the order of events at this point, per your inputs is to change out the hydraulics (master+slave), and if that doesn't do the trick, it's time for new linkages, then a new clutch kit. I had no idea that some of the fins on the pressure plate could fail, that's a very interesting point.

To answer some of the questions - I DON'T typically shift it into 1st while approaching a stop, I definitely coast in neutral for the last hundred feet and dont put it in gear until the light turns green. It feels unnatural to sit on the clutch at a stoplight, which is why this issue has been frustrating

I'm still in disbelief that the dealer would suggest a new transmission... I typically assume people are honest, so the idea that someone would suggest $6000+ worth of work when it's not really needed is just.. hurtful? I dunno. I honestly believed it for a few hours there, but everything else about the transmission has been rock solid, and nothing screams BS like getting quoted $1500 for a clutch kit

 

I'm about to leave the house, will try out the clutch pump as well if the issue presents itself..

 

Was having similar issues with my '98. Slave and master cylinder were not leaking and we're original. Replaced both components and new fluid. Solved my issues.

 

If you end up changing the Hydraulics don`t forget the rubber hose over time they do get tired and blow up like a balloon under pressure making the slave move just not quite enough

 

Glad to hear it and thanks for reporting in. The more input and results the better for the whole

 

I had the same problem, I would just put in second then first and it would go in pretty easily. I recently lifted it and no longer have the issue lol.