Manual Transmission Frustration

I’m having issues with my 16 manual on sand. The first year I had it I wasn’t turning off the traction control properly. The truck did fine for a couple years but this year at the beach I had issues. The truck will bog down in thicker sand and stall out. I can floor it and basically dump the clutch and it won’t spin. It just bogs down and stalls. So I get “stuck” in about 4” of sand. If I slip and ride the clutch to keep the rpms up I eventually get out but I end up burning the clutch and smelling it all day. Idk if it’s the electronics the clutch or just me. I’ve driven manual transmissions all my life.

Any help is appreciated!!

 

Are you in 4 Low? Out on the beach mine basically idles along in 4low 1st gear, often times I start in 2nd.

Also what are you airing down to? If you are spinning all the time you probably have too much air. I usually drop my tires down to 12-14psi

 

this - 4Lo and 15psi will be the ticket

 

4lo limits throttle. If your worried about bogging down this could be part of it

 

I do air down but I’m in 4 high. It does not spin at all.

 

then 4Hi is your issue - you should be in 4Lo for sand. That'll fix everything

 

I air down but I use 4 high.

 

Awesome I’m gonna give it a try!

 

Are you pushing the traction control button for about 3 seconds until you see the warning lights on the dash?

More info here:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/3rd-gen-traction-control-modes-explained.530695/

BTW, you might want to change your thread title, because it doesn’t sound your issue is related to your transmission.

 

Long press (3-4 secs)TC button and you will disable TC completely.

 

This.

 

4hi in the sand?? Oh man, I feel sorry for your clutch.

4hi on manual Tacomas is only for high speed driving on loose/slippery surfaces.

 

Yes, plus long press of TC button.

 

OP, you gotta be standing still when holding that button, otherwise it won’t work.

 

Not to hijack a thread, but is 4lo necessary for decently steep inclines? I was doing some trails where 4hi wasn't even a necessity, but I got to a steep hill and almost stalled out until I dropped it to 4lo and had no issues. Guy I was with in a 4runner went up in 2wd no issues. Wondering if this is an issue of too much weight (285s, go fast camper, sliders, front bumper/winch) and needing a re-gear and/or tune or this is just expected behavior. Maybe the anytime 2lo mod would also be useful.

 

Is your truck a manual?

 

Smelling the clutch “all day” ain’t good.

 

It is

 

One other note… I’ve not had any trouble on sand with 4hi, but I have definitely burned my clutch while trying to rock/snow crawl in 4hi. It’s best to put it in 4lo if you don’t plan on going over 30mph. It makes everything so much easier and fun.

4lo also disables throttle intervention. The truck won’t cut throttle to prevent wheel spin. (You can accomplish the same thing in hi range with the traction control short or long press.)


It’s not as big a deal with the auto because it has a torque converter.

 

Only 4lo. How are guys climbing hills in 4hi without burning your clutch, I don’t get it.

4lo for slow speed maneuvers on MT taco all day long. Why would anyone use 4hi at low speeds is beyond my comprehension. There absolutely zero benefits using 4hi at slow speeds on MT taco.