Anyone With a 6-speed That Actually Upshifts Smoothly to 3rd Gear?

Yes. Generally higher RPMs do help.

 

I shift around 2k - 2500 and my '12 has been a pleasure since day one. I think the "problem" is a matter of perspective. Most who complain also mention a car they had/ have, usually a sporty one. The other vehicles I drive are a '06 Ram 3500 Cummins MT and a Freightliner. My little 4.0 is like the previously alluded to sporty cars compared to my other options.

 

The master cylinder tends to get out of wack. The bolt on top of the pushrod slowly works loose and needs to be retightened every once in awhile. Changes how the truck shifts dramatically. Bleed the system a couple times a year.

 

TACK if I'm calculating this correctly your 2-3 shift seems to be somewhere between 2,500-3,000 and would thus fall in line with other observations where it is the smoothest.

 

I shift smoothly into every gear.. I guess hundreds of thousands of miles of experience driving a manual transmission truck have helped.

 

Funny. 2nd 6sp, 2nd gen for me, no issues. I think that if I say what I really feel the problem is, I could be banned. Most who cannot, have issues with 3rd & 5th. Loved the thread on what gear to use for 6 mph.

 

TRD Shortshifter. Go get one. Seriously.

You'll be SO surprised how many problems it solves.

 

If I had a problem I might consider $300 for a shifter. My wife has a Scion it shifts easier than the Tacoma but that transmission wouldn't last a day in the Tacoma. My Kubota has a hydrostat transmission that's easier than an automatic. One summer I ran a crane truck it was a Mac with a triplex transmission if you were heading up hill and missed a shift the only way out of it was to come to a dead stop and start over. The comparisons to other transmissions has little merit. Hopefully this will rattle some cages my wife all 5’ of her drives my truck occasionally her complaint? “this thing is big" she has no problems shifting it except she often forgets it’s a 6 spd.

 

I have noticed the issue before when trying to shift too fast into 3rd. I have also had many manual trannys in the past and some have been worse some have been better. Overall, I haven't had any major issues with my 2011 6 spd and it shifts smoothly unless I do something to make it not shift smoothly.

 

Part of the reason I started this thread was because unfortunately if you read many of the older threads you might get the impression that the 6-speed was junk and to avoid it like the plague...but there is always the other side...those that have had no problems. I happen to like it and would not have it any other way...for mine it just sounds like I need to refine the 3rd gear upshift technique a bit

Was also sort of hoping some with very high miles, like qnala, would chime in.

 

Had people I know say its their transmission. When I test drive it, turns out to be the driver. Have someone other than you drive it and see what they think.

 

Very good point. The wifey has zero issues with it, and can even float every last gear flawlessly, not that is a good idea.

Funny thing, many years ago a friend wanted to teach me how to double clutch. He had a restored Ford Model "A" used in parades and such and that is what I learned on. They had no syncros at all and required double clutching up and down....

But I digress...

Silly as it may seem I think it is very possible to learn to drive and develop poor shifting habits early on and many of the manuals have just been very forgiving transmissions.

 

My 6speed shifts great even better after 20k miles and i didnt buy a short shifter or change fluid.

 

3rd is actually one of my best (smoothest) shifts.

 

42K miles on my 2012 and the shifts have been fine.

 

I still think that small problems are popping up because the pilot bearing has been omitted from the rear of the crankshaft . Thats rite folks , if you have the 6 speed , you no longer have a pilot bearing . With this said , every time your clutch disc moves away from the flywheel at high rpm , the input shaft and input bearing now take on the additional task of supporting that radial load . A clutch disc doesnt weigh much when you are holding it in your hand but imagine trying to hold the weight of that clutch disc spinning at 3000 rpm . I can see this additional rotating mass having some effect on the input shaft synchronizers when end play tolerances are not set to perfection .

 

The 6spd transmission is still a good transmission. You just have to know how to drive it, and like any other manual vehicle, it may have it's quirks. Cold weather can make it temperamental (so i've read) and short stroking the clutch is a big problem with this transmission i feel. Some of use like to shift really quick or at an odd RPM range, and in turn, we don't fully use the clutch. I also change my fluid every 30k with Redline MT-90 as added help. It isn't the best transmission in the world, but i would definitely not say its junk.

 

http://www.rockauto.com/dbphp/x,car..._3956cc_V6_FI_1GRFE_Clutch_Pilot_Bearing.html

 

Glad you pointed that out . Now you got me wondering why the FSM doesnt show a pilot bearing for the input shaft .
Check out page 3 of 16 http://www.customtacos.com/tech.old...6toyrm/06toypdf/06rmsrc/rm2006ta/03200510.pdf

Seen countless images of members here who did clutch jobs and no pilot bearing shown .
Maybe some members can chime in with some answers . Anyone ever change a pilot bearing on your 2005 and up Tacoma with the 6 speed ?

Might be year specific , I dunno

 

I had a couple quarts or Redline laying around and decided to try it it in the Tacoma. Definitely shifts smoother and quieter.