Regearing my tacoma.... no Drawbacks???

You are not even close to lugging the 3.5L MT in 6th gear at 2k rpm. Even goes up slight hills with pedal maybe quarter down.

Did you ever drive 3rd gen MT taco?

 

Would like to add. You are only lugging the engine when you are at a mechanical disadvantage.

For example, you are going 40 mph uphill in 5th maybe at 2.5-3k rpm and flooring it.

If i feel like i need to press the skinny pedal more than 1/3 to accelerate normally, then i know im in the wrong gear and lugging the engine.

 

I haven’t driven a stick no, so you know better than me, but I feel like that’s the reason manufacturers usually give manuals pretty sad overdrive ratios. The ra60 is absolutely ridiculous. With the 2 gr making less torque at lower rpms than the 1gr to an extent I would think it would be easier to find yourself at the threshold of disadvantage.

sometimes thinking too hard about the specifics of lugging, mechanical advantage, etc. I realize it’s better to drive by feel than to think about it lol

 

To be honest with you, i never had issues with torque in the 3.5 MT. Most vehicles are not very torquey below 2k anyway, so i never understood the complain that this truck has no torque in lower rpms.
It is more than adequate for driving imo.

1gr makes 1ft/pound more torque at like 400rpm lower, dont know why a lot of people say that the 4.0 is such a torque monster. I think its the gearing in AT tacos that might make them feel its gutless in lower rpms.

My taco has way more torque than the 4.0 ranger i had so im a happy camper, its all in comparison i guess.

I do agree that its good to learn how to drive by feel, it does takes some time though and some minor knowledge how the MT works.

 

I was under the impression the simulated Atkinson cycle gimped power down low, which would add up. Also consider the ratios in the trans/axles, 1gr’s came with 3.73 while 2grs solely come with 4.30. The RA61 also has 2 overdrive gears to compensate for the lower axle ratio rather than the .85 od in the RA60