TRD OR 4x4 M/T Comcerns

I picked up a 2016 TRD OR 4x4 M/T in January and have concerns about the shifting. I've owned M/T vehicles all my life but never a truck so I don't know if it's normal behavior or not.

1. When shifting between gears 1-3, I can hear pretty noticeable clinking and clanking. I took a look under the truck and noticed that I could freely rotate the drive shaft a good half inch back and forth while parked in first gear. I also notice that when I'm coasting down hills in neutral, I hear a similar noise while going over bumps. Doesn't happen in hear while on the throttle.

2. With the clutch, the peddle travel distance between engaged and disengaged is very short. I have to be much more precise when feathering the throttle and clutch for hill starts or off-roading. Thus is comparing it to the cars I've had in the past. Is that typical of trucks?

Thanks for any input or feedback.

 

The driveshaft is normal my truck does same thing. I'm glad yours is the same I was wondering about that. Also I read from someone else on here complaining about the length of travel in the clutch pedal being to short on 3rd gen test drive. I believe he mentioned there was some sort of adjustment, but it could have been he was wondering if there was an adjustment. This would annoy me because I like being able to feather the clutch as well. I've driven trucks with short travel in the clutch pedal it is difficult. Im interested if there is an adjustment because I'm planning on a TRD PRO.

 

Thanks for the response man. It seems so strange to me. Do you have any input on the noises while shifting at all?

 

As noted above, the clanking is normal - mine does the same. You can minimize it by being a bit more precise with your shifts (ie in the way you're lifting off the gas before a shift, and how smoothly you release the clutch/re-apply throttle afterwards). Oh and don't force the shifter, the synchros seem to take a while to break in.
In a front wheel drive car, you can totally blow a shift and not get a noise like that lol.
BTW, what are you doing coasting down hills? Downshift dude!

I also noticed the noise was reduced after greasing my u-joints - but that's another thread.

Enjoy your truck,

Frank

 

No problem! I did my U joints 2 weeks ago and thought it was the strangest thing to having play in the driveline each way. Seems like having that play would cause something to break if you popped the clutch hard.
I can't say to much about the clanking noises in neutral because my truck makes lots of little squeaks and stuff now haha. Main thing is you went MT instead of AT and IMO that is a great choice reliability wise. Especially in these 3rd gens where people are having lots of issues with them. Maybe the MT will be more desirable down the road and help with value. Time will tell. Keep us updated if you find out about an adjustment for the clutch pedal!

 

Check the chain that secure the spare tire, it make noise because it's dangling in there.

 

I did find it was less noticeable when leaving a bigger gap between lifting off the gas and hitting the clutch. I'll look into greasing the u-joints. Thanks bud.

 

I too am experiencing the same sounds coming from my truck. I also noticed less noises after dialing in my shifting for 3000+ miles. Started a thread and it seems to be normal with various M/Ts of different gen tacomas. Would be interested if you found anything that helped. I was thinking about taking it to the dealer and seeing if there was another 16 manual tranny I could compare to on test drive. https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/manual-transmission-help.417800/

 

Hmm, I was commenting earlier to someone how easy I thought this clutch was to drive. I find it real easy to take off at hills, and the engagement is easy to feel and slip effectively. Whatever noises I've heard I just kind of figured normal for a truck. Sure, it makes a few clunks and rattles here and there, but it's definitely not as noisy as some of the Mustangs I've owned ...

 

I'm going ahead and getting a service appt at the dealer just to cover all bases. I'll let everyone know what they conclude and if the clutch travel can be adjusted and whatnot.

 

It's fine man, you can save those people the time by not taking it. My second gen manual was louder and more clunky. I like how the release is earlier in the travel. Everything you described is the same as mine and I find it to be a huge improvement from the second gen manual.