V6 and 6 speed manual

It feels like the same type ratios in every truck I've ever driven. Probably a bit closer due to the extra couple gears. Thing probably is, the truck seems to like low revs, I find myself short shifting all the time, or what probably ends up short shifting.
If I'm trying to beat some traffic down the onramp, it certainly seems like similar ratios to my gto or other toyota cars.

And yes the camaro has les weight and doesn't haul. But that's NOT.. I repeat NOT.. what will break a transmission. Sure its got something to do with the durability, but what breaks them is horsepower, torque and bad clutch control. Not to mention, I'd wager that the truck variant has slightly heavier syncros if not shafts. I've busted spiders, rings, and axles in sports cars, but only the occasional u joint (probably already half worn out) in a truck. You don't (shouldn't have to) slam a truck around like you do on the track. Though I know people do, and I've still not heard of a failure. Really, you don't hear of too many manual transmission failures in general on anything. The occasional worn out syncro on an old french tj transmission.

Think people are comparing apples and oranges. You won't get a rear wheel drive car to shift like a front drive car. And again, its not much of a truck in comparison, but its more weight and power than the old real toyotas, it's gunna drive like a truck. Frankly, still not trucky enough to satisfy my truck lust, but its a nice tradeoff between manning up and being comfortable.


I'm thankful that they put in the extra 2 gears and set up the suspension so nicely.

 

Yea.. that's about the same as the tacoma... adjusted for rear gears. And we've got an extra in there squishing em up, I am at 1800-2200 on the highway.

2nd gear to 65 Means NOTHING. I've rarely even engaged 2nd gear. 1st is too tall (for a truck) already.

 

I new to Toyota, I've read these posts and stop me if someone answered this already but I test drove a manual last night and the clutch felt really heavy in comparison to other manuals I've driven. I was wondering if this is common in the 2nd gen Tacomas?

Also, I noticed that the brake seems a little weak on both the auto and manual, it feels like the brake drops in further than most vehicles and you almost have to brake earlier to compensate for the "drooped pedal." Not sure if I'm describing this correctly but was wondering if this is common also? Thanks!

 

I've got a little over 76,000 miles on my 6 speed and haven't had any problems. I really don't like the spacing of the gears for daily driving, but they are pretty good for towing my 6-8000 pound trailer. For daily driving/highway, I think a ring & pinion of 3.54/3.55 ratio (or even 3.31) would be better. The higher r&p ratio would open up the trany ratios a bit and drop rpms on the highway.

My fuel mileage is pretty good, compared to other people. Before really trying to get good fuel mileage, I was getting 18.5 mpg. Now that I'm trying for better mileage (tire pressure 44psi, driving the speed limit 35-55mph, and a block heater) I'm getting 20.5mpg (last/best tank 21.4mpg-that included some 4wd, and -11 deg F one morning ).

 

The clutch is heavier than front drive cars. Its light for a truck. I notice the difference between a scion/honda civic and my truck, but not other trucks. Heavier the truck, the heavier the clutch is generally speaking.

Ever since I was a kid though, had cable clutches and seat geometry that meant you'd have to wedge your knee under the steering wheel to hold it down through a long red light, got in the habit of setting the parking brake at long lights.

 

I'm wondering, I heard one person opine on what they thought of the gear spacing, wondering what people's problems with it are?

I rarely hit 3k on the tach and never lug the engine. Seems just fine. Is everyone looking to make it shift like their close ratio lotus or something?

 

LOL well if he really did get only 13.95 mpg out of his last tank, I'm assuming he was being sarcastic.

 

Nice seatbelt usage.

 

I have a 6 spd...it's not bad...shifts infinitely times better than the last manual truck I drove. I had the throwout bearing problem, but now they have a TSB that should fix everything permanently.

In the end manuals are less maintenance, which suits this truck well.

 

Third Eye..

 

I was a manual guy my entire life. Drove both manual and auto Tacomas before settling on the auto. It's a nice piece of equipment. The auto in the V6 has a stable and storied history. True if it fails, it's a shitload to replace. But I don't see that happening. Like any fine piece of gear, if you take care of it, it will take care of you. That being said, I do miss the simplicity and control of the manual. Were the Tacoma still a small size pickup, I definitely would have gone manual. For my purposes, it's now just too heavy of a truck for a stick. But that's just me.

 

LOL. I didn't call you either.

 

But if you go thru the windshield can we call you a crash test dummy?

 

love my manual. no problems and cheaper in the long run

 

Alright, now you are sounding like Frank Zappa. Every vehicle I have owned was manual, until this truck. I don't think you have city driving in Hawaii (not even Honolulu) like in the Northeast, where I lived for 28 years (stop and go ad nauseum until your arm gets tired). I truly couldn't stand driving a manual in that shit environment. I don't think I lost my balls, or my driving pleasure, when I switched to an auto transmission. I am still a man, I enjoy the driving experience in my Tacoma, and I don't think its an absolute that only manual trannies are real trannies (not talking about the Waikiki trannies, mind you ).

Its casting a wide net to suggest that people who drive automatics can't drive well, which is what I think you just said in your last sentence. That having been said, I appreciate the extra feel with shift. My last car was a Jetta 4-banger and it was fun as hell if I was on a windey, hilly road, its just that some of us get lazy as we get older and enjoy some creature comforts like holding a coffee and driving at the same time.

 

Not that people with autos CAN'T drive well, just that manual transmissions are under-represented in crash statistics. I don't pay attention as well in an automatic, apparently others don't either.

Check the facts. Manhattan might have worse traffic but Oahu is in the top couple for bad traffic, and I spent the majority of my adult driving life living (more than 20 years) in the "bos-wash". The traffic there was pretty decent compared to a lot of the south. There are more lights though.

One thing to consider, if your traffic is that bad.. like it is here, you don't shift. If I'm leaving the airport and coming home on any given afternoon, i'm either slipping clutch in 2nd or driving in 1st all the way home.

 

Yea, that was the point. Its not heavy... like a real truck might be.. but its no civic.

 

So yea, by the videos, looks like at least a couple are comparing apples and oranges.
Ive owned the GTO, and driven the cobra, different animal. Though the GTO engine would probably do in a truck, its gutsy down low. Re-cam it and it would definitely do.

Of course, you have to knock out the shift skip on the t-56.

 

This pretty much explains my feelings toward the 6sp.
I tend to trundle around in high gears and like the control of the manual.
I hope the engineer that spec'd the ratios got fired.
Huge fail.

 

I always said that I would always buy a truck with a manual transmission. That being said I ended up purchasing my Taco with an automatic transmission. The reason being is that I was purchasing used and used Taco with manual transmissions are impossible to find, also I needed the long bed and they don't make a manual taco with long bed ( at least I couldn't find any ). My previous truck was a 93 toyota manual tranny which I loved. Stupid me I gave it to my brother and he is not taking care of it like I did, that was a damn good truck, should have kept it for hunting and fishing. Now I can't go to my favorite hunting and fishing spots because my newer taco will not go where my old 93 went.