1. Welcome to Tacoma World!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tacoma discussion topics
    • Communicate privately with other Tacoma owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

What have you done to improve your 6-speed manual?

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by kiteboarder, Nov 18, 2011.

  1. Jan 26, 2012 at 4:14 AM
    #61
    HuntnTruk

    HuntnTruk Tacohead

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2010
    Member:
    #34062
    Messages:
    663
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Kevin
    New York-not the City
    Vehicle:
    Indigo SR5 4x4
    Just drive it the speed limit and try not to set any speed records and you will love the manual. I love mine. It took me a loooooooooong (~15000mi) time to get really used to it but I wouldnt trade it for an auto now.
     
  2. Jan 26, 2012 at 5:39 AM
    #62
    cintocrunch

    cintocrunch Special Substitute Guest Member

    Joined:
    Dec 20, 2011
    Member:
    #69090
    Messages:
    771
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mike
    MD
    Vehicle:
    2012 DCSB TRD Sport MGM 6MT
    Anytime fogs, Leer Tonneau
    I would never heal-toe the Taco, the pedals aren't spaced right...I just rev match the downshift on approach for the turn and while slowing down for lights or in traffic...

    Heal-toe I can understand but how does rev matching crack you up? It is much more enjoyable in traffic and on back roads if you know how to rev match, no clutch modulation necessary and much smoother if you know what you are doing...
     
  3. Jan 26, 2012 at 5:48 AM
    #63
    yellowrubiu

    yellowrubiu Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 30, 2011
    Member:
    #69678
    Messages:
    253
    Gender:
    Male
    Empire State
    Vehicle:
    2012 DCSB 4x4 SR5
    Sorry for the dumb question here but what exactly are you rev matching? I mean you know what the revs are at on the engine side by looking at the tach but what are you matching that to?
     
  4. Jan 26, 2012 at 6:17 AM
    #64
    cintocrunch

    cintocrunch Special Substitute Guest Member

    Joined:
    Dec 20, 2011
    Member:
    #69090
    Messages:
    771
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mike
    MD
    Vehicle:
    2012 DCSB TRD Sport MGM 6MT
    Anytime fogs, Leer Tonneau
    Say you are in 5th gear and need to get to 4th gear to prep for a turn or just let the engine braking from a lower gear slow you down, you press the clutch in, blip the throttle to bring the RPMs up to what they will be in for 4th gear at that speed, shift to fourth and let the clutch out. If you do it correctly the clutch in, blip, downshift all occur simultaneously and the clutch out should be a simple dumping of the clutch, no easing...search on youtube for some videos that show you the process...I don't look at the tach while doing it, after doing it for a while you get a feel for what gear and speed you are at and how much throttle needs to be applied to match the rpms for the downshift...
     
  5. Jan 26, 2012 at 6:57 AM
    #65
    Demoncleaner

    Demoncleaner Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2008
    Member:
    #4065
    Messages:
    516
    Gender:
    Male
    Upstate NY
    Vehicle:
    05 Dcab 6spd 4x4 TRD Sport w/Tow
    TRD exhaust Homemade bed mat & bed extender, front Drings, Short clutch throw, Summer: Stock 17's Winter: Blizzaks on 16' black steelies
  6. Jan 26, 2012 at 7:07 AM
    #66
    yellowrubiu

    yellowrubiu Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 30, 2011
    Member:
    #69678
    Messages:
    253
    Gender:
    Male
    Empire State
    Vehicle:
    2012 DCSB 4x4 SR5
    Got it, thanks! I have been driving manual transmissions for ever but never really understood what that term meant. I'm familiar with what you mean by blipping the throttle and it is something I've always done on every other car I've owned because the RPMs drop very quick as soon as you step on the clutch. However, I've notice that on this truck, unlike any other manual transmission car I've owned, the RPMS tend to stay high and the blipping of the throttle is not always needed to execute a smooth shift.

    I have noticed the transmission is a bit on the notchy side but if I do what others have pointed out on this thread about slow shifts it helps a lot. Rather than forcing a quick shift I tend to do a slow deliberate shift where I move the shifter to the next gate and gradually push, allowing enough time for the synchros to engage and do their job.
     
  7. Jan 26, 2012 at 7:56 AM
    #67
    cintocrunch

    cintocrunch Special Substitute Guest Member

    Joined:
    Dec 20, 2011
    Member:
    #69090
    Messages:
    771
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mike
    MD
    Vehicle:
    2012 DCSB TRD Sport MGM 6MT
    Anytime fogs, Leer Tonneau
    Most cars I have driven built the past couple years have this "rev hang" phenomena where the revs don't drop as soon as you depress the clutch. On the Civic forum the conclusion was that it has something to do with emissions and not allowing backfiring when the clutch is depressed.

    Also, I agree that these transmissions like when you are very deliberate while shifting.
     
  8. Jan 26, 2012 at 10:42 AM
    #68
    Bobbb

    Bobbb "Rumors of Bob, but never Bob. It is Bob, right?"

    Joined:
    Sep 14, 2011
    Member:
    #63498
    Messages:
    1,244
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Bob
    Bob
    Vehicle:
    Bob
    Tundra TRD/OR
    There's definitely a learning curve getting used to this tranny, but I'm very happy with it now that I've gotten the hang of it's quirks. I look at it as a 3-stage system: 1-2 are low range for getting the load moving/parking lot maneuvers, 3-5 are the driving gears and 6th is overdrive. Took about three months to get completely comfortable with it, but smooth sailing now with no mods.
     
  9. Jan 26, 2012 at 11:12 AM
    #69
    kessler89

    kessler89 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2010
    Member:
    #44367
    Messages:
    840
    Gender:
    Male
    OH
    Vehicle:
    12' Pro4x 6MT
    TBA
    haha beat me to it, i thought i was in a autocross forum for a second there...
     
  10. Jan 26, 2012 at 11:20 AM
    #70
    kiteboarder

    kiteboarder [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 26, 2011
    Member:
    #55591
    Messages:
    510
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Danny
    SoCal
    Vehicle:
    I drive stick. Only.
    To come.
    Haha, the heel-toe thing was not referring directly to Tacos. I drive other manual cars and I'm interested in learning to heel-toe and rev match better, that's all.

    I'm glad I mentioned it, because a bunch of good, constructive comments came thanks to it. There you go naysayers! :p

    Most of my cars I drive gently, so when approaching a turn that requires a downshift, I sometimes simply hold the clutch down until my speed is what I need it to be, the revs are of course down, and then I just ease the clutch. Nothing wrong with that, but I'm going to practice shifting quicker and rev-matching for a while to see how it goes.
     
  11. Jan 26, 2012 at 12:47 PM
    #71
    HipHead

    HipHead Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 23, 2011
    Member:
    #64003
    Messages:
    78
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Jeff
    Gilford, Ontario
    Vehicle:
    09 Access Cab V6 4L 6 Speed TRD Off Road
    Weathertech bug deflector, Uguard side step, tri-fold tonneau cover, Weathertech floor mats
    Absolutely love the 6 speed. And previously owned a '93 pickup with 5 speed. Never had issues with either.
     
  12. Jan 26, 2012 at 1:16 PM
    #72
    cintocrunch

    cintocrunch Special Substitute Guest Member

    Joined:
    Dec 20, 2011
    Member:
    #69090
    Messages:
    771
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mike
    MD
    Vehicle:
    2012 DCSB TRD Sport MGM 6MT
    Anytime fogs, Leer Tonneau

    As I mentioned before the Tacoma isn't set up for heel-toeing...I've found not many cars really are, especially for someone with size 13's like me...
     
  13. Jan 26, 2012 at 1:29 PM
    #73
    arrrghhh

    arrrghhh Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 19, 2009
    Member:
    #12748
    Messages:
    2,062
    Gender:
    Male
    Denver, CO
    Vehicle:
    09 TRD Off-Road
    Custom Front Bumper, Smittybilt XRC-8, 3" OME lift, 33" Falken A/T tires
    BMW's are about the only one I've driven that are setup well for heel-toe from the factory... their accelerator pedals are wacky.

    I haven't driven a newer beemer, hopefully they still have it. T'was a great feature!
     
  14. Jan 26, 2012 at 1:32 PM
    #74
    tostidos

    tostidos Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 24, 2010
    Member:
    #48149
    Messages:
    4,755
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Chris
    Apple Valley, CA
    Vehicle:
    07 LT 6spd
    X2!
     
  15. Jan 26, 2012 at 1:41 PM
    #75
    Coupe

    Coupe Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 10, 2009
    Member:
    #13485
    Messages:
    3,278
    Gender:
    Male
    Houston, Texas
    Vehicle:
    08 X-Runner
    Lots baby!
    I fall into the T56 crowd.
    DSC01607_628e75d856979793a00101e5cae8b92f72369fbe.jpg

    T56shift056_3715113fbc100b963f6babed17ad6d41ca0cad3d.jpgT56shifter033_2f9133daef598389d35a8ca57c7b9c883def7e13.jpg
    T56shifter036_48ff852420467f745d98a98fb44ffe47c8b1d3d2.jpg
     
  16. Jan 26, 2012 at 1:50 PM
    #76
    rocky8765

    rocky8765 Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2010
    Member:
    #47846
    Messages:
    27
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    jay
    Rancho Cordova
    Vehicle:
    07 prerunner SR5
    blhm, leds interior, satoshi and color matched grill, plastic dipped valance and bumper, maglight mod, painted engine cover, debadged, alpine single bin stereo MP3,
    I don't understand what all the fuss is about. I have not done anything under the hood on my 6 speed. I think if you shift right it is faster than the auto. 75000 miles on mine not one problem and have not replaced anything under the hood since i got it 2 yrs ago and the carfax has nothing. After i went off roading the first time it started that clutch squeaking noise that is common, but that is all. In addition, the gas mileage is not at all different and i am getting better than most autos. The papers say the manual is suppost to get 15 to 18 mpg. Well my winter gas mileage is 16 and summer is 18-19. When In go on trips 19+ and on one trip 22 which to me is the same or if not better than the autos are suppost to get. Just don't do anything under the hood and since I live in CA there are visual inspections on smog that i don not want to worry about. Love my manual and it shifts smooth to me, but have not test drove a frontier to compare it to. Thanks
     
  17. Jan 26, 2012 at 1:56 PM
    #77
    tostidos

    tostidos Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 24, 2010
    Member:
    #48149
    Messages:
    4,755
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Chris
    Apple Valley, CA
    Vehicle:
    07 LT 6spd
    Any write ups on the T-56 swap? considering this and a dog box.
     
  18. Jan 26, 2012 at 2:06 PM
    #78
    shackley

    shackley Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 24, 2010
    Member:
    #29970
    Messages:
    1,312
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Steve
    Albuquerque, New Mexico
    Vehicle:
    2018 TRD Pro MT Super White
    RCI rock sliders, Goodyear Ultraterrains 265/70/R16, BAK X2 tonneau
    I agree with Rocky. I've had 5 Toyota pick-ups. My last one was a 2009 4 cyl. 4X4 SR5 with the 5-spd., and I bought a 2012 TRD 4X4 V-6 with the 6-spd (I wanted the TRD components). I find the 6-spd to be a better transmission, certainly smoother than the I-4 Tacoma with the 5spd.

    I tend to leave my Tacomas mostly stock, like Rocky - larger tires (265/75 16s) and skid plates is about all. I'm an outdoor scientist and use it extensively off-road. Never much of a problem.

    Steve in Albuquerque
     
  19. Jan 26, 2012 at 3:20 PM
    #79
    maineah

    maineah Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2011
    Member:
    #53641
    Messages:
    6,585
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Tim
    Maine
    Vehicle:
    4X4 SR5 V6 6spd
    When you learn how to shift it you don't need a 5# shift knob 2" short shift 0-80 gear oil or any thing else it's a truck not a Porsche.
     
  20. Jan 26, 2012 at 3:55 PM
    #80
    xxaarraa

    xxaarraa Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2010
    Member:
    #39413
    Messages:
    578
    Gender:
    Male
    You guys all miss the point. The point is that you are not required to "learn to shift" Toyota should just make a decent tranny that doesn't need special learning. Period. Products should be intuitive enough and fit in with the standard ways without requiring buyers to adapt their lives. Please see Apple's stock price if you want further explanation.

    The trouble with the 6 speed is mostly the idiotic ratios. With 263 ft-lbs, you would think you don't have to shift 4 times to get from light to light, but the ratios are so effed up that you do. The RPM hang is just plain shit.

    Anyone who thinks the Tacoma 6 speed is great should drive an Acura 6 speed, a Nissan 6 speed, A Hyundai (i20, not sure if its sold here in the states). If you drove shitty transmissions all your life and you think our 6 speed is great, good for you.

    OK, I am really done now. I needed to get it out.
     

Products Discussed in

To Top