[Flexwing man]

I’ve got a new '08 Tacoma standard cab, two wheel drive with the 4 cylinder engine and the manual transmission. It’s the base model. I have to be running at least 50 mph to use 5th gear. At 60 mph, I’m turning around 1900 rpm in 5th gear. Is this normal? I’ve got an open 6.5' x 10’ trailer set up for 3 MX bikes. It’s fairly heavy. My concern is that I won’t be able to use 5th gear at all when pulling the trailer. Does anyone only use 4th gear when pulling small trailers with a similar setup? How bad will this hurt my gas mileage? I'd love to hear from others with base, 4 cylinder, manual Tacomas. I just sold my '87 Toyota pickup (also a 4 cylinder, manual), which was geared higher. It had 263,000 miles and nothing had been replaced, not even the clutch. Hope this new one is half as good!

Thanks,
Flexwing man

 

[Troopa4life]

Yeah that is normal, I have rarely used the 5th gear as well. I was freaked out especially since I am breaking into the engine right now. As for towing I am not qualified to answer that question.

 

[worthywads]

I’ve got a new '08 Tacoma standard cab, two wheel drive with the 4 cylinder engine and the manual transmission. It’s the base model. I have to be running at least 50 mph to use 5th gear. At 60 mph, I’m turning around 1900 rpm in 5th gear. Is this normal? I’ve got an open 6.5' x 10’ trailer set up for 3 MX bikes. It’s fairly heavy. My concern is that I won’t be able to use 5th gear at all when pulling the trailer. Does anyone only use 4th gear when pulling small trailers with a similar setup? How bad will this hurt my gas mileage? I'd love to hear from others with base, 4 cylinder, manual Tacomas. I just sold my '87 Toyota pickup (also a 4 cylinder, manual), which was geared higher. It had 263,000 miles and nothing had been replaced, not even the clutch. Hope this new one is half as good!

Thanks,
Flexwing man

No need for concern, the truck is geared lower. 4th gear in this truck may be similar to 5th in your old truck. Better to have too many gears than not enough.

I shift to 5th at 45mph for level ground cruising/accelerating but need to wait til 50 or 55 going up hills.

 

[lilrich2006]

like everybody else said its normal to run those rpms in 5th gear

 

[Flexwing man]

Thanks for the info. guys!

I should have read the manual first. On page 319, under Trailer Towing Tips, it states not to use fifth gear on the five speed manual when towing. It also states not to use 6th gear on a 6 speed manual.

This forum is great!

Thanks again,
Flexwing man

 

[81shark]

i'm normally at 1200 rpm in 5th while doing 70 on the highway. i suggest taking it to the dealer and having them check it out

 

[Flexwing man]

You must have something different than the 4 cyl. 5 speed manual transmission. If not, you first to the dealer. That seems like real low rpm for 70 mph.

Anyway, thanks for the reply!!

 

[L.E.O.]

don't want to hijack the thread but also how do you guys deal with driving like 10mph and lower (aka making turns onto sidestreets etc.) theres no synchro for 1st gear so unless you come to a complete stop i can't get it into first and in second gear rpms are way down causing more wear on the engine. I usually find myself blipping the gas a bit and kinda letting the clutch engage slowly while i pick up speed coming out of the turn etc. but then that causes more wear on the clutch. lol

what do you guys do/any tips?

 

[Flexwing man]

I've noticed that too. I'm sure there is a synchro for first gear, but your right, there is a certain speed between first and second that's too slow for 2nd and a bit fast for 1st. I've seen, that when the trucks are new it is a bit hard to drop down in first, but it gets easier after you get some miles on them. I hope that's right. Later I'm going to all Amsoil in the transmission and rear end. That should make a difference. I know on my old truck it was hard downshifting when it was cold so the oil thickness does make a difference.

 

[Sony]

I've noticed that too. I'm sure there is a synchro for first gear, but your right, there is a certain speed between first and second that's too slow for 2nd and a bit fast for 1st. I've seen, that when the trucks are new it is a bit hard to drop down in first, but it gets easier after you get some miles on them. I hope that's right. Later I'm going to all Amsoil in the transmission and rear end. That should make a difference. I know on my old truck it was hard downshifting when it was cold so the oil thickness does make a difference.

1st Gear on the 5-Speed Manual does NOT have a Synchro, only the 6-Speed Manual on the V6 has a Synchro on 1st Gear so you guys with the 4-Banger unfortunately get screwed in that regard. The only way for you guys to downshift to 1st is to learn to double clutch and Rev match.

 

[Troopa4life]

don't want to hijack the thread but also how do you guys deal with driving like 10mph and lower (aka making turns onto sidestreets etc.) theres no synchro for 1st gear so unless you come to a complete stop i can't get it into first and in second gear rpms are way down causing more wear on the engine. I usually find myself blipping the gas a bit and kinda letting the clutch engage slowly while i pick up speed coming out of the turn etc. but then that causes more wear on the clutch. lol

what do you guys do/any tips?

Good Point I would like to know as well because it gets really annoying especially in traffic. I end up just keep it in 2nd if it is 10 mph or above, if my speed drops lower than 10 then I stop and then put it in first. I probably am not doing it right so I am open to any tips as well.

 

[Flexwing man]

I've never heard that it didn't have a synchro for first. If it did not, wouldn't you have to come to a stop to get it in gear? I don't have to. If you didn't it would grind. Mine doesn't. Tractors don't have Synchros. You have to come to a stop to shift or pull on the shifter untill the gear speed is the same and then it slips into gear. I don't think the Toyota is that way.

 

[81shark]

i just leave it in second. 2nd is good down to about 5mph, at which point, i can ussally slip it into first.

 

[Troopa4life]

but at 5mph aren't you lugging the engine using 2nd gear???

 

[Majestic Moose]

At 55MPH I'm right about 2K RPMs in 5th, and I'm on 33's. Something's going on with your trucks, unless the 4x2 uses lower gears (numerically). 4x4 has 4.10's.

 

[worthywads]

1st Gear on the 5-Speed Manual does NOT have a Synchro, only the 6-Speed Manual on the V6 has a Synchro on 1st Gear so you guys with the 4-Banger unfortunately get screwed in that regard. The only way for you guys to downshift to 1st is to learn to double clutch and Rev match.

Well then this is like no other non-syncro 1st gear I've ever driven because I have never had an issue or grinding during the hundreds of times of downshifted into 1st will moving in my truck.

My manual says the transmission is fully synchronized and I can shift from 2 to 1 below 15 mph.

I think you don't know what you're talking about.

 

[xrunnrcanada]

i'm normally at 1200 rpm in 5th while doing 70 on the highway. i suggest taking it to the dealer and having them check it out

Thats rediculas. How come im turning 2000rpm in 6th with the xrunner. They geared these 6 speeds like shit for highway cruising. I turn the same mpg as my buddies 03 jeep grand cherokee 4.7 V8 full time all wheel drive doin 130-140 km/h.

Also the 5 speed should be made for dropping into 1st from the roll. I've owned 2 older taco 4 banger 5spds and they handle that shift alot better than the runner. My truck doesnt like 2-1 shifts unless im completly stopped, its either stop and go for me or bog in 2nd.

Generally not happy with the 6spd but it's better than an automatic.

 

[sdguyman]

Thats rediculas. How come im turning 2000rpm in 6th with the xrunner. They geared these 6 speeds like shit for highway cruising. I turn the same mpg as my buddies 03 jeep grand cherokee 4.7 V8 full time all wheel drive doin 130-140 km/h.

Also the 5 speed should be made for dropping into 1st from the roll. I've owned 2 older taco 4 banger 5spds and they handle that shift alot better than the runner. My truck doesnt like 2-1 shifts unless im completly stopped, its either stop and go for me or bog in 2nd.

Generally not happy with the 6spd but it's better than an automatic.

My Double cab Taco has the V6 6 speed with stock 4.10 gears and I run 2500 RPM at 70 MPH. Anyone else doing the same?

I kind of thought it was kind of high????

 

[GratefulPred]

Doing 75 mph I am usually around 2700k rpms. I shift into 5th when I hit 55 or 60 mph.

First gear is a beating to shift down into. Sometimes you feel like you have to force it but this is still one hell of a truck!

 

[Sony]

Well then this is like no other non-syncro 1st gear I've ever driven because I have never had an issue or grinding during the hundreds of times of downshifted into 1st will moving in my truck.

My manual says the transmission is fully synchronized and I can shift from 2 to 1 below 15 mph.

I think you don't know what you're talking about.

In a previous thread somewhere on this forum I read only the 6-Speeds were fully synchronized but I may be wrong. However, what he is describing sounds typical of a NON-Synchronized gear...yes I may have an automatic in my truck but I drive farm tractors in the summer which aren't synchronized at all. The fact that he can only downshift smoothly when moving fast seems to me like the rev's are matching only at higher RPM's which is what is needed when you downshift without a synchro.

You have to rev the engine high in order to downshift and spin the layshaft up to the higher speed of the first gear. This means you have to learn to double clutch and rev match to switch gears just like a semi-truck driver...so ether his first gear synchro's are busted or they are non-existant because you shouldn't have that much trouble downshifting to first with properly working synchro's. You can try changing your gear oil it may help the problem but it sounds like funny synchro's to me.

No you don't have to completely stop to downshift into first gear if it doesn't have synchro's...you just need to learn to double clutch it and rev match. I learned this all while driving a tractor where you HAVE to do it otherwise you'll screw up the gearcase cause you don't have synchro's...I wish we had gotten the John Deere with the Hydrostatic Transmission...