Offroading, Auto or manual?

Kinja'd!!! "jkm7680" (jkm7680)
11/07/2016 at 19:48 • Filed to: None

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So, I’m in the market for a Tacoma. But I’m having a bit of an internal debate....

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I’d love one with manual transmission, it would be my only car and I’ve never actually owned an automatic car. Basically, I don’t want to get an automatic vehicle and then regret not getting a manual one.

But, if I got a Tacoma, I’d actually take it offroad for some overland-type stuff. I’m just worried that I’d smoke the clutch really easily if I got stuck/needed to clear something.

I know there’s Google, but you lot are pretty reputable and experienced.

Pictured: A manual Tacoma that I want


DISCUSSION (48)


Kinja'd!!! OPPOsaurus WRX > jkm7680
11/07/2016 at 19:51

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How are you at getting a manual up on a set of ramps? I only have a couple years experience of rowing my own but I find that somewhat difficult bit I guess if your off-road you don’t have to worry about falling off like you do of you overshoot a set of ramps


Kinja'd!!! Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > jkm7680
11/07/2016 at 19:51

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It shouldn’t matter too much if you keep it on light trails.


Kinja'd!!! TahoeSTi > jkm7680
11/07/2016 at 19:53

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Manual.


Kinja'd!!! jkm7680 > OPPOsaurus WRX
11/07/2016 at 19:53

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I’d like to think I have good clutch control. I can get up on a set of Race Ramps really easily without smoking the clutch. I’ve never overshot though, haha.


Kinja'd!!! TahoeSTi > OPPOsaurus WRX
11/07/2016 at 19:53

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You learn to drive a manual....it’s literally no different then with an automatic. Drive up ramp and stop....that said i don’t know how to drive an automatic...what do i do with my left foot.


Kinja'd!!! jkm7680 > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
11/07/2016 at 19:54

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Mainly dirt and light mud.

I’ve only murdered one clutch, never want to do that again.


Kinja'd!!! MonkeePuzzle > jkm7680
11/07/2016 at 19:54

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manual for fun

auto for capability.


Kinja'd!!! Steve in Manhattan > jkm7680
11/07/2016 at 19:55

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I think you made your own case for an automatic ... it’s also one less thing to do when you’re in a hairy situation. Let the transmission sort out the problems. Or buy a half dozen clutches and learn to install them.


Kinja'd!!! S65 > jkm7680
11/07/2016 at 19:55

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why don’t ya just buy this

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Kinja'd!!! jkm7680 > S65
11/07/2016 at 19:56

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oh my


Kinja'd!!! S65 > jkm7680
11/07/2016 at 19:58

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*wheeze*


Kinja'd!!! CRider > jkm7680
11/07/2016 at 20:01

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If you go places where that makes a difference, you’ll want an auto. You’ll be less likely to break something.


Kinja'd!!! Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > jkm7680
11/07/2016 at 20:06

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Manual is fine then. You just have to know how to take mud. Don’t slowly go in, then floor it. Go in at a decent pace, then maintain a steady throttle.


Kinja'd!!! Dusty Ventures > jkm7680
11/07/2016 at 20:09

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Pretty much all desert race vehicles have two pedals. Make of that as you wish.


Kinja'd!!! jkm7680 > S65
11/07/2016 at 20:11

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ok there


Kinja'd!!! S65 > jkm7680
11/07/2016 at 20:21

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Kinja'd!!! jkm7680 > S65
11/07/2016 at 20:22

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dildo_Island


Kinja'd!!! TheTurbochargedSquirrel > jkm7680
11/07/2016 at 20:29

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bat_Cave,_North_Carolina


Kinja'd!!! jkm7680 > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
11/07/2016 at 20:31

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shithead_(card_game)


Kinja'd!!! S65 > jkm7680
11/07/2016 at 20:35

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Kinja'd!!! jkm7680 > S65
11/07/2016 at 20:36

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Kinja'd!!! S65 > jkm7680
11/07/2016 at 20:39

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.

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Kinja'd!!! jkm7680 > S65
11/07/2016 at 20:40

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ohhhhh so intimmiiidatttting tellll meee moooore

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Kinja'd!!! S65 > jkm7680
11/07/2016 at 20:43

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanye_West


Kinja'd!!! jkm7680 > S65
11/07/2016 at 20:44

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im just happy my gif worked.


Kinja'd!!! S65 > jkm7680
11/07/2016 at 20:46

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what is it even supposed to mean


Kinja'd!!! XJDano > jkm7680
11/07/2016 at 20:47

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As to your question. I’ve done both. I bought an auto XJ in 01 and then modified it so that it got crappy fuel mileage but was good for off-road stuff. Then I bought a 93 2 door manual beater as a work car and modified that to do some off road stuff and it worked well, until I realized the floorboards are almosted rusted gone, then I cut 1/2 the top off and daily drove it for a few months until I couldn’t stand the winter.

I prefer the manual, but it’s gone now. There are a couple people I know that got autos or converted a manual to an auto because of knee issues.

So if you are young and healthy get a manual. They are fun to begin with. More fun in low range.


Kinja'd!!! jkm7680 > S65
11/07/2016 at 20:49

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i have been having trouble posting images with copy/paste and it finally worked.


Kinja'd!!! Tristan > XJDano
11/07/2016 at 20:56

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I converted my ‘97 XJ from AW4 to AX15. Love it.


Kinja'd!!! Tristan > jkm7680
11/07/2016 at 20:58

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Manual. Source: I wheel a manual-swapped, lifted XJ. People who say auto is better for wheeling just don’t know how to drive a manual. Kinda like how ugly people always tell you that real beauty is on the inside.


Kinja'd!!! nermal > jkm7680
11/07/2016 at 20:59

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I recently took my manual-equipped truck on it’s first “real” offroad adventure, so naturally I’m totally an expert in this field now. For reference, it was on Canaan Loop Rd in WV. A stock Wrangler / Tacoma with decent tires and a driver that isn’t a complete moron will make it through with little issue. A full size pickup will make it through with minor scratching of the paint. This pic is one that the googles came up with that shows the road and the majority of the “obstacle” type on it:

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The advantage of an auto is in stop-n-go situation. It’s much easier to stop halfway thru an obstacle, give it a bit more gas, and go on.

With a manual, it’s easier to just crawl along in 4-lo in 1st gear at idle. Give it a bit more gas if needed to get over a rock, and that’s it. Where you will smoke the clutch is stopping, especially on a hill or with the tire in front of a big rock, and doing so repeatedly.

Let’s face it - Your mind is already made up. Get the manual. Don’t be a moron and get in over your head thinking that you can climb 3 ft high boulders the first time taking it off pavement. Go to your nearest national forest, drive around on a gravel forest service road to start, and gradually move up in difficulty from there.


Kinja'd!!! Justino6969 > jkm7680
11/07/2016 at 21:01

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If you’re just doing overland stuff, I think the few thousand miles you’d potentially burn off of your clutch is more than worth it if it is also going to be a daily. Unless you’re doing extremely hairy trails or rock crawling, get the manual. More cheaper + more fun = more better. Save the extra grand or so tat the auto would cost for mods.


Kinja'd!!! DipodomysDeserti > jkm7680
11/07/2016 at 21:01

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With low range 4wd you won’t smoke the clutch. Unless you’re at an extreme incline the truck will move without you giving it any gas. My Wrangler doesn’t even require the clutch to be pushed in when turning the truck on in 4 Low. Just turn the key and it starts crawling, and that’s with ooen difs. Most modern (and not modern) 4wd manual vehicles come with a hill holder function as well which holds the brakes for you as you let off the clutch. Both my ‘11 Wrangler and ‘91 Loyale have hill holder functions. I could see maybe wanting an auto for serious rock crawling type stuff, but you’ll be fine with a manual for 4 wheeling and overlanding.


Kinja'd!!! XJDano > Tristan
11/07/2016 at 21:03

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I have the aw4 in the 99. My 93 had an ax15. The guy I know swapped a AW4 into a TJ.

I thought about it, but the payoff wouldn’t be worth the time and money put into it.


Kinja'd!!! jkm7680 > nermal
11/07/2016 at 21:05

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Thanks for the advice!

And it’s not like I’m going to be going crazy with it. Just some fairly light offroading here and there.


Kinja'd!!! jkm7680 > DipodomysDeserti
11/07/2016 at 21:06

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Ah, that helps clear things up. Thanks for the advice!

So, in first gear you can just throw it in 4 Low and it’ll carry itself with no clutch in?

Also, is that the clutch start cancel switch?


Kinja'd!!! DipodomysDeserti > jkm7680
11/07/2016 at 21:15

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Yeah, if it is in 4 low you can just turn the truck on in 1st gear with clutch engaged and it will start crawling (depending on the ascent angle). No need to push the clutch in and release. On Jeeps the truck does it automatically when it is in 4 low, but yeah, it would do the same thing if there’s a clutch start cancel switch. Unless you plan on making it a rock crawler (which a modern taco would kind of suck at) I would get the manual. I love having a manual Jeep and I’ve 4 wheeled about every weekend since I’ve owned it.


Kinja'd!!! jkm7680 > DipodomysDeserti
11/07/2016 at 21:21

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Ohhhh, gotcha.

I wouldn’t be doing any rock crawling, hah. Mainly trails and whatnot.


Kinja'd!!! Birddog > jkm7680
11/07/2016 at 21:21

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Automatic. There are things an auto does very well when properly set up and maintained. Off roading is one of them.

Manuals are great for “soft roading” though.


Kinja'd!!! DipodomysDeserti > jkm7680
11/07/2016 at 21:25

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A manual would be great for that sort of stuff.


Kinja'd!!! MyJeepGetsStuckInTheSnow > jkm7680
11/07/2016 at 21:33

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As long as it has a 4 low you will be ok. I’m not too familiar with Tacoma’s. However if it doesn’t get the automatic.

People over in the Jeep Renegade forum are complaining about burnt up clutches because they don’t understand that you can’t rock crawl in a manual Jeep with no low range.


Kinja'd!!! TahoeSTi > jkm7680
11/07/2016 at 22:40

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“Just throw it into for low”.....Generally you should be stopped to switch to four low. You should be in four low before you need it if you know whats ahead and know when you need it.

While in four low you’d find the car is more tolerant of lower rpms with out stalling. Allowing you to crawl with just throttle input. You have to get moving still.

Starting from a stop in four low will still require you to slip the clutch a bit to crawl over something big. You’ll find you still have more control than any car with an automatic.

Another uses for four low.....if you ever get stuck in traffic up hill no matter what the grade put in in four low and first gear and you can crawl along never need to ride he clutch just keep shifting up the gears until you are moving more than 4mph.... then put in neutral and shift to four high/2 high when traffic starts moving.....I’ve used this in Jeeps while stuck in chain control checks in the mountains to avoid riding the clutch.

All that said and automatic might be easier, but I only drive them when I’m forced to rent shitty cars.


Kinja'd!!! vicali > jkm7680
11/07/2016 at 22:59

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2nd gen manuals have a lousy throw out bearing design, you need to go to a third party like underdog to fix;

http://urdusa.com/store/p1260519023/Throwout-Bearing-UPGRADE/REPAIR-KIT,-2005+-Tacoma-V6-6-Speed/product_info.html

On the other hand every trd sport DCLB is auto..


Kinja'd!!! jordang1028 > jkm7680
11/08/2016 at 02:38

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If you are just tackling trails then either one will be fine. I Have taken my E36 coupe places that people think are only friendly to trucks or SUVs. Wrights lake high road in CA, if anyone is familiar with the path.


Kinja'd!!! DynamicWeight > jkm7680
11/08/2016 at 11:20

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For offroading, like every other kind of driving, manual is more fun, and automatic is easier. And as others have said, with low range you won’t have any problems. Besides which, if you’re coming from cars, you may not be used to how truck motors are tuned/geared. They are biased towards a lot more low end torque to get started. Ever notice how every big rig is a manual? They’ve been making these things for years. You’ll be fine.


Kinja'd!!! jkm7680 > DynamicWeight
11/08/2016 at 11:33

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What are the ratios like?

Only offroading I’ve done was in a 1992 Explorer when I was 16.


Kinja'd!!! DynamicWeight > jkm7680
11/08/2016 at 12:49

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Here’s a forum post I found on it:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2016-gear-ratios-at-awesome-mt-now-with-double-overdrive.387347/


Kinja'd!!! daveIT > jkm7680
11/19/2016 at 11:15

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My ‘89 4x4 had clutch start cancel...worked great.