Help! Trouble Shifting into 1st and Reverse Only 45,000 Miles on Truck

[JMB27]

Hi,
I have a 2008 Ranger ext. cab 4x4 Manual Transmission with only 45,000 Miles. I'm the original owner, well kept.

For about the last 15,000 Miles I find it difficult to shift into first gear or reverse.

-Clutch isn't soft, feels normal
-Gears are not grinding (although on some rare occasion you can feel a bit of kick back when shifting into a gear)
-Even when shifting is ok, it doesn't shift as smoothly into any gear as it use to, I have to push harder then normal (this is just a side-note, not my real concern).

Here is what is really weird about my issue with first and reverse.
The issue is fluid. Meaning at some moments I literally cannot get it into either gear no matter how hard I try. In this scenario I move the shifter side to side, push the clutch a bunch of times, try to get into another gear like 2nd and see if it free's it up.

And at other times it shifts perfectly fine.

Literally it's moment by moment. I could pull out of my driveway shifts fine, drive for a bit and at the stop light it acts up or vice versa.

My mechanic says to leave it as they have no clue and will be costly to investigate.

Any suggestions of what is going on and how to fix would be greatly appreciated. This is my 4th manual vehicle, I'm a solid driver, never had premature clutch issue with any of my vehicles.

It may sound crazy but I find it shifts better in hot weather vs. cold??

Thanks again.

 

[RonD]

Welcome to TRS


Try shifting into 2nd then into 1st, or 5th(OD) and then into Reverse.

The way a manual trans works is that the output shaft spins at the same speed as the driveshaft/rear wheels, there is no disconnect for that.
So when you are stopped transmission is at 0 RPMs.
Idling engine is at say 700 RPMs.

So to get transmission into any gear when stopped you have to slow down the Input shaft to 0 RPMs, to match transmission speed/RPM.
Clutch is on the Input shaft and it is spinning at engine RPMs, when you press in the clutch pedal, the clutch disc should be able to slow down to 0 RPMs, if there is any, even slight, rubbing then it won't.
And there is also a Pilot bearing that supports the end of the Input shaft inside the Flywheel, flywheel always spins at engine RPMs, Pilot bearing allows Input shaft to slow down to a different RPM as needed.
If Pilot bearing is wearing out then Input shaft maybe getting some spin from that.

Slave needs to push out all the way to prevent clutch disc from rubbing, could be slave is failing or Master is, not pushing enough fluid to slave.

One thing to check is to watch the hose that runs from Master down to Slave, while someone pushes clutch pedal in.
This hose can get soft/weak, and it will expand when under pressure, this prevents full Slave expansion because hose is expanding.

1st and Reverse are the highest ratio gears so have the least 'leverage' to slow down the input shaft as you push respective synchros against the gear.
2nd has more leverage, 3rd more, ect...........
Once you put trans into 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th gear while stopped the input shaft is stopped, so shifting to 1st or reverse would be easy at that time.

Don't force trans into gear, you can shear off roll pins or wear out synchos

 

[pjtoledo]

does the clutch engagement height seem to change? if so that may be dirt/whatever on the throwout bearing preventing it form fully retracting.


a bad pilot bearing can catch the tranny input shaft and cause sudden small jerks when sitting at a light with the clutch depressed.