M5OD R1 HD can be popped out of gear

[1991 Blue danger ranger]

Was driving my truck today, (91 4.0, but m5od r1 HD swapped) and realized I could slip it out of gear in 2, 3 and 4. Was able to float it into 4th, never noticed anything like this before, and it doesn’t slip out at all. Any ideas why? Especially since it doesn’t pop/ fall out I’m really confused about what it could be. About 130000 km on the trans, fluid about 10000 km old (atf) thanks!

 

[Blmpkn]

I've never driven a manual trans that wasn't able to be slipped out of gear while under some load.

Hell.. when my buddy was driving the last ranger he had he only used the clutch to get moving and "power shifted" it the rest of the time since the clutch was on its last legs. Drove it like that for a few years.. finally had the clutch replaced at 350k miles and then lost every gear but 3rd a week or two later lol.

 

[djfllmn]

I've never driven a manual trans that wasn't able to be slipped out of gear while under some load.

Hell.. when my buddy was driving the last ranger he had he only used the clutch to get moving and "power shifted" it the rest of the time since the clutch was on its last legs. Drove it like that for a few years.. finally had the clutch replaced at 350k miles and then lost every gear but 3rd a week or two later lol.

x2.

I had an old civic that i drove that way, that trans was super easy to float the gears in. If you get the RPMs and speed right it will glide right in, heck semi drivers almost never use the clutch when they are moving

 

[gw33gp]

Semis have very close ratio gears, and it is easy to shift without a clutch if you know what you are doing. It is more difficult to do it with a Ranger and can be hard on the synchros if done a lot. I did with my Ranger from Arizona to the coast of SoCal when my clutch slave went out. It is OK for an emergency, but you really should know what you are doing. Using it a lot for a long time is asking for transmission trouble.

It is easy to slip a transmission out of gear when coasting with no load on the transmission. I do it a lot when coming to a stop to save having to push in on the clutch. It does no harm to the transmission. Doing it with a load (accelerating of decelerating) on the transmission could strain it and probably cause more wear.

 

[pentode]

As the others have said, what you found is completely normal. With extremely good technique you can cause a very low amount of wear on synchros, the trans and the clutch. As skill level decreases, wear and tear increases. I've seen guys over the years roasting their clutches downshifting because they're "saving on brake wear."
By the same token, if you're trying to save on clutch wear by not using it... (Not that you were planning on doing that) well let's just say I'd much rather do a brake job than a clutch job, and I'd much rather do a clutch job than replace synchros.

 

[1991 Blue danger ranger]

I've never driven a manual trans that wasn't able to be slipped out of gear while under some load.

Hell.. when my buddy was driving the last ranger he had he only used the clutch to get moving and "power shifted" it the rest of the time since the clutch was on its last legs. Drove it like that for a few years.. finally had the clutch replaced at 350k miles and then lost every gear but 3rd a week or two later lol.

I can’t pop it out while I’m gassing it/ it’s really working, just when I’m slowing down/ off the gas.

 

[scotts90ranger]

I can’t pop it out while I’m gassing it/ it’s really working, just when I’m slowing down/ off the gas.

That's completely normal

 

[1991 Blue danger ranger]

That's completely normal

for real? I've never tried at all on any other vehicles (why would i lol), and i was concerned.

 

[pentode]

for real? I've never tried at all on any other vehicles (why would i lol), and i was concerned.

Yup. When the ratio of rotational speeds of the input shaft and output shaft of the transmission exactly match one of the gear ratios of your transmission, it'll easily slide right in and out of that particular gear. It's sort of sinplified and looking at it backwards but that's exactly how a manual trans works.

 

[Blmpkn]

We used to have an old 5 speed diesel box truck where I work that power shifted like a champ. Dumb ol thing could get slammed between gears (going up) with no clutch just like a motorcycle. Even downshifting could be done without a clutch relatively easily.. pop it out and stab the go pedal real quick to bring the revs up and it would slip right into the next lower gear.

I miss that truck. First vehicle I did a wheelie in actually.. first gear was so low you could let off the clutch and then just start stomping on the gas pedal with some good timing and get the front wheels a foot off the ground lol.

 

[1991 Blue danger ranger]

Yup. When the ratio of rotational speeds of the input shaft and output shaft of the transmission exactly match one of the gear ratios of your transmission, it'll easily slide right in and out of that particular gear. It's sort of sinplified and looking at it backwards but that's exactly how a manual trans works.

That’s not new to me, I just thought it was synchronized manuals which couldn’t do that, it was also why I mentioned floating Into fourth. Glad to hear it, thanks!

 

[Shran]

If it pops out of gear without touching the shifter, that’s a problem, but being able to pull it out is normal like everyone else said.