manual transmission: to mod or not to mod? [Archive] - Toyota Yaris Forums

tomato

03-06-2009, 01:29 PM

So I got this cute little Yaris LB, 2007, 5 speed, about a month ago at a Toyota dealership. The car is in great condition, got a good deal on it, overall I'm pretty happy about it.

The only thing I'm still uneasy with is that clutch :eek:. I've posted about that in this forum before, and I can tell by the answers I got back and by looking at the old threads that it's a common complaint with these cars.

My question to those of you with a manual transmission is this:

How many of you drive the stock clutch?
How many did the SSK mod?
If you did the SSK mod, did it make a huge difference?
What did you get, how much was it?

Thank you for responding to my previous questions about the car, BTW, you guys are great!! :headbang:

:burnrubber:

eTiMaGo

03-06-2009, 01:35 PM

stock clutch (you'll get used to it)
guilty as charged
Big difference in shifting feel, plus it's a shorter rod too so it look better in the cabin
Got a TWM short shifter, it was some time ago, $100ish maybe before shipping charges? NST's wasn't available at the time.

cali yaris

03-06-2009, 01:45 PM

jkuchta

03-06-2009, 01:53 PM

I have both NST SSK's and have changed the trans fluid to Redline MT-90, and all I can say is that the transmission and shifting is a whole world different...in a very good way.

1NZYaris1

03-06-2009, 03:49 PM

I installed the SSK-2 incabin short shifter + S/S cage bushes :thumbup:,
big differance in the gear changes (feel of ) . Great mod
Bought them from Garm at Microimage. :respekt:

tomato

03-06-2009, 06:18 PM

Just to be clear, the SSK does not have anything to do with the clutch itself, the clutch pedal or clutch feel (how the motor engages with the transmission).

It does shorten the throw of the shifter itself -- and it's absolutely one of the best "bang for the buck" mods you can do to the car. So, if the SHIFTER feels sloppy, the SSK will help fix that.

http://shop.microimageonline.com/product.sc?categoryId=2&productId=3

OK. Looks like I have some reading to do to really understand what you're saying to me :redface:

I appreciate the answers though, I'm learning a lot. Now that I figured out that I have to give the car a little bit more gas when I shift gears than I do in other cars like my old CRX 5 speed, it's better already. Just want to get to the point where driving the car becomes fun, second-nature.

Thanks all!

:burnrubber:

ImportRacer88

03-06-2009, 06:53 PM

Sotck clutch, and a homemade ssk,

cali yaris

03-06-2009, 06:56 PM

^

Stock clutch, a homemade ssk, and a pool.

tomato

03-06-2009, 07:16 PM

:bellyroll:

tk-421

03-06-2009, 07:40 PM

As cali very correctly pointed out, the SSK has nothing to do with the clutch.
You should get an SSK nonetheless. It's one of those accessories that should have come stock IMO.

tomato

03-06-2009, 09:50 PM

As cali very correctly pointed out, the SSK has nothing to do with the clutch.

My bad. I don't know any better. :iono: To be honest, most of the terminology I see on this forum is completely new to me.... so sorry if I said something stupid, here! :redface:

I meant the whole shifting process is stiff, counter-intuitive (especially in low gears - the first is the worse! - and in reverse) and I want to figure out a way to get over that hurdle sooner rather than later :smile:

I looked stuff up online, and if I understand your answers correctly, it seems that my problem is with the shifter mostly. Looks like I'm getting used to the clutch by now.

But I wonder if someone could explain (in simple words, please, I'm no mechanic!!! :redface: ) how the SSK makes it better.

Thanks :cool:

jkuchta

03-06-2009, 10:51 PM

The SSK shortens the throw of the shifter (makes the yaris shifter feel more like a car stick shift, as opposed to a truck stick shift). The combination of the Shifter bushings that NST makes, in addition to one or both of their SSK's, eliminates pretty much all of the mushyness of the shifting experiance.

As for the transmission's reluctance to shift (i.e. tough to get in first, third, and reverse) a lot of us here (me included) changed out the stock trans fluid for a better fluid (in my case Redline MT-90). The improvement in shifting is pretty amazing...so much so that I'd say it should be the first mod you do (cost about $25 and takes about an hour in the driveway).

Altitude

03-07-2009, 02:13 AM

The clutch action is admittedly something to get accustomed to, but it's not tragic in IMHO. I've driven MT's all my life and this one wasn't that hard to learn.

The worst part is getting off the line, after that no problemo. It'll become second nature if you let it. :burnrubber:

eTiMaGo

03-07-2009, 02:37 AM

My bad. I don't know any better. :iono: To be honest, most of the terminology I see on this forum is completely new to me.... so sorry if I said something stupid, here! :redface:

I meant the whole shifting process is stiff, counter-intuitive (especially in low gears - the first is the worse! - and in reverse) and I want to figure out a way to get over that hurdle sooner rather than later :smile:

I looked stuff up online, and if I understand your answers correctly, it seems that my problem is with the shifter mostly. Looks like I'm getting used to the clutch by now.

But I wonder if someone could explain (in simple words, please, I'm no mechanic!!! :redface: ) how the SSK makes it better.

Thanks :cool:

From the sound of it, you found the trick to the clutch: give a lil more gas than usual when shifting, and release the clutch pedal gently (especially from a stop). So that covers your footwork.

The SSK's and other transmission mods affect your armwork: You'll have to push the gear lever a shorter distance to change gears (so you can change them faster), and the lever will feel much more solid and direct with the various bushings. It's hard to explain in words, but these basically help you shift faster and with a better feeling.

eTiMaGo

03-07-2009, 02:44 AM

Sotck clutch, and a homemade ssk,

I would not want to park this car while drunk... splash! :laugh:

NonStopTuning

03-07-2009, 03:39 AM

But I wonder if someone could explain (in simple words, please, I'm no mechanic!!! :redface: ) how the SSK makes it better.

Thanks :cool:

The following thread would be a good place to read tons of user reviews and comments regarding the NST SSK options...

http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7535&highlight=nst

Good luck and have fun with your project!

:burnrubber:

Tamago

03-07-2009, 07:24 AM

are yaris owners REALLY banging thru the gears like that?

eTiMaGo

03-07-2009, 08:55 AM

oh I sure do :biggrin:

ImportRacer88

03-07-2009, 09:00 AM

yes and i forgot to add my pool it gives me like 10 horsepower on a realy hot day lol :)

BLAZINBLUEVITZ

03-07-2009, 09:12 AM

are yaris owners REALLY banging thru the gears like that?
:rolleyes: come on now, you know how we do.....

Tamago

03-07-2009, 09:22 AM

:rolleyes: come on now, you know how we do.....

poor synchros :cry:

BLAZINBLUEVITZ

03-07-2009, 10:04 AM

poor synchros :cry:
:iono: now i know in my del sol the synchros went due to my short shifter i had from B/M. but in the yaris i can't understand how MY synchros are going to go bad. is the SSK from trd or nst going to eventually wear these out?

eTiMaGo

03-07-2009, 10:21 AM

well the faster you change gears, the more stress you put on the synchros (if you don't do any rev-matching), that's just the way it is on any manual car!

Tamago

03-07-2009, 11:50 AM

:iono: now i know in my del sol the synchros went due to my short shifter i had from B/M. but in the yaris i can't understand how MY synchros are going to go bad. is the SSK from trd or nst going to eventually wear these out?

banging the gears is gonna wear them out

think if it like this.. you don't slam on the brakes at the last second, everywhere you drive, right? slamming gears is just as harmful to the car, and even though transmissions are pretty cheap (well for me anyway, got my last one for $150) it's better to just take it easy. the stock yaris trans/cable/shifter setup is IMO just fine, and increasing the shifting velocity with the short shifter block is really just a placebo. you'll feel like you're shifting at lightning speed, but if you can't count in milliseconds, or are professionally drag racing (not autocross, one shift isn't gonna make/break your run) your yaris... it's kind of a pointless modification.

sorry to call it how i see it, i know this isn't what vendors want to hear.

Altitude

03-07-2009, 12:07 PM

I have to agree with Tamago on this one. The posts I've read on YW with people treating their Yaris like a Formula 1 car makes my Yaris cry for the abuse of its siblings. It's an economy car first and foremost and I think the MT is a blast to drive as it is.

No need to slam the shifter at 6k RPM to race to the next red light. All you are doing is reducing the longevity and reliability of an otherwise reliable and economical car.

BLAZINBLUEVITZ

03-07-2009, 12:15 PM

Altitude

03-07-2009, 12:30 PM

thanks for you 2 cents:rolleyes:

Pardon me, but my opinion is worth at least 3 cents. :rolleyes:

BLAZINBLUEVITZ

03-07-2009, 12:32 PM

Pardon me, but my opinion is worth at least 3 cents. :rolleyes:

maybe when you actually post some usefull information.....

Tamago

03-07-2009, 12:35 PM

All you are doing is reducing the longevity and reliability of an otherwise reliable and economical car.

maybe when you actually post some usefull information.....

while it may not be what you want to hear, he is right, and it is useful information to someone who is not aware that the yaris is not a race car :iono:you perhaps?:iono:

BLAZINBLUEVITZ

03-07-2009, 12:55 PM

while it may not be what you want to hear, he is right, and it is useful information to someone who is not aware that the yaris is not a race car :iono:you perhaps?:iono:

:laugh: its too nice outside to be bothered by yet another topic that bashes the yaris. unsubscribed.....

eTiMaGo

03-07-2009, 01:08 PM

heh pretty much any mod you do to a car will affect the longevity and reliability, it just comes with the territory, you just gotta understand that and compromise/prioritize :biggrin:

Tamago

03-07-2009, 01:29 PM

:laugh: its too nice outside to be bothered by yet another topic that bashes the yaris. unsubscribed.....

i never once bashed the yaris.

i do however have a lot of experience with what similar engine and transmissions will handle, and i'll tell you right now, yaris or not, your drivetrain is NOT racer-boy strong.

thanks for unsubscribing though :laugh:

Altitude

03-07-2009, 01:39 PM

Jeez - I'm not bashing the Yaris, I love it and don't regret buying it. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one if something were to ever happen to it.

I just happen to believe that cars are purpose built and the purpose of the Yaris is to provide cheap, economical - and in the case of the LB - 'sporty' transportation. Oh crap now the sedan owners are going to give me shit too...

There are plenty of reasonable modifications to eek out a little more performance if that's what someone wants. Though I will not apologize for believing that it's at least a little bit foolish to put thousands of dollars of performance mods on a car when for the same final cost one could get something else that performs better in a stock configuration. That's not bashing the Yaris - it's realistic and prudent.

tomato

03-07-2009, 04:16 PM

Thanks all, really, really, really appreciate the answers, both pro and con. (BTW, I didn't see anyone bash the Yaris, just offer a different opinion about the use of the car :biggrin: ) You guys are great! I'm so glad I found this forum! :w00t:

I think I'll leave the car stock for now until I finish the tank of gas and see if I can get used to driving it as is. Changing to a better oil can't hurt though, so I'll check into that first.

It's a really nice day out, can't wait to get in the car and drive 100 miles out to the country. :burnrubber:

See you all later. :biggrin: Thanks again. This forum rules! :headbang: