Stiff Gearbox, 2nd gear hard to locate. NEW MN Triton 6000k

[Fruity]

Hello!

Just wondering if the Triton Gearbox is known for being stiff and notchy to change? Getting into 2nd gear can be a problem too. I just had a load car for two days (New Navara 6speed manual) Changing gears in this was a breeze - no effort at all, so it has me thinking maybe there is an issue with my box or do I just have chocolate arms?

Looking forward to feedback on this as I have not got a mate a new triton that I can compare too and need to know if this is something to get fixed or not.

Thanks

[Fnordy]

I have about 300km on the clock of my MN GLX-R and yeah - I reckon it is a stiff, but not unworkable gearbox.

The most resistance I find is the syncho-mesh if I try and push it into second when the rev's are still too high (it will go, but you can hear the syncho whining up to speed as you do).

That said, no way of comparing unless you were to drive my truck / vice-a-versa so I would recommend trying out another one. My is nowhere near stiff enough to post about so it would seem that there is something genuinely different with yours.

Cheers

[patrolus]

i got the same, it's not a "loose" box or something u would call sporty..... i struggle to get it into 5th (and sometimes when the box is cold u can't get it into 5th at all) shifting down from third to 2nd is very very slow. and i am used to truck like boxes......
still hoping that it will loosen up (only done 1700k's)
oh, and i am talking about GEARboxes

[Kegsy]

Yep mine is the same. Down shift into 2nd gear is the hardest, no matter the speed or engine rpm.

I've got 4500K km's now and its starting to free up. After a few more km's I reckon it will be good as gold. But they are a notchy feeling box, even for a commercial vehicle.

Next time your shifting into second gear, give the throttle a blip to match the engine rpm to the gear your selecting, like you would if you were heal toe shifting or double clutching.

I find the matched revs helps the syncro do its job a little easier and it slips right in no worries at all.

[Fruity]

I will see if I can slip it in tonight, full report tomorrow......

[Kegsy]

I will see if I can slip it in tonight, full report tomorrow......

Good luck

[Longranger1]

Mine is a bit notchy as well - maybe a gearbox/transfer oil change will help. I am getting some Penrite Sin manual gear oil to change over to once the Tri has done about 5000 kays.

This is the stuff Penrite recommends for Triton gearboxs.

Will advise if it helps.

[Try-it-on]

Mine has 4000km on the clock and it is a very stiff gearbox compared to the Magna we once had, but the Magna was several years old when we bought it, so it may have had a lot of loosen up time.
I'm hoping the Triton will loosen up as well, but it feels so stiff that I would be surprised if it ever became as smooth as the Magna was.

I find going down through the gears I simply double-clutch for 3rd and 2nd gears, and it seems to help.
Strangely enough I'm having trouble sitting at a keyboard to describe a double-clutch, I'm going to have to go take a drive to work out exactly the routine, but I THINK that it's Clutch in - go to neutral - clutch out. Give the accelerator a quick tap to raise the revs, then clutch in, choose gear, clutch out.
But without going for a drive, I can't be certain that the tap on the accelerator isn't while you have the clutch in rather than while in neutral. I'll go take a drive and check.
Funny how you just DO something all the time, but can't describe in words exactly what it is you do.

[smouch1975]

I find mine wants to snatch out of second, going up to third.

1800KMS, definately a tight box, but time will tell.

Left that one open for you boyz

[amanda]

My box is tight when it is cold meaning to say sometimes it is hard to put into second but only for the first couple of changes then seems to be fine after that... the gearbox of course!

[Joe]

This thread has the potential to go way off course . I'll say nothing

[MN GLXR]

I find that my small stick also struggles with a tight box

Ummm, let me rephrase that...I mean it can be a bugger to get into 4H and 4L at times. Othertimes it is a smooth as silk?

Only 8k on the clock.

[Cowboy Dave]

:D My box is tight when it is cold meaning to say sometimes it is hard to put into second but only for the first couple of changes then seems to be fine after that... the gearbox of course!

No doubt about it, you've got NewTriton running through your veins....

[craig1]

after 47k on mine the gearbox hasn't loosened up if anything getting harder to get second when cold . it has been notchy since new though

[Ronald]

Ive got 12000km on my MN GLX-R, Ive always had trouble selecting first when pulling up at a set of lights, even trying to select first gear to move off from a set of lights. Ive taken back to mitsubishi three times now and they keep trying to tell me its 'normal' and lately its started grinding going into third gear now an than.

[NowForThe5th]

I took this issue up with the dealer some years ago, when I had my MK. Their explanation was that the Triton has straight cut gears (like a truck), for strength. The downside is that although synchromeshed, you do need to match the revs reasonably well to get a smooth and fast change and there are some noises emanating from the box that you don't get in most cars. With the ML the gear selection was initially very notchy but has loosened up a bit over 19,000km. The same procedure applies though - match revs up and down and you'll get good changes. Muff it and it'll be like a Roadranger: stop and start all over again. If you're good enough, clutchless changes are quite possible but probably better in the diesel where you can work in a narrower rev band. In the V6 it's much more difficult unless you just stay within a narrow rev band - which is a bit of a waste.

[Longranger1]

The only gear in the gearbox which is straight cut is reverse... Your dealer is bullsh!tting you.

[CairnsGSE]

I cant believe you are compairing roadranger and triton gearbox .Your having a dig !

[Fnordy]

Could be entirely my perception, but with the Bosston Canopy (extra 110kg) and 2x 120Ah AGM batteries it has started to sag a little back down to anticipated ride height (about 30-35mm above standard I guess).

Thing is, that the gear box seems easier too, but I got no clue whether it is or isn't related to suspension/lift. I seem to recall it being tough from the get go, but I got lift kit installed at 50km (now done only 1000km) so is hard to draw any kind of comparison

Isn't slowing me down any, but swapping between a keyless automatic and keyed manual has caused a couple of embarrassing moments...

Cheers

[Riguez]

Mine's the same - MN GLX-R manual with 1800 km's on it - a little stiff changing down to 2nd, particularly when cold. no probs at all with a load in the back though, smooth as. mine is standard all round. Go figure...

[Fruity]

30,000 on the clock now and it is definitely easier to get into second, no longer a battle!

[Kegsy]

This problem has just started to get worse in my MN the last month or two.

Car has 23,XXX kms on the clock now.

I've just dropped the truck at my local dealer today, we'll see what they come back with. Hopefully there is something that can be done.

If not I'll be changing the oil in the g'box as per viewtopic.php?f=23&t=6720&p=115232&hilit=hard+shift#p115232

Main reason Im getting this checked is soon Ultimate will be playing with the suspension and I don't want to give the dealer an "out", no matter how trivial it may be. So I'll get this on paper before the new gear goes in.

Will report back with the dealer findings and any fixes...

[Kegsy]

Dealer got me my truck back in 2.5hours

Yep drove it around the block a few times and they couldn't fault it I went for a drive with the service tech and all was fine (apart from the notchy feeling as always) all the gears gated fine.

Pretty much the response was, unless it does it when they have the car they can't do anything about it. Understandable, to a point.

Obviously I was fair annoyed as they didn't look into it any further after the test drive apart from checking the oil level (which I doubt was even done) and a computer scan. I would have at least thought new oil for ~$8 would have been a reasonable attempt to rectify the problem or at least remove a possible cause...

So on the way home I stopped into supercheap and went on the hunt for some penrite. None in stock. However I stumbled upon Nulon G70 additive for gearboxes & diffs. So I got some of that.

10 mins in the driveway, I drained a little of the gearbox oil and replaced it with the 250ml tube of Nulon G70.

Went for an half hour spin down the highway and back and shift feel is much better already. Tomorrow when I head off for work early in the morning it will be interesting to see how it shifts then.

At $25 a go, I would recommend anyone with any drama's to try it out. Especially if you don't have a pump to draw in fresh oil.

[Longranger1]

I was wary of using Nulon G70 in the gearbox (good in the transfer and diff's ) as it can cause the synchro's to slip a little more causing baulky shifts. Let us know how it goes please .

[Kegsy]

I was wary of using Nulon G70 in the gearbox (good in the transfer and diff's ) as it can cause the synchro's to slip a little more causing baulky shifts. Let us know how it goes please .

Yeah I read that on the net as well, about the syncro issue. The only issue I am concerned about is the colour the oil will be now when its drained at the dealership, its going to be an off colour now I reckon.

For every bad thing I read about the Nulon G70, I read two good things. So who knows?... Typical internet, heaps of opinions and you can't really be sure without trying it yourself.

If I get any problems I'll drain it out straight away, no worse off. Penrite or Royal Purple if this doesn't work.

What I did learn was the Redline shockproof stuff shouldn't be used on a road car due to the plasticiser (or something like that) builds up in the gearbox and clogs things up. Only suited to race applications where rebuilds are often.