I have a 95 Ford F-150 5 Speed manual
77k miles
Shifting from 1st to 2nd gear sometimes catches and feels like it has to be forced. Other times it is smooth. this is a third vehicle I knock around in on weekends, so I don’t want to dump a ton of $$ into it, though it is in otherwise good condition. Am I risking damaging th e transmission further or engine by simply skipping second when uit doesn’t shift right in and jumping to third?
Check the simple things first. Be certain that the transmission lubricant is not low. Manual transmissions do require lubrication. It used to be 90 weight gear lube in my days, but your owner’s manual or a Haynes manual should tell you for certain what type of gear lubrication is needed if you require transmission lubrication. It could be something in the linkage which is external to the transmission. The linkage may require adjustment or need a new bushing. This repair is very inexpensive.
If the problem is inside the transmission, then it could be a synchronizer. Sometimes a snap ring holding the synchronizer on the shaft breaks. If not taken care of, this could result in a lot of damage to the transmission. You might want to check with a good transmission person who has worked on these 5 speed truck transmissions. Removing and replacing the transmission on your rear wheel drive truck is not as complicated as on front wheel drive vehicles. While your truck is 13 years old, if it is in decent shape (not rusted out, engine runs well, etc) it may be worth fixing it at this point.
If you aren’t lugging the engine by running too slowly when you shift from first to third, you aren’t damaging the engine by skipping gears. I would often drive 3 speed manual transmission automobiles by skipping second gear when it wouldn’t lug the engine by shifting into high or I didn’t need the added acceleration to get up to speed.
That sounds like the sync hub is worn. While it would be best to replace it I would think you plan would be OK. BTW it is possible to learn how to shift with a bad hub it requires leaning how to match the speed of the engine to the speed it will need to be after it is shifted. Generally it means going to neutral then speeding the engine up some than pressing the clutch again while you slip it into second. Good Luck
Thanks a bunch for the advice. I definitely will try the simple things first, but if it is a snap ring I’ll probably need to take care of it. Don’t want to ruin the rtransmission - the truck’s got a lot of life left.