# Toyota 4WD shifts hard into first **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [October 11, 2014, 9:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-4wd-shifts-hard-into-first/87607 "2014-10-11T21:09:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Beeguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/90db22/32.png) [@Beeguy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Beeguy)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 9:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-4wd-shifts-hard-into-first/87607/1 "2014-10-11T21:09:56Z")
I have a 1993 4WD Toyota extended cab pickup with 200,000 miles on it that is getting hard to shift into first gear. I have to double/triple clutch run through the gears to get it to shift into first. It is not hard to shift all the time but the issue is getting more and more frequent. Any thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 11:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-4wd-shifts-hard-into-first/87607/2 "2014-10-11T23:15:40Z")
Try shifting into reverse…if it grinds and won’t go in, your clutch is dragging. Also try shifting with the engine turned off…if the problem disappears, again, it’s a dragging clutch… ---
**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 3:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-4wd-shifts-hard-into-first/87607/3 "2014-10-12T03:00:36Z")
I am inclined to think it’s the synchronizes perhaps. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 4:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-4wd-shifts-hard-into-first/87607/4 "2014-10-12T04:50:12Z")
When I have this symptom on my Corolla, it has always been caused by a defective clutch master cylinder. It shows up in first and reverse at the beginning, and gets worse. If you can pump the clutch pedal and then get it into first gear, that’s consistent with the clutch master cylinder being the problem. ---
**Author:** ![SteveC76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@SteveC76](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SteveC76)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 5:37am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-4wd-shifts-hard-into-first/87607/5 "2014-10-12T05:37:51Z")
Clutch wearing out or master/slave problem. How is the fluid level? ---
**Author:** ![Beeguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/90db22/32.png) [@Beeguy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Beeguy)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2014, 7:38am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-4wd-shifts-hard-into-first/87607/6 "2014-10-13T07:38:57Z")
If i hit the clutch and move into reverse then back to first, it goes right in. A mechanic I talked to said that first on this truck is not synchronized and with the tranny having 202k on it. It is probably just getting a little worn. By going to reverse it realigns everything and getting into first is fairly smooth. That seemed to work. Thanks for the comments it give me some other options to be aware of. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2014, 9:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-4wd-shifts-hard-into-first/87607/7 "2014-10-13T09:11:22Z")
You need to consider how much free play is present when depressing the clutch pedal and at what point the clutch engages when you start letting the pedal up. If the clutch is fine in all phases then the problem is likely in the 1/2 synchronizer hub assembly due to wear. I’ve done a lot of manual transmission work (very little Toyota I admit…) and I find it hard to believe that 1st gear is not synchronized per what the mechanic told you. I looked at a pic of a rebuild kit and it shows 5 synchronizer rings. That should mean 2 for 1/2, 2 for 3/4, and one for 5th. Few transmissions have a synchronized reverse. ---
**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2014, 5:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/toyota-4wd-shifts-hard-into-first/87607/8 "2014-10-13T17:43:00Z")
It sounds like the clutch is dragging and driving with a dragging clutch will quickly destroy the synchronizers. !st gear would be the 1st to fail.