Hey everyone. I'm new to this so I'll just get to the point. Someone gave me a 1983 Toyota Pickup with the 22r. It's the longbed, straight axle obviously. With the exception of a rough idle and the problem I'm about to convey, it runs fine. So here goes... When the truck is stopped and in 1st gear, I give it gas and let out the clutch and the whole front end of the truck shakes VERY violently. The problem repeats as I'm shifting from 1st to 2nd and that's it. Shifts into 3rd and 4th fine. I've spent a few hours researching this and reading similar forum posts but, can't really find anyone with this EXACT problem. Let me know if you have any suggestions! Thanks a bunch!!

 

First things I would check, engine motor mounts and driveshaft u-joints.

 

I would start with a full tune up: plugs, wires, cap, rotor, valve adjustment, timing, filters. If it only happens when you let out the clutch, it could be a problem with the clutch itself, or a warped flywheel.

 

What's the transmission in that truck? Do 1st and 2nd share a bearing?

 

Does it only do it at a certain RPM range in 1st?

Check the intake boot.. If it's cracked, it can cause some crazy surging

 

^^^ Intake boot??? Are you perhaps talking about on a 22RE?

When I killed my L50 trans in mine years ago every gear except 4th felt like it was going to shake the truck apart, scarry bad, had to limp truck home using 4Lo (hubs unlocked) to get rolling and 4hi after. All of them went all at once while pulling a hill in third on mine. Like mentioned previously you may have just killed a bearing associated with 1st and 2nd only, if that's even a thing.

 

I have never rebuilt a transmission, but I have been studying up on it as I am planning on rebuilding a W55 soon. As far as I can tell, 1st and 2nd do not share a bearing without 3rd and 5th. 4th is straight through, so that is the only gear the counter-shaft is not affected by. I had a Tacoma similar to what Bingle is talking about, only I sold it before it got as bad as his.

A cracked intake boot can cause big problems on a 22RE as it lets unmetered air into the intake under load. With a carbureted engine you might get similar problems with the vacuum lines running to the fender, or possibly the fuel cut solenoid wiring, but I doubt it would be as severe as you describe.

The lower the gear, the more torque is on the drivetrain, so it could possibly be U-joint or drive-shaft related, but if that was the case you would most likely get vibrations at higher speeds.

Motor mounts and transmission mounts are another possibility. I had both motor mounts bad in my ranch truck and the fan would hit the shroud when I accelerated hard, mainly in first or second gear. I did not feel a vibration, but it made quite a noise, and the gear shift would move a lot.