I have a '96 F150 4x4, 300 straight 6 with a manual 5-speed Mazda transmission. When I start from a dead stop, I only keep it in first gear literally just long enough to start moving. If I keep it their any longer, when I shift into second, it's almost like downshifting. The truck jolts back and forth and it just seems really hard on the tranny. In fact, sometimes I start off with second gear because it's such a low gear (thanks to first gear being so low), and it does much better. When I'm towing the pop-up (2600 lbs dry weight), it does much better between first and second. Are these two gears supposed to be so damn low?

 

It should be a 3:55 ratio. Somebody may have changed ring & pinions in it. How high is it taching at highway speeds ?

 

Yep, you think a Mazda tranny has a low gear, you should try a NP435 tranny granny gear!

The Mazda transmission had a 3.91-to-1 first gear and the NP435 is 6.69 to 1!!!! I start out in 2nd with the Np435 unless I am pulling a load. Not sure about starting out in 2nd with the Mazda M5OD unless you have 4:10 gears in the rear end.

 

Its the engine dont like revving its not geared that low

 

Not sure what you mean by 2nd feeling like a downshift. In my truck with 3.55/M5OD, at least by MY standards of not slipping the clutch, 2nd is definitely never used for anything slower than a rolling stop. The M5OD even has a high 1st ratio compared to the ZF. So...put higher axle gears in it? Though that doesn't happen too often around here...

 

On the lower part of the sticker in the driver's side door jam, what is the trans code listed? And, under the truck, there should be a tag attached to the transmission, what does it have written on it?

There are some trucks that have a granny low first gear, and when you go from 1st to 2nd it will act like you trying to stall the truck (bucking like a mule).

 

Its not that your gears are so low, it is that your engine has more than sufficient torque.

Are you sure it has the Mazda transmission? A lot of them were swapped for the ZF from an F250 with a 351, which would have a low first gear.

I have a 95 F150 4x2, 300 M5OD with 3.55 rear end. I take off in second more than I take off in first, with no clutch slippage. I do have P235/75R15 tires on it now, but I did it when it had 31's too.

Robert

 

I personally like a creeper gear . Good for crawling , through the hay field , back road .or mud hole ! Use 2nd for first and 1 for crawling . That is what I do .

 

It is a 3.55 ratio. I don't have a tach, so I don't know what the rpms are at hwy speed.

 

Trans code is "M". Where on the trans is the tag? I'll check for one later today. That is a perfect description of what it does - bucking like a mule! I feel like it is really damaging the tranny, but it's my first stick I've ever owned, so I just chalked it up to me not being very experienced with it.

 

it's not low enough to start out with 2nd gear,unless like stated you set some 4.10's in maybe.
with 3.55 or lower,you just start out with 1st gear and take off.once your rolling,shift to 2nd.don't wait around for anything.your revving the old gal way out too far if 2nd then feels like a downshift by the time you shift.
i always hated the m50d too,but that's how you drive them.it's got a sucky 1st and 2nd gear.2nd isn't low enough to start out in,but 1st is still too low to use for anything but get you rolling a little bit.just enough to help 2nd gear is all.it's no good as a creeper gear either.too high for that.the m5od was just a trash trans all the way around actually.they held up about as good as they functioned.not very well.