Driving to lunch today going through the gears, a very slight grind going into 5th, let out the clutch and hit the throttle, imagine my suprise when it revved up & didn't go What's the best option to rebuild my transmssion and fix the 5th gear problem? Looks like maybe Quad 4x4? Has anybody used these? Arrrrrrgh, just when I think I'm almost caught up, then goes the trans.

 

I highly doubt you have any thing to worry about all signs point to the 5th gear nut. A very common problem i have had it myself.

Symptoms: All other gears are fine it feels like it is going into 5th but when you let out on the clutch it is like it is in nuetral.

If that is your case it is the fifth gear nut i just replaced the nut with the revised version for about 50 bucks a the dealer. A whole lot of lock tight and and crush washer and a tighnting nut. I even tack welded mine on. Not a great solution but i dont care i will go with a 6 speed next time.

Anyway it is not that big of a deal pull the transfercase and the back half off of the tranny not near as bad as it sounds. And you will see the problem. The nut will just be hanging there and the actual 5th gear will just have slid back on the shaft.

Slide the gear back on and put on the new nut and you ready to go. Although another option is a fully splined output shaft i however didnt have the $ for that. It has been 15,000 since not a problem.

P.S It is not that desructive i have known peoplr to drive them like that for miles to get back home ect... goodluck

THat sound like the problem?

 

Mine did the same thing, I had to drive about 120 miles in fourth gear to make it home, fixed it with the revised nut assembly from the dealer. Then about 2000 miles later you could have the truck sitting in nuetral idling or backing up and it would try to jump forward. For some reason 5 th gear was trying to seize up on the shaft. Opted for a new tranny,clutch,flywheel, and rear seal, that was about 10,000 miles ago.

 

My truck lost 5th gear last week, only had 77,000 miles on it. I hadnt been towing any heavy loads with it at the time, just running for parts to a local town. Later on my son said he had left the truck in 5th gear while towing a combine header loaded on the trailer(a heavy son-of-a-gun) about 20 miles between wheat fields. So, I imagine, that started the problem! I know I have never hauled/towed anything heavy while in 5th gear, but guess I didnt think of my son! I plan maybe on doing something to it next week, perhaps just putting the old nut back on and tack welding it to see if it would stay. Has anybody tried Torque King™ In Vehicle Retrofit Kits, from QUAD 4x4? If something like that would work, it may hold longer, and I still wouldnt have to pull the tranny. I would like to hear from somebody in this thread, or send me a PM, who has used the TorqueKing InVehicle Retrofit Kit from QUAD 4X4.
thanks guys,
coadman

 

This is the best info I have seen about 5th gear problems and fixes.......5th gear fix

 

I got a fully splined shaft and nut with locks today, will get transmission rebuilt with them. I looked at the Quad 4x4 shaft, but I think I will be fine with this setup. One of the local guys thats a NWBombers member has the same setup with almost 600HP and it's holding up just fine, so I should be ok with a couple hundred less HP . I got my parts from Valley Gear in Seattle.

 

The $289 fix here works for me
http://www.standardtransmission.com/dodge.html

 

That's what I think I'm going with, plus the seal/bearing kit for another $100 or so. Now I just need the time to get it put in, but will have to wait a few weeks until after wheat harvest.
coadman

I'm a little curious, is there any differance between these splined main shafts? Besides the one at "standardtransmission", there are several other transmission "houses" I see these "new" splined main shafts for sale. Do you think one, is any better than the other, or just price is the major differance?
thanks,
coadman

 

The one from quad 4X4 is not fully splined, however go to their page and read about it, I think they have the best fix for the 5th gear. It makes a lot of sense what they have to say about their design.