Hi everyone, I hope I'm putting this question in the right area. I tried to put my 2005 Dodge Ram 3500 into 4L the other day to back up my fifth wheel. I've always had trouble getting it into 4L at all, but I asked at the dealer and followed his advice: I put it in neutral before shifting to 4L (so this was my first time in 4L). After it was in 4L, I put the truck into reverse (I was stopped for all this) AND THERE WAS A TERRIBLE NOISE. My husband was outside and said it sounded like gears stripping. I quickly changed it to Drive and the terrible noise continued. I was freaked out at this point, but I think I put it into neutral and took it out of 4L. I backed it up in 4H like I usually do (I read on this forum to use 4L and was trying to improve my backing up driving habits!). I asked the dealer about this terrible noise and he said I should have it looked at if I felt so uncomfortable. The dealer is far from my house so I called the closer one and he refused to look at it and told me to take it back to the place where I bought it (does he have the right to do that? does he have the right to deny to look at a truck under warranty?).

Anyway, it's still hitched (we have to work on one fifth wheel leg) and I haven't done anything yet. Do any of you know if this is serious? It really scared me (terrible sound). I try to take such good care of the truck, and then this.

Thanks, Eileen

 

its sounds like the transfer case was not engaged in 4L and thats what caused grinding sound. Next time you try to shift into 4L, do the samething, shift the transmission into Neutral, then shift into 4L but instead of backing up, dive forward to allow the gears to engage, then try to backup.

As for the dealership telling you to take it back to the other guy, if its still under warrenty, he has to honor your truck. But I wouldn't take my truck to that dealership who tells you to go somewhere else to fix your truck, they just not be trained to fix trucks in the first place and why they tell you to go somewhere else.

itsallgood

 

Also, if you have it in 4L on a tractive surface (i.e. wheels not slipping), you'll get the grinding noise. This happens especially if you're turning the wheels. I fried a transfer case in my durango that way. I would try 4L in mud, snow, ice, gravel or any other slippery surface, etc. I bet you won't hear the grinding.

 

Sounds like you didnt have the shifter all the way in gear. Sometimes it is hard to get it the first time. You have to get the feel of where the shifter is when its in all the way.

 

Sounds like you just didn't get mean enough with it. My truck is a manual, yours I'm assuming is auto? I put mine in neutral, with the clutch in, (I believe the auto should be in neutral also) and push the transfer shifter in one stern, continuous motion to 4L. If you stop or don't go all the way, you'll be making bad noises. As long as you are driving straight, or backing straight, you won't hear the grinding like some have said, and you shouldn't hear grinding on corners either, just the wheels skipping and jolting you around trying to catch up to each other. It is however not a good idea to use 4H or 4L if the surface is not slippery because something has to give if you aren't going exactly straight. I'm assuming you are using 4L to back to your trailer because you can back slower? Try again, you'll get the hang of it. I also have never had to "pull forward" to get the gears to engage. Mine has engaged in reverse many times. Good luck. JWB

 

If you have an automatic, it's never really in neutral. If you have the selector in N, the tranny will spin the output shaft fast enough to make your transfer case grind when you shift into Low/High. Next time, put the truck in N and shut off the motor. It will go into gear much easier. I'm speaking from personal experience.

Now, with my truck, I make sure I'm rolling at a slow walk and have the trans in neutral with the clutch pushed in. A little crunch, but no grinding.

 

[QUOTE=JCLeary]If you have an automatic, it's never really in neutral. If you have the selector in N, the tranny will spin the output shaft fast enough to make your transfer case grind when you shift into Low/High.QUOTE]

Agreed. Hence, move the lever promptly from one to the other and don't stop in the neutral slot on the transfer case. Things will start spinnin' and you will have to shut the truck off to get it back in. At least that was my experience with my automatic in my old chevy.

It just seems so stupid to design a truck that you have to shut the motor off, or back up, or cross you two left toes to shift. Once again, the jerks that design these trucks never drive 'em. Did I say that?

Good luck.

 

Thanks everybody. I'm going to remember these things for the next time. I was putting it into 4L mainly because it gets so HOT when I back up the trailer (trans temp goes up into 240, 250, 260, even higher). I'm the one with the sensor in the tube between the pan and cooler (so it reads the HOTTEST place). I was following someone's advice in order to keep the trans temp lower when backing up. I neglected to say that it sometimes takes me 30 MINUTES (!) to get my trailer in my driveway! It's a combo of a really bad driveway and not a lot of experience and skill on my part. Anyway, I'll try these other things next time. I DO know that I only made it into neutral on my first attempt into 4L. Sounds like I was too tentative. But the bottom line is: DID I HURT ANYTHING ON MY TRUCK? Do I need to have it looked at by a mechanic because it made this terrible noise?

Thanks, Eileen

 

If it's not making noise when you're in 4low or 4hi, then you're good.

 

I was scared to put it back into 4L again (that was my first and only time). I could try again. May I simply put it into 4L before I start the engine? If it's OK to put it into neutral before I start the engine and then put it into 4L, I could try that. . .

Thanks, Eileen

 

Oh... this is not new, eg it use to be quiet. My truck makes an awful racket getting into 4L sometimes. Assuming it was quiet when (if?) you were moving in 4L I think you're OK. Follow the instructions in the manual and it will still grind a bit. The trick seems to be to just jam it in. Unless you're hearing other noises now I'd forget it.

 

OK--thanks. I was afraid I really damaged something.

Eileen