My husband just bought a 1998 2500 4x4 out of state, and was making the 15 hr drive home, when he lost 5th gear. He is stuck up in Roanoke, VA right now. Does anyone know of a good shop around there? Also, is it safe to drive without 5th gear? Will anything get damaged if he keeps driving it? Please help with any info! Thanks.

 

I have read of guys driving for some time with 5th gone. The nut and gear fall off the shaft and just lay on the bottom of the tail section. I drove mine for a bit with no 5th but had it fixed asap. Just tell him to go 55/60 max and take it easy, he should be OK.

 

Thanks a million for the help!

 

It is possible that he may not make it all the way.

 

Lost 5th gear twice on my 96 before I had an aftermarket keyed shaft replacement put on it. Drove over 200 miles the first time and over 500 miles the second time to get home in 4th gear with no damage. The nut backs off and the gear slides off of the splines and rides on the unsplined part of the tail shaft. A good transmission shop can find good aftermarket parts to prevent this from happening again.

 

I put on 1000 plus miles over a few weeks without 5th gear, just watch the RPM's. I actually got better fuel mileage just sucked with 55 as top speed. Pulling heavy trailer I rarely use 5th gear anymore unless I'm really truckin down the highway.

 

I have one out here that the owner has run for four years with no fifth. He just kept driving it, and figured it still went, so why panic! The gear just spins freely off the end of the spline and may rattle a bit. Just get a complete shaft kit with the full spline when the replacement is done.