i have a 1996 ram 1500 4x4 with 90,000 miles. I recentely put a plow on and have gone through two front axle shift forks and pads in a week, although this is unusual in itself, my problem is that i recentely pulled it in my barn to do some body work and when i was ready to pull it out it would not move in gear {forward or reverse}it was in 4hi , in drive i revved it up pretty high and it clunked hard and loud like the flywheel shot through the tranny, so i shut it off and put it in park, i then restarted it put it in gear and it was fine like nothing happened,so i drove it out of the barn and by my house,put it in 2hi then park, when i went to put it in drive nothing again,its not even lurching forward slightly like a car put in gear. i did check the fluid level of the tranny and it is full and nice and pink whith no burnt smell... please help.
one other thing about this is that when i have it in gear during this and put it in park it kind of grinds like gears meshing put its not hard to put it in park

i have a 1996 ram 1500 4x4 with 90,000 miles. I recentely put a plow on and have gone through two front axle shift forks and pads in a week, although this is unusual in itself, my problem is that i recentely pulled it in my barn to do some body work and when i was ready to pull it out it would not move in gear {forward or reverse}it was in 4hi , in drive i revved it up pretty high and it clunked hard and loud like the flywheel shot through the tranny, so i shut it off and put it in park, i then restarted it put it in gear and it was fine like nothing happened,so i drove it out of the barn and by my house,put it in 2hi then park, when i went to put it in drive nothing again,its not even lurching forward slightly like a car put in gear. i did check the fluid level of the tranny and it is full and nice and pink whith no burnt smell... please help.
one other thing about this is that when i have it in gear during this and put it in park it kind of grinds like gears meshing put its not hard to put it in park

Sounds like you could be in for a rebuild.Did you check for broken or bent linkage.

yeah i checked linkage,just seems unusual to do this all the sudden,the tranny has been perfect

yeah i checked linkage,just seems unusual to do this all the sudden,the tranny has been perfect


There is a check valve on one of the trans lines next to the rad. I am not sure if your truck has this . I had a 95 ram that had it .It is there to prevent the oil from draining back into the tranny when the truck is parked for a while.I was having trouble so i removed the ball and spring from the check valve by drilling it out. The ball sometimes stick reducing oil flow.After removing the check valve you should warm up the tranny in neutral for a minute or so before going on your way. The tranny does not circulate the oil in park. This might not solve your problem but it is worth trying.

thanks fedup, I will certainly give it a try

I would look into the transfer case more every thing worked fine untill you messed with the transfer case right? If you try and go into park and the tcase is messed up it will grind. you probally have a shift fork that is shot. Oh and the checkball in the line which you do have if its plugged your trans is shot!!