i have an 01 dodge ram 1500 4x4 sport (auto), every time i put the truck in drive or reverse from park or drive to reverse it makes a loud clanking noise and a like a type of a jerk, if i put it in drive a jerks forward and if put it in reverse it jerks backwards, the clank and jerk is a lot bigger than when i put in in drive, whenever i drive i dont even feel the gears shifting, it shifts very smoothly, any ideas what it can be? is my tranny going??

 

No, its somewhat normal. However a very harsh engagement can be a couple things. It could be out of adjustment bands in the tranny, or it may be your pinion bearing going in the rear axle. The 9.25 rear end is notorious for that.

 

so a tranny shop will be able to find out the problem? can the bands be adjusted? the pinion bearing is hard to do? would i be able to do the job myself and whats the about price it might run me? thanks

 

how do i check the pinion bearing in the rear? the tranny shop would be able to tell?

 

Unless the clunk is violent, I'd leave it be. Every 2nd gen ram i've driven has done this to some degree, mine now does it shifting into reverse when the tranny is warm.

But yes, a shop should be able to diagnose it, if there is a problem. Just don't let a shady tranny shop tell you a rebuild is needed, especially if the shifts are smooth.

 

Have you checked your U-joints on your rear driveline?

Cartman

 

X2. A clunk, when shifting from Park to either Reverse or Drive is indicative of bad U-Joints.

 

how do i check the u-joints??

 

stick a screw driver in there and see if they make a clunking sound

 

stuck a screw driver in all u joints, they dont seem to make any noise, anything else i can check before i take my truck to the tranny shop?>