I have a 95 ram 1500 4x4. 5.2 with a 46RH transmission. When I accelerate from a stop I noticed that the truck wouldn't get into first gear, it would start in second. This leads to bad acceleration. I can put it into manual 1 and it will go into first gear and but not when it's in D.

I also noticed that it's not kicking down right. Is there some adjustment that I can make with the linkage or cables? Or what causes this?

 

Manual 1st gear uses a different hydraulic circuit than just putting it in D. Your trans is purely hydraulically controlled in the first three gears, so, it's likely there is an internal problem somewhere.

 

Could be the kickdown cable as that’s what happen to mine. Clip broke but you can adjust the shifting on it. When my clip broke my gas pedal was loose and when kicked it down stayed in 2 gear and then 4 gear

 

Start with the cable. Could be a sticky governor valve. Possible the torque converter is making metal and sticking valves up. Its all hydraulic if you have the 46rh.

 

I've noticed everybody talking about the kick down cable while this could be the issue I have a 97 dodge ram 1500 with the 5.9l magnum I'm not 100 on it but I think my tranny is the 46rh and I have the same issues with my tranny but I found that my problem was the shift solenoid which is at the top of the tranny so I dropped it replaced the solenoid and now have no issues

 

97 would be a 46RE. The RE has a governor solenoid and sensor that controls shifting, they also have a cable but it has less of an effect on the 46RE than on the 46RH.