My 1996 Dodge Ram 1500 is having major issues. I think it may be the transfer case.....tell me what you think...

It is a 5.2 with a 5spd 4X4.

It started having issues in 4wd. I would be going down a steep grade in 4wd, foot off the gas....letting the truck hold its self back and the darn thing would jump into neutral in 4wd and and take off....i could stop it take it out of 4wd or put it back in and it was fine.
A few weeks later i was driving down interstate in 2wd and kept hearing some "clack" type noises.....then i was driving down a very steep grade at about 60 mph and hear a cluster of crunching grinding horrible noise and lost all drive train ability. The truck would move into the gears easily in the tranny....without the clutch in....and with the clutch in....but would not move....i thought the rear end had come out....or the tranny died...or the clutch middle come apart.......never really thought about the transfer.....

Had the truck towed home...finally got bright enough to try putting in in 4wd to move it....and of course it took off and moved....when i tried to go in 2wd thinking it wouldn't move.....it did....and is now moving again...but seems to have very limited torque....kinda like its in super low range....but the thing never had a "low" range...because its geared pretty high.....

HELP ME!!!!!!

Does anyone have any idea whats up with my truck!!!!!!

 

a common problem is a broken snap ring. i think? its in the output shaft and can be fixed from the rear cover. download the 01 service manual here. i think the t-case is the same, or very close to the same, in all years.
http://www.rm-indy.com/wavefiles/2001ramsrvcmanual.zip

 

Thanks for the help. I have been going thru some of the previous threads and have seen what I thought was making me crazy is a common issue....this is my first Dodge Truck....i was born into a bowtie family and have decided to rebel a bit....i have always been drawn to the curves of a Dodge when they changed the body style in 1994........and the fact that i am a chick working on my own truck...says something i hope....i am truely a redneck woman.....these forums really seem to be a bit "Macho"....lol.....

 

well first off i love your location BFE,West by God Virginia, 2ndly Gretchen Wilson described you to a "T" in her song ( compliment ), and 3rdly I applaud you on your efforts. I would have to agree on Vaughn about that snap ring it happened to a buddy of mine similar if not the same symptoms.

 

haha, i didn't notice your location while ago. WBGVa. but what's BFE?
not that macho around here. but, there are 0 women in the ram section. the last girl that came around was a young blonde that got mobbed by the dog pack that hangs around here. i'll look for some t-case links, stand by.

http://4x4trailhunters.com/tech/article.php?id=20

http://www.drivetrain.com/parts_cata...ase_parts.html

http://www.drivetrain.com/parts_cata...rts/np231.html

good diagram here.
http://www.drivetrain.com/parts_cata...l#Illustration

 

be prepared for highs and lows.

highs.
tough truck, solid axle, 318/360 very durable as long as the heads don't crack. pretty simple. looks good, nice stance. lifts available, big tires fit pretty good. available upgrades include TB, rocker arms,chip upgrades on later models, but not yours.

lows.
mpg sucks. common problems include leaky plenum, wandering steering, cracked dash on the later models. front bearings expensive, front seals overly difficult. weak auto transmission from factory. no selectable locker for rear. aggravating little things - heater core buried under dash. corrosion prone freeze plug buried behind transmission. distributor hard to reach. $2 plenum gasket buried deep. vacuum cad prone to fail.

 

Well i have put 285x75 16's on it. It had American Racing Rims on it, chrome nerf bars, tonneu cover, Rhino liner, and the interior is like brand new....i put a CD player in it myself....and to my shock...it is still working....im not good with the electrical....the truck itself only has 120,000 on it but its the stock work truck model....which means no ac and no power anything.....but hell thats less to go wrong right???? LOL....heck for only $2600....i thought it was a good deal....but i could be wrong depending upon how much it costs to fix the transfer problem.....

One thing about hard to reach places and being a woman....smaller hands fit better....so that is kind of a plus

I believe the headlight switch is bad...because they go off for no reason....and come back on....i have got a replacement and am getting ready to change it soon....

Its a work in progress.....and if nothing else....I look damn good driving it.....

 

 

You had me at "driving down a very steep grade at about 60 mph" ...

I thought, "This guy's hardcore" ...

... silly me.

Your headlight problem is probably the multi-function switch in the steering column ... seen a few of those go bad lately.

 

LOL...it was a 9% grade....and im not a guy....but i am damn hard core...and only believe in driving something like its stole....wide open.....is the only way to roll.....


And i will post pics soon....i promise....i just found this site today.........