Hi Guys,

TRUCK: 2010 Dodge Ram SLT 4X4 Hemi, Crewcab...

SO this has happened a few times now. I have parked on my driveway which is somewhat sloped, and there has been snow on the ground... the truck has rolled down the drive way. The truck is for sure in park. No parking brake on (I KNOW!).

At first I thought the rear wheels, because it was in park, must have slipped... so today after it happened I put the truck back where it was, put it in park and got out and pushed the front end. Sure enough, after a few good pushes the thing starts to move down the driveway.

So I moved to the right hand side of the truck to see what was going on (in this case only the right side tires were on snow) and the right rear was rolling (not slipping) backwards... I moved to the other side, and the left rear tire was actually rotating forwards!

Is this normal? I would have though the parking pawl would have stopped the tires from rotating at all.

Obviously I SHOULD have the parking brake engaged... but I am wondering is this normal? It doesn't seem like it is.

Thanks

 

this is normal, the differential can rotate in the spider gears even when the driveshaft is stopped (when the transmission is in park)
with an open differential and slippery icy conditions on the driveway one tire will roll backwards and one will rotate forwards slipping on the ice.
best advice is to use the park brake, you can also put some sand and salt on the driveway to melt it off.
how steep is the driveway? this is a rare occurrence even up in Canada


oh and btw, hang in there- summers comin'

 

What you are experiencing is slippage of at least one wheel. I guess it's normal if very slippery, but then, even the parking brake might not be enough.

 

Oh Oh... which of you is right?!!?!

 

rdculus is right.

 

The thing about applying the park brake is that with it both wheels would have to slip but without it one could roll and the other slip. I usually just put it in 4X4 but that is a habit I have going back to having my parking brakes freeze and having to thaw them out. JMO

 

Thanks guys... my concern, as well as it rolling down the drive way and over someone or into the street, was that something might be wrong with the truck...