Truck has too much play in park?

jdip · Oct 25, 2018

What are the things I should start checking? My truck has a lot of give while it's in park if you push or rock the truck. I first noticed when I stepped up on the tire to reach into my bed and get something and I thought the tire was gonna toss me off. I've compared it to a buddy's 1500 and I can move my truck a good 5 inches before it comes back to where it started.

Also noticed my truck rolled back on a hill the other day. My memory serves me correctly it's always held on a hill. Yes my hill start assist is checked. And no I don't sit on hills without my foot on the brake pedal, just happened to notice leaving the same shopping center that I frequent that my truck started rolling backwards and I've never had that issue before. Could the two be related?

muddy12 · Oct 25, 2018

Any slack in the drivetrain will allow the truck to move while in park.
Basically have to check everything from the parking pawl in the transmission, to the amount of backlash in your dif gears.

This is why setting the parking brake is recommended. It takes the stress of holding the truck, off of the transmission and driveline joints.

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BWL · Oct 25, 2018

Do you get a lot of clunking forward to reverse or on and off throttle. A certain amount of roll is expected in park vs the park brake, which should keep you planted. More play in your driveline from bad u-joints for example will increase how much it rolls forwards and back in park.

jdip · Oct 25, 2018

Yes good deal of clunking when shifting gears. Not so much on the on or off throttle. And never too late to start using the p brake I guess. I should know better. All these years of high idling when I stop and get some place I don't know why I've never trained myself to do it in my personal vehicle.

jdip · Oct 25, 2018

I scheduled a trip to the dealer on tuesday =/ I'll post a video later and see if you all think I am worried about nothing. Would this also be why my truck was rolling back on the hill also?

jdip · Oct 25, 2018

https://photos.app.goo.gl/4oQD8fFiNBr36AQo7

Video above

Let me know what you all think. I will note when I pushed on the truck the first time something popped that was loud. Unfortunately the person recording did not hit the record button. I hope I'm not being a truck hypochondriac but this has been bugging me for a few days

crazykid1994 · Oct 25, 2018

You could climb underneath and shake the rear drive shaft and see how much it moves. Also have someone push the truck while watching the driveshaft to see how much it moves when the truck is rocked. That should give you an idea of any slack and where it’s coming from.

jdip · Oct 25, 2018

Guys at work told me I'm worried about nothing. Maybe I need to chill .

werdna1977 · Oct 25, 2018

My 18 does the same thing and i think its because of the anti-slip rear end in it. My 15 didnt do it and the only difference is the anti-slip so im guessing mine is from that. It has done it since the day i test drove it with 0kms on it

jdip · Oct 25, 2018

Ya know I never bothered to check if I have the anti slip differential. How do I go about checking this? would it be on my build sheet?

Jstmahoney · Oct 25, 2018

From the video it looks pretty normal to me. Pretty sure mine rolls that much. I always use the parking brake. Just to be safe.
Oh yeah and I have the anti spin 3.92

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werdna1977 · Oct 26, 2018

jdip said:
Ya know I never bothered to check if I have the anti slip differential. How do I go about checking this? would it be on my build sheet?

Yes it would be

jdip · Oct 26, 2018

Kinda relieved most of you guys are saying that's normal. They have some recalls to be done next week so I'll keep the appointment but probably won't be too worried about this anymore. I'll have them take a peek but I think my mind is at ease. And parking brake will forever be applied from here on in as lesson learned.

Louis Lugnutz · Oct 27, 2018

A great example of another reason why everyone should use the parking brake all the time, though it seems to be an epidemic that people don't use them, only park setting of the transmission, unwise for multiple reasons.

Another big reason to use your park brake is the mechanisms seize up if you don't use them, then they cost you money to repair the park brake, beyond creating more slop in the park mechanism of your transmission. I always use my park brake, which makes it just a bit more annoying that the ram I just bought the park brake cable is super slacky, likely as a result of the previous owner not using the park brake so now it is my problem.

slacadjuster · Nov 2, 2018

muddy12 said:
Any slack in the drivetrain will allow the truck to move while in park.
Basically have to check everything from the parking pawl in the transmission, to the amount of backlash in your dif gears.

This is why setting the parking brake is recommended. It takes the stress of holding the truck, off of the transmission and driveline joints.

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You know it!! That's why on any surface that even looks like a hill, I use the parking brake. In every vehicle I've ever owned. Transmissions aren't for parking, that's what parking brakes are for.

slacadjuster · Nov 2, 2018

jdip said:
Kinda relieved most of you guys are saying that's normal. They have some recalls to be done next week so I'll keep the appointment but probably won't be too worried about this anymore. I'll have them take a peek but I think my mind is at ease. And parking brake will forever be applied from here on in as lesson learned.

At any surface that even resembles a hill, I use the parking brake. Transmissions are NOT meant for parking, parking brakes are. I've used the parking brake in every vehicle I've ever owned....unless on a completely flat surface...just saying

lagerstout · Nov 2, 2018

People look at me like I'm crazy when I try to explain why you should use your parking brake and the mechanics of it all. And then it ticks me a little more when the dealer techs don't even bother to use it.

Ramm5.7 · Nov 2, 2018

Im still trying to get the better half to use the pb in her passat WHENEVER she parks!!! Just hell on transmissions and drivelines without it

turkeybird56 · Nov 2, 2018

Hee hee. Well I always used the PB on my 67 Chevy (3 on da tree). If for some weird reason I am on a bad hill, I use PB. OH, FWIW, the MY 19's have electronic park brakes, no pedal to push/handle to pull up...

Truck has too much play in park?

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