Un-clunk your 68RFE

[Epsilon Plus]

This is going to sound like a silly post to most, but it might help someone. I've noticed a few clunk/hard shift out of P/R/N/D posts on different outlets and thought I would share my experience.

I think most of us are programed to throw a vehicle lever around and not feel a clunk, as most vehicles are not 8,000 pound HDs in previous history. I, for one, have always used a parking brake (some people say emergency brake) no matter if I'm on flat ground or a hill...etc.

With the 2500, it seemed like this wasn't enough, and I'd still get a decent clunk or heavy shift feel off of the parking pawl in the trans. I started going to neutral for every parking/reverse maneuver and it hasn't clunked since, incline or not. This may seem simple, but how many people really pull up, go to neutral, let it set, then go to reverse, stop, go back to neutral, off brake to let it unload the suspension into neutral, and then to park + parking brake? Even I don't do that EVERY time and when I don't? Clunk.

Give it a shot. Give the suspension a chance to unload off the direction you were going and let the weight "rest" before throwing that shifter around and it will be smooth as butter going through the selections.

Also, while I'm here, pro tip: Once your in 6th gear cruising, hit the "-" symbol on the Gear Limit switch on the wheel once, and it will show what gear you are in on the DIC (the 7" one at least). It won't drop a gear down until you tap it again and limit a gear down, one press will just activate the display. I say do it once you are in 6th, because if you do it in say 3rd, it will hold you to 3 gears and you'll have to "+" your way up the range. Again, something silly for most but I've also seen a few posts asking about current gear display on different platforms.

Cheers.

 

[Brutal_HO]

This is going to sound like a silly post to most, but it might help someone. I've noticed a few clunk/hard shift out of P/R/N/D posts on different outlets and thought I would share my experience.

I think most of us are programed to throw a vehicle lever around and not feel a clunk, as most vehicles are not 8,000 pound HDs in previous history. I, for one, have always used a parking brake (some people say emergency brake) no matter if I'm on flat ground or a hill...etc.

With the 2500, it seemed like this wasn't enough, and I'd still get a decent clunk or heavy shift feel off of the parking pawl in the trans. I started going to neutral for every parking/reverse maneuver and it hasn't clunked since, incline or not. This may seem simple, but how many people really pull up, go to neutral, let it set, then go to reverse, stop, go back to neutral, off brake to let it unload the suspension into neutral, and then to park + parking brake? Even I don't do that EVERY time and when I don't? Clunk.

Give it a shot. Give the suspension a chance to unload off the direction you were going and let the weight "rest" before throwing that shifter around and it will be smooth as butter going through the selections.

Also, while I'm here, pro tip: Once your in 6th gear cruising, hit the "-" symbol on the Gear Limit switch on the wheel once, and it will show what gear you are in on the DIC (the 7" one at least). It won't drop a gear down until you tap it again and limit a gear down, one press will just activate the display. I say do it once you are in 6th, because if you do it in say 3rd, it will hold you to 3 gears and you'll have to "+" your way up the range. Again, something silly for most but I've also seen a few posts asking about current gear display on different platforms.

Cheers.

Good advice.

Same goes for shifting R to D, need a slow shift/pause to avoid stress clunks.

I always keep my foot on the brake while going into park and immediately use the parking brake.

P.S. The current gear indicator can be enabled using AlfaOBD that doesn't require hitting the selector... Apparently some have seen it in the owners manual but it doesn't work unless enabled with AlfaOBD.

 

[g00fy]

P.S. The current gear indicator can be enabled using AlfaOBD that doesn't require hitting the selector... Apparently some have seen it in the owners manual but it doesn't work unless enabled with AlfaOBD.

I didn't know this was a thing I'll have to look up what to enable in Alfaobd and do it whenever I get my truck back from the dealer.

 

[elephantrider]

I pause between any shifts. it helps a bit, but still happens occasionally.

 

[Brutal_HO]

I didn't know this was a thing I'll have to look up what to enable in Alfaobd and do it whenever I get my truck back from the dealer.

Gear indicator option in gauge cluster?

Strange everyone doesn't have this option. I just cycle the - to show the gear it's in then cycle the + right up to 8th gear and it stays on until the truck is shut off or out of D i can't remember which. You would thing a simple option like that would be on all models. We are talking about a...

hdrams.com

 

[dstonic]

So if I hear this happening when I shift from Drive to Park, does it mean I need to have it attended to under warranty or will it be okay if I do as you are saying (taking time going P/D/N/R ) and releasing the weight before doing so? Thanks

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

So if I hear this happening when I shift from Drive to Park, does it mean I need to have it attended to under warranty or will it be okay if I do as you are saying (taking time going P/D/N/R ) and releasing the weight before doing so? Thanks

Its fine it wont hurt anything…. I go between R &D more times in one day than some people in a month when i plow hold the brake firm and it may clunk a bit but it wont hurt it

 

[UglyViking]

I wonder if it's that you're slow rolling through the gear selector or the fact that you're coming to a full stop that is making the difference here? You should always have your vehicle come to a complete stop before engaging D from R or vise-versa. I don't always do this but it is more clear when you don't. Perhaps it's unrelated, can't say I notice it, but food for thought.

 

[dstonic]

Its fine it wont hurt anything…. I go between R &D more times in one day than some people in a month when i plow hold the brake firm and it may clunk a bit but it wont hurt it

Really appreciate your response

 

[dstonic]

I wonder if it's that you're slow rolling through the gear selector or the fact that you're coming to a full stop that is making the difference here? You should always have your vehicle come to a complete stop before engaging D from R or vise-versa. I don't always do this but it is more clear when you don't. Perhaps it's unrelated, can't say I notice it, but food for thought.

I think you are right, I wasn’t sure if I was completely stopped ( momentum) was still at play.

 

[RJenkins1581]

I noticed the trans will load up at times. So when I park in my drive way. (Slight hill) i place it in Neutral and then apply the Park brake, allow the weight of the truck to set and then place it in Park. That cuts out 90% of the clunking and loading up.

As for it not hurting anything, it does cause wear in the trans, Its minor, however its still wear never the less.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

I noticed the trans will load up at times. So when I park in my drive way. (Slight hill) i place it in Neutral and then apply the Park brake, allow the weight of the truck to set and then place it in Park. That cuts out 90% of the clunking and loading up.

As for it not hurting anything, it does cause wear in the trans, Its minor, however its still wear never the less.

Its hydraulic pressure in the trans it not causing any wearable part any harm and its loading up the axle gears and removing the backlash have someone set the parking brake and switch it between drive and reverse while you look at the driveline you see it is just from it loading up in one direction then having to load up in the other direction taking up the backlash inbetween the drive and coast side of the ring gear and pinion