Park pawl stripped in one direction....?

[mikey_d05]

I've been putting this off since I still have an e-brake in my trail truck so it doesn't bother me right now...but that could change very soon. The last time out I was pounding on my truck pretty good. Everything help up very well. I went to put it in park on a downhill slope and took my foot off the brake to depress the e-brake (I drive two-footed when I wheel) and the truck made a clicking/whirring noise and started rolling forward.

I figured no big deal, the park pawl is stripped, I can live it. I stuck it in gear, shut it off, and put the e-brake on. Later in the day I forgot about it and put it in park while pointed uphill, took my foot off the brake to engage the e-brake and then realized the the transmission was holding it's position...

I don't know jack about the inner workings of an auto nor do I pretend to. Anybody have a clue as to what's going on? It's a 700R4 that was rebuilt a while before I bought it. I didn't think it could be stripped in only one direction unless I'm losing it. This truck/transmission isn't worth a trip to the shop if they're gonna have to tear into it. Any advice is more than appreciated.

 

[1979jimmy350]

no the parking paw can not only strip in one direction maby you just have a few teeth missing and the second time you missed the broken ones. How far did it roll the first time. And alos you know that putting a auto in gear when the truck off is the same as netural it will not hold you at all

 

[beater_k20]

it will hold it while its running, he said he put it in gear, and then shut it off.

 

[mikey_d05]

no the parking paw can not only strip in one direction maby you just have a few teeth missing and the second time you missed the broken ones. How far did it roll the first time. And alos you know that putting a auto in gear when the truck off is the same as netural it will not hold you at all

I tried it repeatedly throughout the day with the same result. Unless I was consistanly hitting the same spot I'm pretty lost as to the cause.

Yeah, I know an auto tranny in anything but park is like neutral. I just didn't want to put any more shavings into the transmission if the e-brake slipped a little.

 

[Cricket]

I don't know about a 700R4 but I had a similar problem on a Th350. The pawl came slightly loose. I just got in there and tighted the armature. Problem solved.

 

[mikey_d05]

I don't know about a 700R4 but I had a similar problem on a Th350. The pawl came slightly loose. I just got in there and tighted the armature. Problem solved.

I'll give that a whirl when I have time to tear into it. I might have time to tear the motor and trans out before I have time to fix it.

 

[1979jimmy350]

if the bracket in the trans is loose it would be easy to fix just drop the pan and tighten two bolts i belive they are 13 mm if you want i can send a picture just let me know

 

[mikey_d05]

Go for it man. As far as I know there's a little wizard in there doing black magic and voodoo to shift my tranny.

Naw, I'm not that bad, but I'm not comfortable doing any advanced work on an auto either.

 

[gmtech954]

also check your linkages its possible that when you parked the body was tweaked enough to hold it all the way in park therefore not fully engaging the parking pawl.

 

[mikey_d05]

also check your linkages its possible that when you parked the body was tweaked enough to hold it all the way in park therefore not fully engaging the parking pawl.

Also a good thought. It pops into neutral on it's own when the suspension is flexed a certain way. Could definitely be it as well. Cool that these are both pretty easy solutions.

 

[beater_k20]

Go for it man. As far as I know there's a little wizard in there doing black magic and voodoo to shift my tranny.

Naw, I'm not that bad, but I'm not comfortable doing any advanced work on an auto either.

****, whatever you do, DONT LET HIM OUT!!!

 

[XHitman396]

hmmm. that is very odd, and im quite intrigued.. let us know what it is, or if you have more questions...

 

[6.2Blazer]

Mine did the exact same thing. Years of use led to worn out body mounts and worn out shifter linkages, and some flexed out wheeling, basically led to the shifter not fully engaging park.

Follow the shifter linkage from the firewall down to the trans and I bet you will find some really worn out pivot points.

 

[78Suburban]

since it parks some of the time, I would be willing to bet money that it is a linkage issue.
James

 

[85mudblazin]

linkage