Archived transmission park rod - removing/reinstalling

[Steve51]

Hi, I hope someone can help. I am replacing my overdrive solenoid.



When I dropped the valve body I did not take the park pull rod out with the valve body. So when I noticed the little spring and ball lying on top of the valve body, I investigated and notice in the manual that I was supposed to drop the valve body and rotate and then pull park rod out of the sprag.



So now in my attempt to pull it out of the sprag it will not come. It does move freely in and out but stops short of coming out. I have rotated it in all of the positions that I could have if it were still attached to the valve body, but no luck.



I know I shouldn't have to force it, so what is the trick? I have rotated the drive shaft some then tried, no luck.



Please help so I can get this back together to test it!



Thanks a lot!!



Steve

96 3500 4x4 automatic

 

[Joe G.]

The manual is WRONG about the park rod. That may have applied to earlier models of torqueflite transmissions but not this one. It's almost impossible to put back in if you manage to get it out. If you have not jammed it in something it is not comeing out because the parking notched gear is not lined up right. Rotating the drive shaft should have lined it up at some point. Anyway, if still moves freely leave it in.



If the piece that goes in the valve body has come apart you will need to fix it.



The ball and spring are probably from the rooster comb on the shifter. The spring fits in a hole with the ball so that the spring will press it in to the proper notch to hold the shifter into the selected gear.



This whole park rod business is a big PITA. Install the VB and make sure the park rod is near where it should be. Shift the VB into 1st so you can get at the hole the end of the park rod fits. I use a piece of wire around the rod so I can pull down on it. Use a screw driver to align it with the hole so you can pull it down. Once is in the hole properly wrap the wire around something to maintain a little downward pressure. Now the tricky business of putting the E-clip in is kind of frustrating. You will need a pencil magnet to hold it in the grove and to retrieve it when it flips out. Press the E-clip into the groove with a screw driver. Don't cuss too much!

 

[Steve51]

Thanks, I'll go give it a try and report back.

 

[Steve51]

I got it. Thanks Joe G.

 

[JTeague]

For future reference, I have found that using a 3/8 drive extension and inserting it where the park rod goes to line up the pawl with the sprag while turning the driveshaft until it engages. The rod will usually fall right in when reinstalling the VB. Just trying to help out.



Jason

 

[Joe G.]

This may vary depending on which transmission in is the truck. I have a 47RH 4X4. Even with the pawl lined up correctly the park rod would not go in even when I attempted to do that with the park rod separate from the VB. I had to pull the tail shaft off and install it that way. The interior shape of the tail shaft in that area on mine funnels the park rod away from the parking pawl so you can't do it by feel. If you use a mirror to look at it it looks simple, but the mirror is in the way so it has to be done by feel. The 47RE may not have this problem. Best to leave it in the transmission and avoid the park rod hassle completely.