No reverse

[vanzandt]

I'm having a very frustrating problem with the tranny on my 97 XLT.Reverse doesn't seem to engage, front wheels refuse to move, if given gas the rearwheels basically drag the front wheels backward. Every other gear appears fine thus far. What could it be?

 

[vanzandt]

Also, the wheels are locked up in neutral as well, leaving me in a very precarious spot in the driveway.

 

[Pemerling]

not to sound critical but if reverse doesnt engage, how are u dragin ur wheels backward? when did u first notice this problem? how was ur explorers ride before this happen, any noises or odd sounds that u remember ?

 

[vanzandt]

Just noticed it 3 days ago but not on this scale. It happened when I was baking out onto the street, going straight wasn't a problem but when I cut the wheel I felt a drag of sorts, I thought I had maybe gone over the curb a bit and the drag was the tire coming down on the street turned rather than straight. Then yesterday I was bucking when I was backing up straight the entire time. Let me rephrase, when I say it didn't engage I mean it didn't start to move backwards with the foot off the brake, but you could feel it kick in. I have no problem, yet, with the forward gears. I did start to notice a rattle of sorts down by the front driverside tire recently and for a little while now, when the truck is first started and the brake first applied when coming to a stop there is a sort of "clunk" coming from the front end. Also the engine, when idleing, had recently begun to sound as if the fan were hitting something, but in examing it there was no contact with anything, my guess is it maybe just a leak in a vacuum or hose that is causing it to sound off kilter.

 

[Pemerling]

is ur truck 2 wheel or 4 wheel drive.

 

[vanzandt]

All the time 4WD.

 

[Pemerling]

is it a v8 awd or v6?

 

[vanzandt]

V8.

 

[Pemerling]

sounds like a problem with your transfer case. in that case its like 1200 dollars (or at least it cost that much for when i did mine).

 

[vanzandt]

No chance of it being a snapped reverse band, or the reverse servo?

 

[Pemerling]

hmm.. ur saying that if u put the truck in first gear it will go forward but as soon as u put the truck into reverse or neutral the front locks up and the reverse pulls the truck backwards... sorry im wicked tired

 

[SaleenEXP]

have your transfer case checked out, heh, that sucks, never heard of somebody dragging the front tires b/c they locked up in neutral or reverse

 

[Opera House]

You got me going

With the noise from the front, the only thing I can imagine is a cracked rotor or partially snapped u joint that catches on something only in reverse. Short of that, I would pull the front shaft to isolate it from the transfer case. If you unbolt the CV module from the transfer case, there is a center metal section that must stay with the shaft. Hitting it with a chisel at an anglr will knock it loose. You can pull the CV out of this center section so be careful. It's quite an art to get it back in if you do.

 

[Apten]

when you put the transmission in Reverse, do you feel it trying to engage?