so i have a 2000 ranger 4x4 130k. when i come to a stop i have a hard jerk and when i take off from a stop i get a jerk as well. it has the 5r55e transmission in it, thinking it was transmission related i have already replaced the valve body gaskets, filter and fluid. had no change, i have noticed when in 4wd i have no jerks at all, stop and go is nice and smooth. rear drive shaft u joints seem fine. im not sure whether its in the transmission or some where else. any one have anything similar happen to them?

 

Welcome to the forum

First check motor mounts
Open hood
Start engine and put trans in Drive
Foot on the brake
Give gas pedal a push and watch engine
It will move a bit but shouldn't lift up

Now do the same but with trans in Reverse



Could be torque converter, remove inspection plate and make sure it is tight to Flexplate


If you don't notice it in 4WD then could be in Rear Axle/differential
You could block the front wheels and jack up the rear wheels
Put trans in Neutral, engine off
Rotate drive shaft and see how much play there is before rear wheel starts to turn


Other end, inside transfer case, could also be an issue.
With rear wheels still off the ground
Have a helper start engineand put trans into Drive(2WD!!!), see what the delay is
And then shift to Reverse
Go back and forth to see where the slop is

 

Check for a binding slip yoke in the driveshaft. Driveshaft "sticks" and then jumps forward on initial accel, then moves rearward during braking and jumps again at full stop. May be a subtle bump or harsh. Common problem on Rangers 4x4's. Slip yoke may need to be cleaned and repacked with special PTFE (Teflon) grease intended for this use.