5R110W Gear Ratios and Specs

Most of the 5R110W questions that come across the counter are not about a failure at all. They are "what is 2nd gear in this thing," "why does it skip a gear when it's cold," "what does the output nut torque to," and "what fluid does it really take now." The TorqShift is a strange unit on paper: Ford calls it a five-speed, but it has six forward ratios. Once you understand why, the rest of the spec sheet makes sense.

This is the reference we keep on the bench for the 5R110W: gear ratios and where they come from, the clutch pack counts and clearances, the electrical values, the torque specs, and the fluid and service data. Every number comes from the ATSG TorqShift manual, Transmission Digest, Sonnax and Ford's own literature, all listed under Sources at the bottom.

Recommended 5R110W parts

The three things you reach for when you are working to these specs: the ATSG TorqShift manual the numbers come from, the pan filter kit for the 30,000-mile service, and the locknut socket for the 148 ft-lb output shaft nut.

ATSG 5R110W TorqShift Ford Transmission Rebuild Manual

$73.99View part

5R110W Transmission Filter Kit for Ford 6.0L Super Duty

$70.99View part

Output Shaft Locknut Socket T7458 for Ford TorqShift 5R110W

$60.99View part

5R110W at a glance

5R110W gear ratios

These are straight off ATSG's component application chart. Ford lowered 1st from the 4R100's 2.71 to 3.09, and ATSG points out that the new 3rd gear (1.54) is the same ratio as the old 4R100 2nd.

Why a five-speed has six ratios

The 5R110W never uses all six forward ratios on the same drive. ATSG spells out the two shift patterns:

• Hot mode (normal): 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th (1.00), 6th (0.71).
• Cold mode (TFT below 5°F): 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th (1.09), then straight to 6th. The overdrive clutch is applied in 3rd to get the 1.09 ratio, and the unit skips direct drive.

So "it skipped a gear on a cold morning" is normal TorqShift behavior, not a fault. If a truck skips 5th on a warm day, check what the PCM is reading for fluid temperature before you go looking for a clutch problem. A TFT sensor that reads cold will put a hot transmission in the cold strategy.

Where the in-between ratios come from

Run the arithmetic and the layout jumps out. The front overdrive section has a 0.71 ratio, and the 2nd and cold-mode 4th ratios are that 0.71 stacked on the gear below:

• 3.09 × 0.71 = 2.19, which is the 2.20 second gear.
• 1.54 × 0.71 = 1.09, which is the cold-mode fourth gear.
• 1.00 × 0.71 = 0.71, which is sixth.

That lines up with ATSG's description: 2nd is made by applying the overdrive clutch, and cold 4th is made by applying the overdrive clutch in 3rd. It is also why a weak overdrive clutch can show up in 2nd as well as 6th, which throws people who expect an overdrive problem to only affect top gear.

Overall ratios with common Super Duty axles

Ford's 2008 Super Duty towing tables list 4.10, 4.30 and 4.88 rear axles behind the 6.4L and TorqShift. Multiply the transmission ratio by the axle ratio to get overall reduction:

That 1st-gear number is the practical payoff of the 3.09 first. With a 4.30 axle a TorqShift truck starts a trailer at better than 13:1 overall, where a 4R100 at 2.71 on the same axle would be about 11.7:1.

Clutch application, pack counts and clearances

ATSG's application chart shows the forward clutch on in every forward gear and the direct clutch in Reverse, and it flags both as applied through the manual valve position rather than by a shift solenoid. Low/reverse is on in Park and Neutral at a PCM-controlled 30 psi until about 3 mph. Reverse applies the direct, coast and low/reverse clutches. That is why a worn manual valve can hurt both Drive and Reverse engagement, which we cover in the 5R110W delayed engagement post.

Pack counts and clearances from the ATSG rebuild section (clearance measured with a feeler gauge between the backing plate and snap ring, corrected with a selective snap ring):

ATSG also calls for replacing any planetary whose pinion end play exceeds .030 in. The forward and direct clutch sealing rings on the center support (two each) use a lap joint that has to be locked together on assembly, or the circuit leaks from day one.

Electrical values

From ATSG's internal component resistance chart and sensor pages:

• Shift solenoids SSPC-A through SSPC-E: 4.1-4.7 ohms at 72°F. Per Sonnax's solenoid identification chart, SSPC-A runs the coast clutch, SSPC-B the overdrive clutch, SSPC-C the intermediate clutch, SSPC-D the direct clutch and SSPC-E the low/reverse clutch. B, C and E are directly proportional (more current, more pressure); A and D are inversely proportional.
• TSS, ISS and OSS speed sensors: 325-485 ohms at 70°F. TSS is case connector terminals 1 and 3, OSS terminals 1 and 2, ISS terminals 1 and 4.
• Line pressure solenoid (PC-A): inversely proportional. The PCM varies current from 0 to 1 amp, and 0 amps gives maximum line pressure. An unplugged PC-A means high pressure and harsh shifts, not low pressure. Sonnax's 5R110W solenoid identification chart lists EPC/PC-A as inversely proportional, the same as SSPC-A (coast clutch) and SSPC-D (direct clutch).

Measure hot and cold if you are chasing an intermittent code; a solenoid that is in range at 72°F can open up at operating temperature. Our 5R110W speed sensor and pressure control solenoid posts go deeper on each circuit.

5R110W torque specs

All values are from the ATSG assembly procedure. Note that ATSG calls for new pump-to-case and center support bolts on reassembly. The output shaft nut is the one people get wrong: it needs the special nut driver and a real torque wrench, not an impact.

Fluid, filters and service

The TorqShift launched on MERCON SP, and both ATSG and Transmission Digest warned it is not interchangeable with MERCON or MERCON V. Ford's current Motorcraft ATF quick reference chart lists the 5R110 TorqShift under MERCON LV and authorizes back-servicing with LV for a complete refill and top-off. That is the fluid to buy today.

Ford's service called for fluid and the bottom pan filter every 30,000 miles. The unit also has a remote spin-on filter in the cooler circuit. ATSG explains that it passes about ten percent of the fluid through a small orifice into the filter element and returns it to the rear lube circuit, so it is a bypass filter, not a full-flow one. Change it with the pan filter. Set the level hot with the engine running per the vehicle procedure; total fill varies with cooler plumbing and application, so do not fill by a number alone.

If you are replacing the pump, know the generation first. Sonnax identifies Gen. 1 pumps on 2003-2004 units, Gen. 2 on 2005-2007, and Gen. 3 on 2008 and later (Gen. 3 has no external cooler filter/bypass on the pump). The Gen. 1 pump was redesigned partly because of low pressure from the main regulator valve.

The solenoid body changed too. Per Sonnax's pressure switch notice, early units were built with either one or five pressure switches, and Ford deleted them from late 2004 on because the PCM was never programmed to monitor them. A late-design solenoid body has a plug where the switch used to be and works in either early version. On an early truck, leave the old switch wiring in place and unconnected; Ford covers this in Special Service Message 17614.

Reading the ID tag

ATSG's identification tag layout shows four fields: the assembly part number with prefix and suffix (for example 3C3P-7000-KB), the transmission model, the serial number, and the build date in DD-MM-YY format. Parts that changed between generations, like pumps and overhaul kits, are ordered off that assembly number and build date, so record it before the unit comes apart. Our 5R110W identification guide walks through the tag in detail.

Need parts for this job?

Our parts shop carries 5R110W overhaul and master rebuild kits, valve bodies, pumps, solenoid kits, filter kits and the ATSG manual, all on our own checkout.

FAQ

What are the 5R110W gear ratios?

Per the ATSG TorqShift manual: 1st 3.09, 2nd 2.20, 3rd 1.54, 4th 1.09 (cold mode only), 5th 1.00 (hot mode only), 6th 0.71 and Reverse 2.88. In normal operation the transmission shifts 1-2-3-5-6, so it uses five of the six forward ratios.

Why does my 5R110W skip a gear when it is cold?

Below about 5 degrees F (-15 C) on the fluid temperature sensor, the PCM runs a cold strategy that shifts 1-2-3-4-6. It uses a 1.09 fourth gear by applying the overdrive clutch in 3rd, then goes straight to 0.71 sixth and skips direct drive. If it does this on a warm day, check the TFT sensor reading.

What fluid does the 5R110W TorqShift take?

It was filled with MERCON SP from the factory, which ATSG and Transmission Digest note is not interchangeable with MERCON or MERCON V. Ford's current Motorcraft ATF chart lists the 5R110 TorqShift under MERCON LV and authorizes back-servicing with LV for a full refill and top-off.

What is the 5R110W output shaft nut torque?

ATSG gives 200 N-m (148 ft-lb) for the output shaft nut, installed with Ford nut driver 307-458 and a 1/2-inch drive torque wrench. Extension housing bolts are 47 N-m (35 ft-lb) and pan bolts are 15 N-m (11 ft-lb).

How is the 5R110W different from the 4R100?

ATSG describes the 5R110W as a redesign of the 4R100. First gear was lowered from 2.71 to 3.09, a 2.20 second gear was added by applying the overdrive clutch, and the old 1.54 second became third. Transmission Digest notes each clutch pack gets its own solenoid and pressure switch except the forward clutch, which is controlled by the manual valve.

Related guides

• 5R110W vs 4R100: Differences, Interchange, and Which Is Stronger
• 5R110W Identification Guide
• 5R110W Delayed Engagement: Causes and Fix
• 5R110W Input/Output Speed Sensor Symptoms
• 5R110W Common Problems and Fixes: What Fails and Why