5R110W Rebuild Cost and What Drives It

Nobody can give you an honest 5R110W rebuild price over the phone until the unit is on the bench and apart. A soft kit is not what makes one TorqShift job cost twice as much as the next. The cost comes from what is broken inside: an overdrive one-way clutch, a coast clutch drum, a rear planet that walked its pins, a case with the low/reverse lugs chewed up. Ford changed those hard parts several times between 2003 and 2008. Some of the early pieces are now no longer available, so the replacement is a whole package instead of one part.

This guide goes through what actually drives the bill on a 5R110W: the fixed items every overhaul needs, the hard parts that turn a routine job into an expensive one, what Ford's design changes mean for parts availability, and the spots where a careful builder can keep the cost down without cutting corners. The facts come from Transmission Digest, the ATSG 5R110W manual, Sonnax and GEARS magazine. All of them are listed under Sources at the bottom.

Recommended 5R110W parts

The parts every 5R110W overhaul starts with: a master rebuild kit for the frictions, steels, seals and gaskets, an overhaul kit for later units, and the replacement cooler Ford calls for with any overhaul. Secure checkout on site.

5R110W Master Rebuild Kit

$623.99View part

5R110W Overhaul Kit 2005-2016

$454.95View part

5R110W Transmission Cooler 2007

$314.79View part

The fixed costs: what every 5R110W overhaul needs

Some of the bill is the same on every unit, whatever failed. Plan on these whether the truck came in with a slipping overdrive or just a lot of miles:

• The soft parts. Frictions, steels, seals, gaskets and bonded pistons as needed. A master kit covers most of it. Buy the kit for the right design level, because the 2003-2004, 2005-2007 and 2008-later units use different clutch packs. More on that below.
• Filters. The ATSG manual describes two: the bottom pan filter, and a remote screw-on filter that takes about ten percent of the fluid through a small orifice and returns it to the rear lube circuit. Replace both. ATSG also warns that you should not try to flush the remote filter housing, because of the internal orifice.
• The cooler. This is the fixed cost people skip. Per Transmission Digest's original TorqShift write-up, Ford recommends replacing the oil-to-air cooler with any overhaul or exchange, and says not to back-flush and clean it. A unit that failed from clutch debris will fill the new valve body and new clutches with the old unit's debris if the cooler goes back in. Price it into the job from the start.
• Fluid. The 5R110W was released on MERCON SP. ATSG and TD both say it is not interchangeable with MERCON or MERCON V. Later Ford service information moved the TorqShift to MERCON LV, so fill with what the dipstick and service information for that model year call for. Ford's original service interval was a fluid and pan filter change every 30,000 miles (48,000 km), whatever the operating conditions.
• The converter. A unit that came apart with metal in the pan needs a converter. The converter holds debris you cannot flush out, and the TCC is the first thing to suffer from a dirty converter.
• Labor and the relearn. R&R on a Super Duty is not light work. After the install, Ford's adaptive relearn has to be done: warm the fluid to 130°F (54°C), then do five engagements each of Park to Reverse, Drive to Reverse, Reverse to Drive and Neutral to Drive, five seconds apart. Skip it and the customer comes back with harsh engagements on a good rebuild.

The variable costs: hard parts that change the price

The gap between a reasonable 5R110W quote and a painful one is almost always hard parts. These are the known 5R110W failure points, and each one can add hundreds of dollars.

Overdrive one-way clutch and coast clutch drum

Mike Riley's "5R110W Upgrades" article in Transmission Digest traces the changes back to the overdrive one-way clutch. It is a mechanical diode, and the original ones failed. Ford's fix was to make the OWC about 0.040 inch wider. That moved the snap ring groove in the coast clutch drum, so the first overdrive package was sold as a set: OWC, coast clutch drum and OD sun gear. The coast clutch assembly was redesigned more than once after that. In 2007 the OWC was split into a gas version, with two teeth missing, and a diesel version with the full set. If the overdrive side is damaged, you are not buying one part. You are buying whatever set is correct for that unit's design level.

Rear planet and the 2005 front planetary change

Per TD, by 2004 the rear planet was updated so the pinion gear pins could no longer walk out. A 2003 unit that still has the early rear planet is a candidate for that failure, and a rear planet that has walked a pin usually damages parts around it. In 2005 Ford released a front planetary package (5C3Z-7A398SA, now listed as no longer available). It changed the forward clutch friction spline from 90 to 76 teeth, the planet gear tooth count from 18 to 23, the front ring gear and hub from 78 to 101 teeth, and the sun gear from 42 to 55 teeth. It also included a new rear planet as a precaution. Those tooth counts are why early and late parts cannot simply be mixed.

The 2008 rear planetary redesign

In 2008 Ford permanently attached the one-way clutch to the rear planet and did away with separate planet thrust washers. The low/reverse clutch plates were built into the assembly as well. TD lists the replacement assemblies as 9C3Z-7D006B for the five-clutch pack and 9C3Z-7D006AB for the six-clutch pack, and describes them as expensive. The earlier components are marked no longer available. Riley also notes that the four 2007 packages together "cost several hundred dollars," and that the three big packages that retrofit back to 2003 cost "way north of a grand." On an early unit with a bad rear section, that package can be the single biggest line on the bill.

Low/reverse retaining ring and the case

This is the one that turns a rebuild into a rebuild plus a case. TD says the low/reverse clutch retaining ring "tended to pop out," and Sonnax explains why. In Reverse, the pressure plate moves radially in the case and walks the ring out of its groove a little at a time. Once it is out, Sonnax lists slipping in Reverse, severe damage to the case lugs, no Reverse and no manual 1st. A new case, or welding and machining the lugs, costs far more than the fix. Sonnax's 36885 retaining ring has more width and tension to stay put. It is a cheap part to add to every overhaul, and it is the best insurance on this list.

Pump, direct drum and the low diode

GEARS magazine's Jarad Warren names the parts that get expensive fast on this unit: the coast clutch drum, pump, low diode, direct drum and solenoids. The ATSG manual gives the pump check. Pump gear to face clearance should be .0015 to .0023 inch (.04-.06 mm), measured with a depth micrometer. A pump that is out of spec, scored, or has a worn bushing needs parts. Sonnax's 36002-01 pump bushing is listed for a leaking front seal, pump noise, too much hub-to-bushing clearance and low pump volume. That is a much smaller bill than a pump assembly when the gears and pocket are still good.

Where the valve body fits into the price

The solenoid body is the other big variable. A reman valve body costs a few hundred dollars, and a full solenoid set is a real line item too. Neither is always needed. GEARS found that the common solenoid failure is a valve sticking in the snout, which can usually be fixed by removing the snout, cleaning the valve in solvent and checking resistance (about 4.5 ohms). Warren estimates about 30 minutes to service a complete set. Never touch the calibration adjuster at the snout tip. On a unit with burnt fluid and high miles, new solenoids are usually the safer call. On a clean unit where one solenoid stuck, cleaning it is fine.

Sonnax's 5R110W valve body layout lists the bore wear to check before you condemn the casting. It includes the TCC control plunger valve (36940-01K, for overheating, TCC slip and P0741), the oversized pressure regulator valve (36940-03K, for low line pressure and codes 1744/1783), the converter pressure limit valve (36940-06K), and the manual valve (36940-22, or the oversized 36940-11 for a damaged casting). Individual valve kits cost much less than a complete valve body when only one or two bores are worn.

How to keep a 5R110W rebuild from costing more than it should

1. Identify the design level before you order. Riley's main point in TD is that with "proper checks and balances," a 5R110W can be repaired without major upgrade packages and needless expense. Check the build date and the parts in front of you, then order the kit and hard parts for that level. A 2003-2004 kit on a 2008 unit is a returned box and a lost day.
2. Check stack-up when you mix early and late parts. TD stresses verifying clearances whenever components from different design levels are combined. The ATSG manual gives coast clutch clearance at .030-.050 inch (.76-1.27 mm) and low/reverse clutch clearance at .070-.120 inch (1.81-3.01 mm). Set both with selective snap rings.
3. Inspect the parts that fail before you replace them. Check the OD one-way clutch, the rear planet pins, the low/reverse ring groove and case lugs, and the pump clearance. Replace what is actually damaged. Do not replace the whole list because of the unit's reputation.
4. Put the retaining ring in every time. Adding the Sonnax 36885 ring costs little and protects the case. A damaged case is the most expensive part on this list.
5. Service solenoids before replacing them on clean units, and replace them on burnt ones.
6. Budget the cooler, both filters and the correct fluid from the start. These are the fixed costs that shops leave off a quote and then eat on a comeback.

Quick cost-driver reference

Need parts for this job?

Our 5R110 parts page has 5R110W master and overhaul kits by design level, pumps, planetaries, clutch drums, solenoid kits, valve bodies, filter kits and coolers, so you can price the job from the parts the teardown calls for. Checkout is on site.

FAQ

How much does a 5R110W rebuild cost?

It depends on what is broken inside, which is why no honest shop quotes one before teardown. Every overhaul needs a kit, both filters, the correct fluid, labor and, per Ford, a new oil-to-air cooler. The price climbs when hard parts are damaged: the overdrive one-way clutch set, the rear planet assembly or a case with damaged low/reverse lugs.

What parts fail most in a 5R110W?

Transmission Digest documents failures of the overdrive one-way clutch, the coast clutch assembly, rear planet pinion pins walking out on early units, and the low/reverse retaining ring popping out. GEARS magazine adds the pump, low diode, direct drum and solenoids as parts that get expensive quickly.

Why do 5R110W parts cost so much?

Ford redesigned the overdrive, front planetary and rear planetary between 2003 and 2008, and many early components are now no longer available. Damaged parts often have to be replaced with a matched package instead of a single piece. Transmission Digest notes the retrofit packages for 2003 units run well over a thousand dollars.

Do I need to replace the cooler when rebuilding a 5R110W?

Yes. Ford recommends replacing the oil-to-air cooler with any overhaul or exchange and says not to back-flush it. Debris left in the old cooler goes straight into the new clutches and valve body. Replace the remote filter and pan filter too.

What fluid does a rebuilt 5R110W take?

The unit was released on MERCON SP, which is not interchangeable with MERCON or MERCON V. Later Ford service information moved the TorqShift to MERCON LV. Use what the dipstick and service information for that model year specify, and do the engagement relearn at 130 degrees F after the install.

Related guides

• 5R110W Rebuild Wear Points
• 5R110W Common Problems and Fixes
• 5R110W No Reverse Fix
• 5R110W Fluid Change Cost
• 5R110W Valve Body Symptoms and Testing