44RE Master Rebuild Kit 1988, new and ready to install. Fits the 44RE. Ships fast from the USA.
The early Chrysler A500 is the four-speed that went into the Dodge Dakota starting in the late 1980s, and a lot of those trucks are now on their second or third transmission problem. If your older Dakota slips when warm, will not hold overdrive, or has fluid that smells burnt, this master kit covers the soft-parts and clutch side of a full rebuild. It is listed for the A500, 40RH, 42RH, 42RE and 44RE from 1988 on, and the package is an overhaul kit plus 29 friction plates and 18 steel plates. New, shipping from the USA.
The first A500 units are the RH versions, and that matters when you plan the job. ATSG describes the 42RH (A500) and the later 42RE (A500SE) as sharing their mechanical and hydraulic parts; the big difference is the governor. An RH unit builds governor pressure with a mechanical governor on the output shaft, while the RE version does it electronically with a governor pressure solenoid and sensor. So on a 1988-era unit the clutches, seals, rings and gaskets in this kit are the same type of parts as on the later units, but you will be inspecting a mechanical governor rather than buying solenoids.
Inside, the A500 has front and rear clutches for the first three gears, plus an overdrive section with its own overdrive and direct clutches. Chrysler's 1998 manual lists 4 front, 4 rear, 3 overdrive and 6 direct discs for the 42RE, which is 17. This kit ships 29 frictions and 18 steels, more than one unit uses, so count each pack as it comes apart and build it back the same way.
Start with fluid level, condition and a line pressure check. On an RH unit, a governor that hangs up gives late or missing shifts that feel like a bad transmission but can be fixed without a rebuild, so pull the governor and check that its valve moves freely. If the pan is full of clutch material, the rebuild is the fix. Our slipping diagnosis guide covers the same Torqueflite-family checks, and the identification guide shows where to find the tag on these cases.
This kit is listed for the A500, 40RH, 42RH, 42RE and 44RE from 1988 on. The source fitment names the Dodge Dakota (1989-2003 with the 2.5L, 3.9L and 5.2L listed) and the Grand Cherokee with the 4.0L. Since the A500 was updated many times, match the tag on the case before ordering. A 46RE, 47RE or 48RE is a different, larger transmission and will not use this kit. Send us your year and VIN if your tag is missing or unreadable. Every part we carry for this family is on the 42RE/44RE collection page, and the same overhaul is offered as the A500 kit for Jeep and Dakota.
For a later unit with the bigger overhaul pack, compare the 42RE/44RE A500 master kit. If the input drum is scored on teardown, the 44RE input drum is listed separately.
| Fits | 44RE 1988 |
| Part type | Master Rebuild Kit |
| Condition | New |
| Brand | OEM |
| Reference | A500 |
| Ships | From the USA |
| Warranty | 1-year |
Doing this repair right usually means replacing these at the same time. Same transmission, ships together.
It is listed for the A500, 40RH and 42RH from 1988 on. Read the tag on the transmission case and send us your year and VIN if you want us to confirm.
No. RH units use a mechanical governor on the output shaft. The governor pressure solenoid and sensor are only on RE units.
The kit covers more than one version of the A500 family, so it carries more plates than a single unit uses. Count each pack as you disassemble and rebuild it with the same count.
Bands, bushings, the filter, the torque converter and instructions. Buy a filter and any worn bushings separately.
ATF+4. Soak the new frictions in it before assembly and check the level hot in Neutral after the rebuild.
