45RFE Overhaul Kit 1999, new and ready to install. Fits the 45RFE. Ships fast from the USA.
This is a Transtec overhaul kit, reference DP235, for the first-generation 45RFE, including the five-speed 545RFE versions built through 2005. It is the gasket, seal and piston set you need when a 1999-2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Durango, Dakota, Ram 1500 or Jeep Liberty is coming apart for a rebuild: the unit leaks, the clutch circuits no longer hold pressure, or it has burnt a pack and you are replacing frictions anyway. The listing calls out the pistons and a Duraprene pan gasket, which saves sourcing those separately. It does not include friction or steel plates.
The 45RFE shifts with six clutches and no bands. The underdrive, overdrive and reverse clutches sit in the input clutch assembly, while the 2C, 4C and low/reverse clutches hold members of the gearset to the case. Every one of them is applied by a hydraulic piston, and the computer judges each shift by how much fluid volume the piston takes to stroke. When piston seals harden or sealing rings wear, the circuit leaks, the clutch takes longer to fill, and the controller has to compensate until it runs out of range. An overhaul kit replaces the rubber and sealing parts that make those circuits hold: piston seals, sealing rings, O-rings and the case and pan gaskets, plus pistons in this version.
Rule out the cheaper causes first. A delayed engagement after the truck sits for a long time is a documented Durango and Ram complaint that Chrysler traced to converter drainback through the cooler return filter, fixed without a teardown. Low line pressure from a worn pump will cook new clutches, and the early pump can lose pressure from loose spacer plate screws, so read our 45RFE pump failure guide before you commit. If one shift flares while the others are fine, the 45RFE 3-4 clutch failure guide explains which circuit to look at.
The kit is catalogued for 1999-2005 45RFE units, covering four-speed and five-speed applications: 1999-2005 Grand Cherokee, 2000-2005 Durango and Dakota, 2002-2005 Ram 1500 with the 3.7L or 4.7L, and 2002-2005 Liberty. This page is titled 1999 because that is the year the 45RFE launched in the Grand Cherokee, but the same kit serves the whole early run. Chrysler made running changes inside the period, so compare piston and seal sizes to your teardown, or send your year and VIN and we will confirm. For 2006 and later units, see the other kits on the 45RFE/545RFE collection page.
| Fits | 45RFE 1999 |
| Part type | Overhaul Kit |
| Condition | New |
| Brand | OEM |
| Reference | DP235 |
| Ships | From the USA |
| Warranty | 1-year |
Doing this repair right usually means replacing these at the same time. Same transmission, ships together.
No. It is an overhaul kit with gaskets, seals, pistons and a pan gasket. If your clutches are worn or burnt, buy frictions and steels separately or choose a master rebuild kit instead.
The kit is catalogued for 1999-2005 45RFE units, and the application list includes the five-speed versions in that period. Compare your seal and piston sizes at teardown or send us your year and VIN.
Not necessarily. Chrysler traced that complaint on some 45RFE and 545RFE trucks to converter drainback through the cooler return filter. Check that and line pressure before tearing the unit down.
Chrysler lists an overhaul fill of about 14 to 16 liters of ATF+4 including the torque converter. Set the final level hot on the dipstick.
Yes. Run the Quick Learn procedure with a scan tool after replacing clutches or seals so the controller starts with correct clutch volume values.
