48RE Clutch Drum 2003, new and ready to install. Fits the 48RE. Ships fast from the USA.
A cracked drum, a spun bushing or worn lugs can turn a fresh set of clutches into burned frictions within a few hundred miles, which is why rebuilders replace the drum instead of reusing a questionable one. This is a new clutch drum listed for the 2003 48RE, the first model year of the 48RE in the Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 with the 5.9L Cummins. It suits a rebuild where the old drum failed inspection or a truck that came in slipping with metal in the pan.
A clutch drum is the housing for a clutch pack. The steel plates key into its lugs, the piston sits inside it, and fluid fed through the sealing rings and bushing pushes that piston to clamp the pack. If the drum cracks, the lugs wear, or the bushing and ring lands wear, apply oil leaks away and the pack slips no matter how new the frictions are. The 48RE has drums in the main case for the front and rear clutches, and its overdrive unit at the back of the case holds the overdrive clutch and the spring-applied overdrive/direct clutch. Transmission Digest notes that when Chrysler introduced the 48RE in 2003, it raised the torque capacity of the clutch drums along with changes to the converter and pump stator, so a drum from a 46RE or 47RE is not automatically a match.
Drum damage is confirmed on the bench. Clean the drum and inspect the lugs for notching and the outer shell for cracks, especially around the lugs and the piston bore. Check the bushing for wear and the sealing ring lands for grooves, then air-check the piston once it is assembled: a good piston moves crisply and holds, while a hiss means a leak in the seals or the drum. Before teardown, our 48RE 3-4 clutch failure guide explains how to tell an overdrive clutch problem from a direct clutch problem by when it slips, and 48RE Cummins transmission problems covers the wider failure picture.
This new drum is listed for the 2003 48RE. The 48RE carries several drums, and individual years and diesel versus gas units can differ, so lay this drum next to the one you removed and match the lug count, spline count, bushing size and overall height before you assemble anything. If you have any doubt, send us your year and VIN and we will confirm it. Other versions such as the 48RE clutch drum for 2003-2007 and the 48RE input drum for 2003-2007 are listed on the 48RE collection page.
Install new seals and clutches for that pack rather than reusing the old ones; a 48RE overhaul kit covers the seals, gaskets and frictions in one box. Soak new frictions in ATF+4, lube the piston seals, and air-check the piston before final assembly. Set the clutch pack clearance to the specification for your unit, since a pack set too loose will flare and one set too tight can drag. Find out why the original drum failed: low pressure from a tired pump is a common one, and the 48RE pump is worth checking while the case is open. Refill with ATF+4 and set the level hot, engine idling, selector in Neutral.
| Fits | 48RE 2003 |
| Part type | Clutch Drum |
| Condition | New |
| Brand | OEM |
| 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 as a 48RE clutch drum for 2003. Because the 48RE uses several drums, compare it with the drum you removed: lug count, splines, bushing size and height must match. Send us your year and VIN if you need help.
Do not assume so. Chrysler increased clutch drum torque capacity when it introduced the 48RE in 2003, so an older 46RE or 47RE drum may not be the right part for a diesel 48RE.
New frictions, steels and piston seals for that pack, a new filter, and ATF+4. Also find the root cause, such as low pump pressure or overheating, or the new drum and clutches will fail the same way.
Look for cracks, notched or worn lugs, a worn bushing and grooved sealing ring lands. A piston that will not hold air or a pack that burned quickly after a rebuild also points to the drum.
It is listed as new, with a 1-year warranty, and ships from the USA.
