4R55E Master Rebuild Kit 1995-1996, new and ready to install. Fits the 4R55E. Ships fast from the USA.
A 1995 or 1996 Explorer, 4.0L Ranger or Mazda B4000 automatic that slips out of overdrive on the highway, hangs between second and third, or sits for a second before it finds reverse is usually a 4R55E with worn clutch packs and hardened seals. This is the clutch-and-seal master kit for those two model years: friction plates and matching steel plates, sealing rings, lip seals, gaskets and O-rings. The source listing names Alto as the friction maker and Precision as the gasket set. It is the leaner option in our 1995-96 range, built for the rebuilder whose bands, filter and bushings are already sorted or will be bought to suit what the teardown shows.
The 4R55E arrived for 1995 as the computer-controlled replacement for the A4LD and was the heavier-rated of the two versions, used behind the 4.0L V6. It still shifts with a combination of clutch packs and three bands, but the engine computer now sets line pressure through the electronic pressure control (EPC) solenoid. Every apply in the unit depends on two things: friction material that grips, and seals that hold the pressure the EPC asks for. This kit replaces both halves. New steels go in with the new frictions, which matters on a 4.0L truck that has towed, because glazed or blued steels will cook fresh linings quickly.
What this kit does not carry: bands, a filter and bushings. That is the trade against our 1995-96 4R55E master kit with band, filter and bushings. If your teardown shows a glazed intermediate band, a worn pump bushing or a filter you cannot source locally, that kit is the better buy.
Sonnax notes that on this family the direct clutch will not apply in reverse until EPC reaches about 20 psi, and reverse needs roughly 120 psi of line pressure to hold. A slow reverse can therefore be a leak in the pressure circuit rather than burnt clutches.
Start with the fluid. Our slipping diagnosis guide explains how to read a hot sample and what debris in the pan means. Then put a gauge on the line pressure port; Sonnax's target is about 125-130 psi of maximum EPC in overdrive and up to 144 psi in reverse. Low pressure with clean fluid sends you to the valve body and EPC circuit, and our harsh and delayed shift walkthrough covers that same valve body family. Good pressure with slipping and burnt fluid means the packs are done and a rebuild is the repair.
This kit is listed for the 4R55E in the 1995 and 1996 model years: the 4.0L Explorer, the 4.0L Ranger and the Mazda B4000. The same box is also sold for the 1995-96 4R44E used behind the smaller engines. The 4R55E only existed for those two years before Ford moved to the five-speed 5R55E for 1997, which takes a different kit. A 1994 truck normally has an A4LD. The listing does not separate two-wheel drive from 4x4, and the tailshaft end differs, so check the case tag and the transmission code on the door label, or send your year and VIN and we will confirm it. A dedicated 4x4 kit with bands is our 4R55E 4x4 master kit, and the rest of the family is on the 5R55 and 4R55E parts page.
| Fits | 4R55E 1995-1996 |
| Part type | Master Rebuild Kit |
| Condition | New |
| Brand | OEM |
| Ships | From the USA |
| Warranty | 1-year |
No. It is frictions, steels, sealing rings, seals, gaskets and O-rings. If you want the intermediate band, a 2WD filter and the pump and extension housing bushings in the same box, choose the 1995-96 4R55E master kit that includes them.
No. Ford replaced the 4R55E with the five-speed 5R55E for 1997, and the 1997-up units take a different kit. This one is for 1995-1996 4R55E and 4R44E transmissions.
Read the transmission code on the door label and the tag on the case. The 4R55E was used behind the 4.0L V6; the 4R44E went behind the smaller engines and the A4LD was used through 1994. Send us your year and VIN if you are unsure.
These units were originally filled with Ford MERCON, which is now superseded by MERCON V. Use what your owner guide calls for, flush the cooler first, and check the level with the fluid hot.
Not always. The direct clutch needs EPC pressure before it applies in reverse, so a leak in the EPC circuit or valve body can cause it. Check line pressure first; burnt fluid plus low reverse holding with good pressure points to worn clutches.
