5R44E Master Rebuild Kit 1997-2011, new and ready to install. Fits the 5R44E. Ships fast from the USA.
The 5R44E is the light-duty five-speed automatic Ford put behind the 2.3L four-cylinder and 3.0L V6 in the Ranger, and the same unit went into the Mazda B2300 and B3000 twins. When one of these trucks starts to flare between gears, slip once it is warm, or drops a pan full of dark fluid and clutch fuzz, the transmission is usually past the point where a filter change or a solenoid will save it. This 5R44E master rebuild kit for 1997-2011 gives you the soft parts for a full overhaul in one box, so the unit comes back together with new frictions, new steels, new bands and fresh seals throughout.
Two things are not in the box: the reverse (low/reverse) band and a torque converter. If your old reverse band is glazed or burnt, order it separately before you start.
The 5R44E grew out of the four-speed 4R44E and keeps much of its hardware, but it adds a ratio between first and the old second. Ranger tech data lists the ratios as 2.47, 1.86, 1.47, 1.00 and 0.75. That extra gear means the bands and clutches cycle more often than they did in the four-speed, especially in town. The intermediate and overdrive bands carry several of the five gears, so once their lining wears thin the shifts start to stretch out and flare. A master kit replaces all of that wear material at once instead of fixing one pack and leaving the rest tired.
Pull the pan first. Clean red fluid with a light film on the magnet means the problem may be electrical or in the valve body, not worn frictions. Sonnax's vacuum test guide for this family links delayed reverse and a burnt reverse band to a worn reverse modulator valve, and soft shifts to a worn boost valve, so a valve body problem can burn up the same parts a rebuild replaces. If the valve body checks out but shifts are harsh or late, read our 5R55 harsh or delayed shifts walkthrough before you tear the unit down.
This kit is listed for the 5R44E from 1997-2011 and is the same kit that covers the 5R55E and the four-speed 4R44E. Per Ranger Station's transmission chart, the 5R44E went in the 2001-2009 Ranger with the 2.3L and 3.0L engines. This version ships with a 2WD filter and a 2WD extension housing bushing, so it is meant for two-wheel-drive trucks. A four-wheel-drive Ranger needs the deeper 4x4 filter and does not use that bushing. Do not order it for an Explorer with a 5R55W or a Mustang with a 5R55S. Those are a different design and the parts do not cross over. Read the tag on the case, or send us your year and VIN and we will confirm it. Every other part we carry for this family is on the 5R55 parts page.
| Fits | 5R44E 1997-2011 |
| Part type | Master Rebuild Kit |
| 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.
If it is a two-wheel-drive truck with the 5R44E, yes. That is the application this 2WD version is built for. On a 4x4 Ranger you need a kit with the deep 4x4 filter instead.
No. The kit has the overdrive and intermediate bands only. If the old low/reverse band is burnt or the lining is thin, replace it during the rebuild.
This kit is listed for the 5R55E, 5R44E and 4R44E. The 5R55E is the heavier-duty unit behind the 4.0L, but the soft parts in this kit are shared. Match the filter to your drivetrain.
Mercon V. Pre-soak the frictions and bands in it before assembly, flush the cooler, and check the level hot on the dipstick after a road test.
The converter is not in the kit. After a failure that put clutch material in the fluid, the debris collects in the converter, so have it serviced or replaced and flush the cooler before the first start.
