5R44E Sun Shell, used and ready to install. Fits the 5R44E. Ships fast from the USA.
If your Ford Ranger, Mazda B-series or 1997-2001 Explorer with the five-speed automatic has lost a gear, clunks between drive and coast, or came apart with a stripped sun gear, this is the hard part that ties it back together. It is a quality used sun gear and shell for the 5R44E and 5R55E, the no sensor holes version, with the sun gear already pressed into the shell as shown in the photo. A good used original shell is the practical way to save a rebuild that is otherwise in good shape.
The 5R44E and 5R55E come from the A4LD family. Sonnax traces the line from the 1995 4R44E behind the 2.3L and 3.0L, to the beefed-up 4R55E for the 4.0L in 1996, to the 1997 change that made it a five-speed by applying the front servo for an overdriven first and fifth. The rear of the gear train is a two-planet compound set that shares one long sun gear. The shell is the bridge between that common sun gear and the reverse/high clutch drum ahead of it. When the reverse/high clutch drives, torque goes through the shell's drive lugs into the sun gear; when the intermediate band clamps the drum, the shell holds the sun gear still. That means the shell sees torque in both directions on almost every shift, and the lugs and the sun gear splines take the beating.
That last pairing is worth noting. Sonnax lists broken bands and blown servo piston seals among the results of EPC circuit problems in these units, along with delayed reverse, 1-2 and 2-3 flares and harsh shifts after a forced downshift. If the shell failed after a band let go, the valve body problem that caused it will come back unless it is fixed.
A clunk on its own is not proof; worn motor mounts, U-joints and driveline slack produce the same feel. With the pan off, look for steel and band material. On the bench, set the shell on the drum and rotate it back and forth; any obvious lash at the lugs, or a sun gear that rocks in the shell, means it is worn. Read the hydraulic side of the story in our 5R55 harsh and delayed shift walkthrough, which also explains how this 5R55E family differs from the later 5R55W and S.
This sun gear and shell is listed for the A4LD-based 5R44E and 5R55E from 1997 up. That covers the 1997-2011 Ford Ranger and Mazda B-series automatics and the 1997-2001 Ford Explorer, plus the Explorer Sport and Sport Trac of that era. It does not fit the 5R55N, 5R55W or 5R55S, which are a different design. The version matters: this shell has no sensor holes. A later shell with sensor holes can retrofit a 1997-up unit that did not have them, but this no-hole shell should go in a unit that came without them, so look at your old shell before ordering. If in doubt, send us your year and VIN. See the rest of this family on the 5R55 parts page.
| Fits | 5R44E |
| Part type | Sun Shell |
| Condition | Used |
| 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.
No. This shell is for the A4LD-based 5R44E and 5R55E used in Rangers, Mazda B-series trucks and 1997-2001 Explorers. The 5R55W and 5R55S in 2002-and-later Explorers are a different transmission.
Some shells in this family have a ring of holes used by a speed sensor and some do not. This one has none. Match it to your old shell; a unit that came with sensor holes needs a shell with holes.
No. It is a good used original sun gear and shell. Check the lugs and splines against your drum when you install it.
The intermediate band, the reverse/high drum lugs and the thrust bearings around the sun gear. Sonnax also links EPC circuit wear in these valve bodies to broken bands and servo seal blowout, so check the valve body too.
Mercon V. Sonnax notes that early Mercon V factory fill before May 2005 caused solenoid problems in the 5R55E and related units, so flush the old fluid out completely.
