5R55E Planetary 1997-11, new and ready to install. Fits the 5R55E. Ships fast from the USA.
This is a new overdrive planetary carrier assembly for the Ford 5R55E, the five-speed automatic behind the 4.0L in 1997-2011 Ranger and Mazda B4000 trucks and in early Explorer and Mountaineer models with the same family. It is the solid-pin carrier with the toothed reluctor already in place for the speed pickup. Buyers usually land here after a teardown shows a noisy or blued overdrive carrier, or after a road-speed whine and metal in the pan made them pull the transmission.
The 5R55E grew out of the four-speed 4R44E and 4R55E. Sonnax explains that in 1997 Ford made it a five-speed by applying the front servo to get an overdriven first and fifth. The overdrive planetary, with the overdrive band and coast clutch, is the part of the gear train that makes that possible. It works in more ranges than it did in the four-speed, so its pinions, pins and thrust surfaces carry load more of the time. A solid-pin carrier resists pin walk and pinion wobble, and the reluctor gives the PCM a speed signal it uses for shift control, so a cracked or missing reluctor is its own fault even if the gears are fine.
Not every one of those is a planetary problem. Sonnax ties loss of fourth, fifth or engine braking to leakage at the coast clutch valve, and flares and delayed reverse to a leaking EPC circuit or a sticking EPC and engagement control valve. Those are valve body faults, and a new carrier will not cure them.
Drain the pan and look at the magnet. Then work through our 5R55 harsh or delayed shift walkthrough, which covers pressure testing and code checks that separate a hydraulic fault from a mechanical one. If the transmission is already apart, spin each pinion, check end play and look for bluing on the carrier and wear on the sun gear in the 5R55E sun shell it works with.
Listed for the 5R55E, 1997-2011. That covers the Ranger and B4000 four-liter applications, and Sonnax notes the same design runs as the 5R44E behind smaller engines. Ford made many plate, valve body and solenoid changes in this family after 1995, and some hard parts changed with them, so compare the pin style, pinion count and reluctor tooth pattern with your old carrier, or send us your year and VIN before ordering. The 5R55W and 5R55S used in 2002-and-later Explorers are a different design and do not take this carrier. More parts for this transmission are on the 5R55 parts page.
| Fits | 5R55E 1997-11 |
| Part type | Planetary |
| 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.
No. The 5R55W and 5R55S used in 2002-and-later Explorers and Mountaineers are a different design. This carrier is for the 5R55E.
The pinion pins are solid rather than hollow. Match it to your old carrier and compare the reluctor tooth pattern before installing.
Yes. The carrier comes with the reluctor already in place for the speed pickup.
Not always. Sonnax ties loss of fourth, fifth or engine braking to coast clutch valve leakage in the valve body. Check the valve body and pressures before buying hard parts unless you have found mechanical damage.
New thrust washers and bearings, the overhaul gaskets and seals, and any worn bushings. Inspect the overdrive band and front servo too, then fill with fresh Mercon V and run a relearn.
