5R55S Clutch Drum 1999, used and ready to install. Fits the 5R55S. Ships fast from the USA.
If your Lincoln LS, Thunderbird or V6 Mustang backs up fine but will not pull in Drive, or it lurches into gear late after the fluid gets hot, the forward clutch is the first pack to suspect, and a cracked drum or chewed-up sealing ring lands can take it out. This is a used forward clutch drum for the 5R55S, the five-clutch design catalogued under interchange number 16554A. It suits a DIY rebuild or a shop that needs a clean drum without waiting on a full reman unit.
Ford's clutch and band application chart for the 5R55W/S shows the forward clutch applied in every forward gear, first through fifth, and not in reverse. That makes it the busiest pack in the transmission. The drum holds the five friction plates and their steels and houses the apply piston. Fluid reaches the piston through sealing rings on the back of the drum that ride inside the center support. On the S, forward apply is soft-started by the valve body: the PCM uses pressure control solenoid B to stroke the forward engagement valve, then VFS1 meters mainline oil to the clutch until full pressure comes in. If the drum leaks, that carefully staged apply never gets enough oil.
A delayed forward engagement is not always the clutch. Ford lists low line pressure, a sticking valve, loose valve body bolts, the overdrive servo and band and the center support alongside the forward clutch. GEARS Magazine documented a 5R55W where the forward clutches burned and the real cause was a leaking end plug at the forward engagement control valve, found only by vacuum testing the valve body. Check fluid level and condition first, take a pressure reading in Drive and Reverse, and work through our 5R55S no movement diagnosis and the 5R55 harsh or delayed shift walkthrough before you tear it down. If the pack is burned, inspect the drum for cracks at the spline and check the ring lands; that is when you need this part.
This drum is listed for the 5R55N, 5R55S and 5R55W from 1999 on, and the 1999 in the title comes from that range. Sonnax places the 5R55N in 1999-2002 Jaguar S-Type, Lincoln LS and Thunderbird models, with the S taking over in the 2003 Lincoln LS and Thunderbird and in the 2004-2005 Explorer and Mountaineer. The same article warns that only a few parts interchange between the N and the W/S, so do not assume. Lay your old drum next to the photos, count your friction plates (this is a five-clutch drum), and compare the spline and sealing ring lands. If you are unsure, send us your year and VIN and we will check it. You can also browse every part for this family on our 5R55 transmission page. If your problem is a burned overdrive band rather than the forward clutch, you want the 5R55S overdrive drum instead.
Because this drum is used, treat it as a core to build, not a drop-in. Clean it, check the piston bore and bushing, and confirm the sealing ring lands on the back of the drum are not grooved. Inspect the center support bore where those rings ride, since a worn support will leak just like a bad drum. Install new frictions, steels and seals, air-check the piston once it is assembled, and set clutch clearance to spec. A 5R55W/S master rebuild kit covers the soft parts in one box. Fill with Mercon V. The 5R55S has no dipstick; it fills and checks through a T30 Torx plug in the case, and our 307-437 style fill adapter makes that job simple. Dry fill is about 11.2 quarts behind the 3.0L and 3.9L engines and 12.4 to 12.7 quarts behind the 4.0L and 4.6L. Reset the adaptive shift tables after the rebuild and drive it gently while the PCM relearns.
| Fits | 5R55S 1999 |
| Part type | Clutch Drum |
| 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.
Those years used the 5R55S, which is covered by this forward clutch drum listing. Count the friction plates in your old drum and compare the spline and ring lands with the photos. Send us your year and VIN if you want us to confirm before ordering.
The interchange listing includes the 5R55N, but Sonnax warns that only a few parts are shared between the N and the W/S. Compare it to your original drum side by side or send us your VIN before you buy.
It is a strong suspect, because the forward clutch is applied in every forward gear and not in reverse. Ford also lists low line pressure, the valve body, the overdrive servo and the center support for that complaint, so check pressure and fluid first.
Replace the forward clutch frictions and steels, the piston seals and the sealing rings on the back of the drum, and inspect the center support bore. A master rebuild kit is the easiest way to get all of it.
Mercon V. A dry fill is roughly 11.2 quarts with the 3.0L or 3.9L engine and 12.4 to 12.7 quarts with the 4.0L or 4.6L. Check the level hot at the fill plug, since there is no dipstick.
No. It is a used drum, so inspect it, clean it and air-check the piston after assembly as you would with any hard part going into a rebuild.
