Frictions, steels, gaskets, seals and sealing rings to overhaul the Chrysler A500 (42RH, 42RE, 44RE) in the 1988-96 Jeep Cherokee XJ and Dodge Dakota.
If your Dodge Dakota or Jeep with the small Chrysler four-speed has started slipping into third, flaring on the 3-4 shift, or leaving dark, burnt-smelling fluid on the dipstick, the unit is usually past the point where a fluid change helps. This master rebuild kit is built for the Chrysler A500 family, the same basic transmission sold as the A500, 42RH, 44RH, 42RE and 44RE. It carries the clutch side and the sealing side of an overhaul in one box: friction plates, steel plates, the overhaul gasket set, front and rear seals, rubber piston seals, sealing rings and O-rings. It is listed for 1988-1996 Dodge Dakota and Jeep applications and ships new from the USA.
The A500 is a three-speed Torqueflite-style gearbox with an overdrive unit bolted to the back. First through third come from the front and rear clutches, the kickdown and low-reverse bands and the overrunning clutch, while fourth comes from the overdrive clutch and the direct clutch in the rear section. Chrysler's 1998 service manual lists four front clutch discs, four rear, three overdrive and six direct for the 42RE. Every one of those packs, and every rubber seal that holds apply pressure on them, is a wear item. When the direct clutch burns from towing or long highway runs in fourth, the debris travels through the whole unit, which is why rebuilders replace all the packs and seals at once instead of one drum.
The kit photo shows three rows of friction plates, three stacks of steels, the pan, pump and case gaskets, the three lip seals and the ring and O-ring sets. Bands, bushings, a filter, solenoids and the torque converter are not part of this kit.
On a 42RE or 44RE, check governor pressure with a gauge first. ATRA's technical article on this family makes the point that if governor pressure tracks road speed correctly, the electronics are fine and the problem is inside the transmission; if it does not, you may be looking at a governor solenoid, pressure sensor or output speed sensor instead of burnt clutches. Pull the pan and look at what is in it. Our slipping causes guide walks through the same checks on the bigger 46RE, and the logic carries straight over to the smaller unit. If the problem is only electrical, a 44RE governor pressure solenoid costs far less than a rebuild.
The listing names 1988-1996 Dodge Dakota with the 2.5L, 3.9L V6 or 5.2L V8, and 1988-1996 Jeep Cherokee with the 2.5L or 4.0L. Be careful with the Jeep side: most Cherokee XJ automatics were not A500-family units, so read the tag on the driver side of the case before ordering. If it says A500, 42RH, 44RH, 42RE or 44RE, this kit is the right family. The heavier 46RE, 47RE and 48RE use different packs and will not take it. If you are unsure, send us your year and VIN and we will check it. You can see every part we carry for this unit on the 42RE/44RE collection page.
On 1996-1999 electronic-governor units, many rebuilders replace the governor pressure parts at the same time with a 44RE solenoid kit. Our rebuild wear points guide lists the hard parts worth checking while the case is empty.
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Only if the tag on the transmission reads A500, 42RH, 44RH, 42RE or 44RE. Most XJ automatics used a different transmission, so check the tag before ordering, or send us your VIN.
Bands, bushings, the filter, solenoids, the governor pressure sensor and the torque converter. Plan to buy a filter and any worn bushings separately.
No. Those are the larger A518/A618 family with different clutch packs and gaskets. This kit is for the smaller A500 family only.
ATF+4. Soak the frictions in it before assembly and check the level hot in Neutral after the rebuild.
Maybe not. On 42RE and 44RE units, gauge governor pressure first. If it does not rise with road speed, the governor solenoid, pressure sensor or output speed sensor is the likely fault, not the clutches.
