U760E Clutch Drum

If your four-cylinder Toyota with the U760E or U760F six-speed has started slipping on the way up through the gears, takes a long time to grab Drive, or will only back up, and the teardown shows a scored drum, worn ring lands or a piston bore that leaks, this is the replacement hard part. It is a used original Toyota forward/direct (C1/C2) drum identified by interchange number 277555B: the version with the 9-1/4 inch long input shaft, the 3-forward and 2-direct clutch design, and the small-hole drum. At this price it is the economical way to put a sound drum back into a unit you are rebuilding yourself.

What the forward/direct drum does in a U760E

The U760E is the four-cylinder sibling of the V6 U660E, built by Aisin for Toyota's front-drive six-speed lineup, and the U760F is its all-wheel-drive version. In both, the C1/C2 drum is the input member: it rides on and turns with the input shaft, so every forward gear passes through it. The forward clutch (C1) drives the gear train in first through fourth and the direct clutch (C2) carries fourth through sixth. Apply oil feeds through sealing rings on the shaft into each piston. Because this drum carries only three forward and two direct frictions, it is a different part from the larger V6 drum even though the two look alike on the bench.

Symptoms

• RPM flare on a light-throttle launch or the 1-2 shift
• A soft, late or slipping 4-5 upshift
• No Drive, Reverse still working
• New clutches that burn up shortly after a rebuild because the drum leaks apply pressure
• Fine metal and friction debris in the pan

How to confirm it before buying

Make sure the problem really is inside. Gears Magazine warns that the wrong fluid on these units causes flaring shifts and solenoid codes, and that a carbon-loaded throttle body or slow MAF sensor can create harsh downshifts with no transmission code at all. Verify the unit is filled with Toyota WS at the correct hot level, then use Manual 3 to rule out a 25-50 mph lockup shudder. With the unit apart, inspect the drum directly: look for cracks around the lugs, scoring on the ring lands, a loose or worn bushing, and pistons that will not hold air. Our U660E and U760E service guide explains how worn valve body bores can starve these clutches, so check that too, or a replacement drum will fail the same way.

Fitment

The 277555B drum is catalogued 2008-up for the U760E and U760F, with the Camry, Highlander, RAV4, Sienna, Venza and Scion tC listed as possible applications when they carry the four-cylinder six-speed. It does not fit the V6 U660E or U660F. Because the drum family includes several shaft lengths and hole sizes, measure your old shaft (this one is 9-1/4 inches), count the frictions in each pack and compare the photos before ordering. If you are not certain, send us your year, model, engine size and VIN and we will match it. Every part for this transmission family is on the U660E and U760E collection page, including the U760E clutch drum for 2010-2017.

Install notes

• Do not reuse old frictions or steels in a rebuild. Stack fresh plates and seals from a U760E master rebuild kit and set C1 and C2 clearance to spec.
• Replace the input shaft sealing rings and lubricate them with WS fluid, then air-check both pistons before the valve body goes on.
• If the old drum died from low pressure, address the cause; a U760E solenoid kit restores the shift solenoids that control clutch apply.
• Inspect the planetary and one-way clutch while the case is open, and flush the cooler and lines so debris does not reach the new parts.
• Refill with Toyota WS, set the level hot as covered in our fluid type and capacity guide, reset adaptive learning and road-test.

What does 277555B mean?

It is the interchange number used to identify this U760E/U760F forward/direct (C1/C2) drum: the version with a 9-1/4 inch long input shaft, three forward and two direct clutches, and the small-hole drum.

Will this fit my V6 Camry or Highlander?

No. V6 models use the U660E or U660F, whose drum carries more clutch plates. This drum is only for the four-cylinder U760E and U760F.

Should I put new clutches in it?

Yes. Treat it as the hard part for a rebuild: install new frictions, steels, piston seals and shaft sealing rings, set clutch clearance and air-check both pistons before installation.

My drum has a different shaft length. Will this still work?

Not necessarily. The U760E drum was made in more than one version. Match the 9-1/4 inch shaft, the 3 and 2 clutch count and the hole size, or send us your year, model and VIN to confirm.

What fluid does the U760E use?

Toyota WS automatic transmission fluid. Set the level hot through the overflow plug following Toyota's WS level procedure, then clear adaptive values and road-test.

• Toyota/Aisin U660E and U760E: Shudder, Valve Body Wear, and the WS Fluid-Level Procedure
• U660E Fluid Type, Capacity and Service Interval