What ranger years used a 5r44e transmission?

[carlfeldman11]

Hi all, new to the thread. The transmission in my 3.0 liter 2wd is on its last legs and i’m looking to get one from a junkyard. I have checked this forum and others and every forum contradicts the other. I am wondering what years of rangers used a 5r44e transmission that i would be able to swap into mine. or other vehicles that used the 5r44e that could also be swapped. any help is greatly appreciated. thanks

 

[JoshT]

There's a list of Ranger automatic transmissions in the tech library. Can't tell you how accurate it is, but it lists the 5R44E was from 01-09 Rangers with 2.3L & 3.0L.

Unfortunately the 2.3L and 3.0L do not use the same bellhousing pattern, so you'll have to use one from a 01-09 from a 3.0L Ranger. To my knowledge there isn't any other application that uses that transmission and has the 3.0L bellhousing pattern.

 

[Brain75]

well... according to the wiki:

List of Ford transmissions - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

1997–Current 5R44/5R55 Series—5-speed 5R44E/5R55E/N/S/W based on the 4R44E/4R55E, Bordeaux Automatic Transmission Plant / Sharonville Ohio transmission plant

• Lincoln LS and Ford Thunderbird
• Ford Falcon (Australia)
• 2005–2010 Ford Mustang V6, GT[1]

and from the tech article here on this site:

https://www.therangerstation.com/tech/ford-ranger-automatic-transmissions/

2001-2009 w/2.3L & 3.0L

and if you go into the car-part.com part search database, it shows 5 variations of the 5r55e, some 4x2, some 4x4 with all three engines (2.3, 3.0, 4.0)

Car-Part.com--Used Auto Parts Market

the search results I got showed 2006, lots of 2007, and 2008 on the first page of 7 pages.

I have never touched one of these trans, I am just good with searches. so all my "knowledge" is just cut paste from the googler.
note the first result includes the whole 5r44/55 series so you will get extras in that.
I would say the most correct and authoritative would be the 2nd link - https://www.therangerstation.com/tech/ford-ranger-automatic-transmissions/
seeing as how wiki only requires 3 people to upvote a submission before it becomes god, and we all know the interchange is full of lies. therangerstation.com is at least backed by years and years of smart folks and practical hands on knowledge.

The one thing I would bet my own money on is since it is made in a FORD factory in Ohio, you wont find it on a Chevy Colorado!

 

[2011Supercab]

• Lincoln LS and Ford Thunderbird
• Ford Falcon (Australia)
• 2005–2010 Ford Mustang V6, GT[1}

The problem with that list is that none of those cars came with a 3.0

The only 2 vehicles that came with a transmission that will work for him are a Ford Ranger RWD with a 3.0 or a Mazda B3000 RWD

There is no 5R55E that will fit the 3.0

 

[Brain75]

In my own searching for parts I found another way to reverse engineer this problem. Using a FORD dealer's site for part ordering - pick a part specific to that trans, then find the part, then click the "what does this fit" link and it will give you a list of applications - in this case per ford dealer's part lookup, here is "everything" that used THAT PART of a 5r44e specifically with the 3.0 in the lookup process:
Now I am going to be the first to admit that I picked a part I "THOUGHT" was unique to a 5r44e, it may very well be common with the 5r55e or or or - so that list might be bigger than what reality is. The ford dealer's parts page also tells you what all applications of subassemblies as well and in this case it says:

4x2. AUTO TRANS, 2WD. Explorer, Mountaineer; 5R55W/S; 2WD. MANUAL TRANS, 2WD. Ranger; 5R55E, 5R44E; 2WD. Ranger; A4LD/4R44E/4R55E; 2WD.
So obviously it includes things other than the 5r44e.

Ford Explorer	1999, 2000, 2001
Ford Explorer Sport	2001, 2002, 2003
Ford Explorer Sport Trac	2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
Ford Ranger	1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
Mercury Mountaineer	1999, 2000, 2001

I would argue that this is a trimmed down enough list that when paired with our (TRS's) tech article, this is more than "accurate enough" to filter your yard hunt.

 

[JoshT]

Now I am going to be the first to admit that I picked a part I "THOUGHT" was unique to a 5r44e, it may very well be common with the 5r55e or or or - so that list might be bigger than what reality is. The ford dealer's parts page also tells you what all applications of subassemblies as well and in this case it says:

........

I would argue that this is a trimmed down enough list that when paired with our (TRS's) tech article, this is more than "accurate enough" to filter your yard hunt.

The flaw in your slaw is that the 4R44, 4R55, 5R44, and 5R55 are almost the same transmission. The 4R44 and 4R55 were derived from same transmission, the A4LD, just one has beefier internal components than the other and bellhousings changed to match their respective engine. The 5R44 and 5R55 are essentially the same transmission as the 4Rs, they just had some extra electronic wizardy applied to create an additional gear. Most of the components from a 5R55E can be installed into a 4R44E case.

Even your list shows what the tech article says if you understand and know a few key things about Rangers, if you don't (like OP) you're likely to end up with the wrong transmission. First thing to know, the Explorer/Mountaineer never came with the 3.0L so you can strike those off the list. Second, the 5R44E was introduced in 2001 on the 3.0L and the 3.0L was discontinued after 2009, so you can knock 1999-2000 and 2010-2011 Rangers off the list. Third, while the Mercury Mountaineer is listed, the Mazda B3000 is not listed.

No offense, but using that search method would have had OP looking at 3 models that were inapplicable and ignoring a fourth that is the same basic truck. Those types of complications aren't limited to transmission related items. For this the tech article is more than accurate enough by itself.

 

[superj]

if you were near san antonio, there is a dude parting out a 3.0 ranger on marketplace. and if you were near enough to go to san antonio, there is a guy near me also parting a 3.0 ranger that falls in your range of years.

too bad its not cost effective to just swap it to a manual.

 

[901wd#2]

The problem with that list is that none of those cars came with a 3.0

The only 2 vehicles that came with a transmission that will work for him are a Ford Ranger RWD with a 3.0 or a Mazda B3000 RWD

There is no 5R55E that will fit the 3.0

Swap bellhousing?

 

[JoshT]

Swap bellhousing?

You'd also have to look at the input shaft. If it is different, you'd have to open up the transmission to swap it out. At that point you may as well rebuild the one you have. Even if it isn't different, I don't know what all is involved in a bellhousing swap on these, it could be simple R&R, or it could require more disassembly.

 

[bobbywalter]

yeah.

 

[CamTheHedgehog]

And, IIRC, the only difference between the 5R44E and the 5R55E (or the 4rs too) is that one is simply beefed up to be rated for more torque, 550 lb-ft vs 440 lb-ft. I am not sure if the computer is changed at all, if it isn't, I know they are the same physical size and could in theory be used interchangeably if you wanted to upgrade to a stronger trans.

But with my luck, the computer is different.

 

[bobbywalter]

the ranger transmission is different. i have swapped the 4 cyl bell onto a 5r55 and used it in a 4r44 application. similar with the m5od. this is how you convert 4 whizzer trucks to 4x4 when doing a d30 swap. iirc there is still one with a test setup in my garage. i sold the m5ods though. this is due to looking at Ecoboost feasibility. the idea was to attempt a segment swap of a 5r55 protocal into the oak type focus processor with the 2.0 ecoboost so using a ranger auto would make the swap easier.