A4LD mods (and 4R44/4R55/5R55)

[Shran]

I am subscribed to this thread, keep us posted with how it goes. I have a 4R55E in the '95 that I am probably going to put a shift kit in. I really dislike how it shifts.

Admittedly I gave up after about 30 minutes but I had a very hard time finding the bonded separator plate/gasket set that everyone talks about. I found a Ford part number but it has apparently been discontinued - does anyone have a link to that? The upper and lower valve body gaskets are easy to find, if the bonded deal was "the" fix, why is it not readily available?

 

[Dirtman]

I am subscribed to this thread, keep us posted with how it goes. I have a 4R55E in the '95 that I am probably going to put a shift kit in. I really dislike how it shifts.

Admittedly I gave up after about 30 minutes but I had a very hard time finding the bonded separator plate/gasket set that everyone talks about. I found a Ford part number but it has apparently been discontinued - does anyone have a link to that? The upper and lower valve body gaskets are easy to find, if the bonded deal was "the" fix, why is it not readily available?

I had to get mine directly from the dealer. There is a weird amount of part numbers for the same thing, some are discontinued but the most recent one is still available. I'll try to find the box from the dealer (I know I saved it) it has the revised part number on it.

 

[Shran]

I had to get mine directly from the dealer. There is a weird amount of part numbers for the same thing, some are discontinued but the most recent one is still available. I'll try to find the box from the dealer (I know I saved it) it has the revised part number on it.

That would be great, super appreciate it.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I am subscribed to this thread, keep us posted with how it goes. I have a 4R55E in the '95 that I am probably going to put a shift kit in. I really dislike how it shifts.

Admittedly I gave up after about 30 minutes but I had a very hard time finding the bonded separator plate/gasket set that everyone talks about. I found a Ford part number but it has apparently been discontinued - does anyone have a link to that? The upper and lower valve body gaskets are easy to find, if the bonded deal was "the" fix, why is it not readily available?

Will definitely keep everyone updated. I’ve driven my share of typical sloppy A4LD trucks and a few 4R and 5R trucks which didn’t seem to shift all that much better. My original goal with this was not so much getting a performance shift, but was geared towards the point of the original write up I found, read, and lost (the thread I found on the Explorer forums gave me the needed information but was not what I originally found) made which was better shifts mean less heat generated by slipping components. Since heat is the absolute worst for the A4LD, this tweaked my interest. A quick search yielded a shift kit for about $50 and I figured on a pretty cheap fix. Well… not exactly. But I am committed at this point. Unfortunately I won’t be able to report the change in trans temps since I never gauged it before the change. And I don’t have a trans temp gauge.

I guess that means I don’t have the bonded gasket since it said upper and lower

 

[Dirtman]

I don't believe they ever used a bonded plate from the factory on the A4LD. They didn't start getting them until the mid 2000's on the 5r transmissions which is why I mentioned earlier I don't know if they sell one for the A4LD since I'm not sure how much different the valve body is even though they are technically the same transmission. The 5r and 4r transmission have electronic pressure control so I think they put out more pressure which was the culprit behind blowing the paper gaskets. That's speculation but I know they didn't issue a TSB until later and then didn't start installing them from the factory till after like 2002+

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I don't believe they ever used a bonded plate from the factory on the A4LD. They didn't start getting them until the mid 2000's on the 5r transmissions which is why I mentioned earlier I don't know if they sell one for the A4LD since I'm not sure how much different the valve body is even though they are technically the same transmission. The 5r and 4r transmission have electronic pressure control so I think they put out more pressure which was the culprit behind blowing the paper gaskets. That's speculation but I know they didn't issue a TSB until later and then didn't start installing them from the factory till after like 2002+

Interesting. Hopefully the large boost valve I ordered won’t cause the paper gaskets to blow

 

[Dirtman]

Still looking for that dang box. I know I saved it just for this purpose lol.

 

[Dirtman]

Well found pics of my bonded plate and below is my 5r valve body. Still looking for the part number for the plate!

Now that I look I highly doubt the bonded plate will be available for the A4LD. The A4 only has 2 shift solenoids, the 5r has 6 so valve body is very different.

 

[Shran]

I assume the 4r and 5r use the same gasket though? Or not? Would be kinda shocked if they did, a 1995 would almost certainly be different in many ways than your 2009...

 

[Dirtman]

The shift kit and gasket set lists as for both the 4r and 5r. The big difference between the two is just the computer software. They are both 3 speeds with an overdrive.

The A4LD is the one where parts may or may not be interchangeable since they lacked all the electronics of the 4r/5r.

They all come from the C3 transmission. C3, A4LD, 4R, and 5r are all cousins. Inbred dysfunctional cousins...


Oh and you see those two ball bearings in the picture? You think they go in the transmission right?

WRONG!!! you take those ball bearings and stick them between one of the holes in the separator plate and smash them with a hammer until the hole shrinks to the size of the pin they give you. Very very technical procedure.

I don't remember what the paper clip is for but it's equally as scientific in it's useage. Don't get me wrong there is a method to the madness and the crap they have you do works. Why sell you a whole new plate If you can fix it with two ball bearings? It's a true DIY kit. Most of what you're doing is modifying stuff not just swapping parts. You're really just paying for the directions and a few little pieces. Even the rings shown at the top of the pic don't get used unless you have the transmission fully disassembled. They can't be installed by just dropping the valve body.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

The shift kit and gasket set lists as for both the 4r and 5r. The big difference between the two is just the computer software. They are both 3 speeds with an overdrive.

The A4LD is the one where parts may or may not be interchangeable since they lacked all the electronics of the 4r/5r.

View attachment 63278

They all come from the C3 transmission. C3, A4LD, 4R, and 5r are all cousins. Inbred dysfunctional cousins...


Oh and you see those two ball bearings in the picture? You think they go in the transmission right?

WRONG!!! you take those ball bearings and stick them between one of the holes in the separator plate and smash them with a hammer until the hole shrinks to the size of the pin they give you. Very very technical procedure.

I don't remember what the paper clip is for but it's equally as scientific in it's useage. Don't get me wrong there is a method to the madness and the crap they have you do works. Why sell you a whole new plate If you can fix it with two ball bearings? It's a true DIY kit. Most of what you're doing is modifying stuff not just swapping parts. You're really just paying for the directions and a few little pieces. Even the rings shown at the top of the pic don't get used unless you have the transmission fully disassembled. They can't be installed by just dropping the valve body.

That was one of the things with the Superior shift kit, they give you what are supposed to be improved overdrive springs, buutt, to install them you have to tear the trans apart, not just the valve body. So someone in my situation would throw them back in the box and they would collect dust on a shelf. I’m only trying to work on the valve body right now. And if I wouldn’t have replaced the torque converter, I might not even be doing what I am.

The write up I read made mention of a bunch of cleaning and modifying but not a ton of replacement parts. Mostly gaskets and springs for hard parts. Seems kinda crazy that there’s more modifications than anything. Everything I’ve read seems to indicate that it’s not going to shift like a race transmission, but it will be smoother, firmer shifts with less heat generated, which sounds like a win to me. I’m just really curious to try it out and see for myself how it goes

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

So I ordered parts a week and a half ago. Called them the next day with questions and had to leave a message. Sent an email over the weekend. No response from the call or email and no shipping information. Kinda getting irritated. Supposed to be a good company, it was one referenced to in my research. Getting tempted to take a day off work, borrow the GFs car, and drive out to their place and say WTF.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Well, still no call or email back but the parts shipped today, supposed to arrive tomorrow so we’ll see

 

[Dirtman]

You wanna borrow my anger stick?

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

You wanna borrow my anger stick?

View attachment 63649

Yeah, you mind taking a run across the border to their warehouse and give them a rap upside the head with it for me?

They are near Philly, so your side of the state