4R44E ?
 

hopefully someone can help. My reverse went out on my 98/3.0 ranger extended cab. it has 187K miles.
I looked and found on this site that my ranger should have the 4R44E according to the year. I have looked every where on the truck with no tags for anything any where except on the tail housing of the tranny. the only legible letters are GT.
1. can I give the vin # to make absolute sure I have the 4R44E tranny?
2. I found a used tranny and the guy says it is out of a 2000 ranger with a 2.5. will this work?
3. can I use a 5R55E also?
thank you

any one? I just read a post about the 4r44e. it is very difficult and frustrating trying to find a stupid 4r44e. they must be really rare?i have read on here that I can only use the 4r44e on the 98 3.0 2wd ranger. that sucks. can I get a 4r55e or 5r554 and just change out the valve body? I am thinking that this is such a pain that I may just convert to a stick. any help will be awesome because I need to get this bad boy back on the road. I was even thinking of swapping out the 3.0 terd engine for the 4.0.

why can't I just use a 4x4 tranny and change the tail shaft housing

Sorry missed this the first time around

Welcome to the forum

A4LD, 4R44E, 4R55E, 5R44E, 5R55E are all the same transmissions, internally

A 4WD automatic transmission has a Short MAIN SHAFT, so while the rear housing is different that not the real difference, main shift is, you need a total rebuild and a NEW main shaft to convert 2WD to 4WD or visa versa
So not at all practical

44E was used in 4cyl or 3.0l V6 engines
55E has larger Overdrive parts, only use with 4.0l V6 engines
But they work the same

Bell housing can be changed to match engine, care needs to be taken since you do have to keep pump and shaft alignment or transmission won't work or will leak ATF at the rate of a QUART a mile, lol
Video on alignment here: youtube.com/watch?v=M-L71-udS_g
Obviously you don't have to do a full tear down, just shows how alignment is done

You should use a 4R44E from a 3.0l Ranger or B3000 4WD, or a 4R55E from a 4.0l 4WD and swap over you bell housing

You could also use a 5R44E from 3.0l Ranger or B3000 4WD, or 4R55E from a 4.0l 4WD and swap over bell housing

The 5R44E/55E may have a different wiring connector, need to check on that, but easy enough to change that

The 5R is not a 5-speed internally, it is exactly the same as the 4R 4-speed, the extra "gear" was from software in computer, it added a "2nd gear" by turning OD on while still in 1st
A 5R would be a 4R in your Ranger because its computer has the 4R software

o my gosh. Thank you, so much Ron for the info. Its good to be on board. I am still a little unclear. I may just not be reading your post correctly. It seems that the post kind of contradicts itself. In the beginning you said it is too much and not worth using a 4x4 tranny because of the short input shaft, but at the bottom you say that I can use the 4x4 by swapping the bell housing. total confused. if I am understanding. I can use the 5r55e by changing the bell housing and pig tails on the harness. but what about the drive shaft length, the input shaft, and the tail housing from the 4x4 tranny. do I also just swap out the 2wd tail housing and the 4x4 housing? are the output shaft the same length going from the 4x4 to the 2wd. sorry for all the questions. I just want to get all the parts needed ahead of time, before I start ripping it apart and not get stuck in the middle of something with out the parts.
thank you again for all the info

2WD automatic trans can't be changed to 4WD trans, and visa versa, without full rebuild and changing the main shaft
(manual transmissions are different)

Nothing to do with bell housing

Bell housing matches the engine, so if you have a 3.0l engine, the transmission you use will need a 3.0l bellhousing
All 55E came with 4.0l bellhousings, thats the only engine that used 55E

3.0l used 4R44E from 1995 to 2000, also the 4cyl Rangers
2001 and up used the 5R44E until 2008(end of 3.0l), 4cyl until 2011

4.0l used 4R55E from 1995 to 1997, in late 1997 they got the 5R55E and used it until 2011

This is the part that has him confused,
You're telling him he should us a 4WD tranny when he has a 2WD

yes. thats what I am thinking,I have a 2wd 3.0 1998 ranger. (we will figure it out though)
I will ask this question now. can I use a 2wd, 2.9, 4cyl auto tranny. for my 98, 2wd, 3.0? (I think I can from what I have re-read and re-read) boy these are tongue twisters. the guy says it will work on 99 and newer rangers. he supposedly got the wrong tranny. so. if I read correctly. the 4cyl (2.9) has the 5r44e which will work and my computer will just shift like the 4r44e. (wow. hope I got that right)
serial number- P95GT 7A040 BA

ok. another question. can I just get an old manual tranny that is cable engaged and not use the hydraulic set up. it is next to impossible to find one of these 3.0 2wd trannies.

Oops, on the 4WD part :)

3.0l Vulcan first came out in 1986, and as far as I know the only RWD manual transmission it ever had was the M5OD-R1 which used an internal slave and hydraulic clutch
Aerostar used the 3.0l in 1986/7 and could have a TK5 manual trans, but would be hard to find one, if it was even offered with manual option

stick with an automatic

ok. found a tranny finally. I think. If all is correct this is what I will have for my 2wd 98 ranger with the 4r44e. a 2002 5r44e tranny from behind a 3.0. I can use this tranny by swapping the bell housings and will only have the 4R because of my computer. I will most likely have to change the pig tails as well. is this all correct?
one other thing. can I get that 2002 computer and install it in the 98 and have it shift as the 5R?

If you have a 3.0l in the 1998 then no need to change bell housing, they are the same, 1991 to 2008 Rangers with 3.0l, or Mazda B3000

The 5R44E will become a 4R44E when installed in the 1998 no changes in wiring needed
Difference between 4R and 5R was computer software

No you can't use the 2002 computer in the 1998 without some other changes like the engine wiring harness

The 5R software turned on OD when in 1st gear to get a faux 2nd gear, so split the ratio for smoother shift from 1st to 3rd(2nd on 4R)
Then you accelerate harder 5R software skips that OD on and shifts directly from 1st to 3rd
So this was more for marketing, i.e. 5-SPEED TRANS!!, and less rpms in 1st before shifting to 2nd in the 4R

Its an improvement not an upgrade, 5R is still a 4speed, lol.

ok thanks. I was just wondering about the computer. no big deal. so, I can use a 5r44e all the way up to an 08? correct? that has the 3.0.

Yes, as far as I know that should be fine, there are suppose to be differences in the separator plate for the 4R and 5R so you could have different shifting issues, i.e. 3rd/OD shifting from what I have read from similar swaps
But part number looks to be the same so.................??
But if you need to get the truck working then the 5R will work, of course, a 4R would be best

awesome. I am going to give it a go. thank you so much for all of the help.