How Gentle do I have to be with the 55R5S?

[jholden47]

I have a 07 XLT 4.0L V6 with the 55R5S transmission (117k miles).it does have the HD tow package. the VIN states its build date was 8/12/06. Apparently that matters as you may have a good or bad transmission depending on the build date.

I have been reading all the threads on here saying that this truck basically a ticking time bomb.I have had no issues so far with the truck, I am however noticing that it occasionally shifts hard into reverse.

I have until now been super gentle with it, and have avoided loading it out and towing with it, but it seems stupid to have a vehicle that I cant use. I wouldn't be doing anything super heavy with it (I have a 1500 Sierra for that). but is it safe to use within its stated specifications?

 

[tripplec]

Keep it cool with a tranny cooler if its not already equipped and keep the fluid in good condition. It should be redish but not brown or stink.
It depends on how you drive and what you tow etc. Its all in the details and I don't see any indicated, location and applications you use it for.

 

[michael loibl]

I bought my 2006 V6 with out the heavy-duty tow package New and have been towing with it ever since. Sometimes just 1000 pound or so utility trailer, but usually a 3000 pound camper with two adults and three children in the truck and a bunch of junk in the trunk. Trans fluid has only been changed twice since new and it still going on the original trans. Occasionally misses a shift but still going at 131,000 miles

 

[jholden47]

Thanks for the feedback. I would be hauling a small to medium utility trailer with 2 ATV's with a weight of less than 3000lb, occasionally.

It may get used to tow a sled deck with 2 snowmobiles.

The truck itself is driven in Maine, used primarily for commuting, and household light chores with occasional use of full load out of all 7 seats.

 

[Tech By Trade]

I have around the same one in an 07 sport trac early build. I tow a dual axel hybrid camper or 17ft lund walleye boat around the country side all summer. Followed by hunting in the fall, and ice fishing in the winter. I used to do an annual fluid and filter drop, now days just fluid as the last time I dropped the pan the filter and magnet were both clean. I did a band adjustment 2 years ago. I haven't had any issues yet, knock on wood. I'm sitting around 270K kms right now. I would be more worried about the garbage engine.

 

[michael loibl]

By the way, I take it very easy when towing. I cruise 55-60 mph with OD off so I am running at approximately 2300 RPM in for us to year with the tour converter in lock up. Helps keep temperature down. Also, no hard acceleration when towing

 

[tripplec]

Winter towing with it being very cold helps a lot keeping fluids cooler. But a transmission cooler is a must have regardless of the temperature outside.

 

[Davidm53]

I have the tow option also on my 06/V6. Never have used it.
But I had the occasional hard shift at 45-50 mph.
Couple years ago had a shop add Dr Tranny into the system.
That helped it most of the time for a year roughly.

On a whim read good reviews about Techron Fuel system cleaner.
Tried that in a tank, and so far it has never shifted smoother.
Maybe the motor was carboned up and not putting out the HP,
but anyway sold on that stuff for now.

 

[kydirtscooter]

All of ours have the tow package but we pull a small combo stock trailer and sometimes a steel 2 horse slant with no issues. We have pulled out west through the Rockies as well during the summer just fine, over 100k now.

A well setup brake controller, weight dist hitch setup and well adjusted trailer brakes combined with a maintained vehicle and I would not be worried at all.

 

[Mitchs07explorer]

I have an 07 4.0 xlt advance trac ex. I had the transmission rebuilt at 80k mi because the servo bores were worn plus I'd get the infamous 2nd to 3rd gear shift flare. I think if you have one of the models where the transmission is bad (ticking time bomb) it's going to be like mine and give you minor indications that things are going wrong until things finally go wrong. I wish I would've gone with a reman unit over a rebuild looking back on it but that's just my opinion.
I have never towed with my ex but I've had a ton of hunting and camping gear in it, on top of it and hanging off the back from a hitch haul. I have the 5000lb towing capacity model and it's never studdered while hauling all that crap into the mountains. I think these transmissions sometimes shift hard into reverse or what seems to be a hard shift. Either way I would say unless it's shifting funny now I would just use it how it's supposed to be used.

 

[MotorCityFats13]

I bought mine with 109k and just over 3 years it now has 173k at first I was taking it more easy but in actually I drive it pretty hard but never tow, i figure if anything is going to go its going to go but the engine would be my first guess but since it was 7 years old when I bought it i dont know what has been fixed or replaced in its life time... someone did sell it to a used car lot for a reason and I just hope that was the reason.... my family has had a 95 and a 04 both trans missions were rebuilt and a 97 ranger that was slipping really bad when we took it off the road and Ive had a 98 and 07 and the 98 trans was very bad when the engine let loose and started pouring coolant from the back of the block.... all of those had a variation of the 5r55