5r55e Band adjuster broke 911

[lifttruck2008]

I Just did a fluid mercon 5 and filter change on my dads 2001 ranger with the 5r55e(i think)4.0l 4x4. After I was done he asked me to adjust the bands. I have done this several times before on my 2001 sport trac with the 5r55e.

The nut and adjuster was pretty rusty so i sparyed them down with pb blaster and waited a few hours, tried it with no luck. The locknut and adjustor keep moving as one.

i wire brushed the exposed threads sprayed again. Nothing, so i used a map torch to heat them, i got like a 1/8 of a turn of movement then the square drive on the adjustor stud broke off At first i figured it was not enough movment to upset anything.

I was wrong, I took it for a test drive, O/D light is flashing lots of clunking and cannot manually shift into 1st or 2nd. As far as I know the adustor is installed from inside of the trans?

My plan is to go to a a trans shop tomorrow and have them cut off the lock nut and put a new one on. then weld a new nut on the adjustment stud and have them adjust the bands. How does this sound, its needs to be done asap, does anyone have any better ideas? thanks in advance.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Did you remove the pan to see if the band snapped? If the internal apply strut only got loose, and fell off, then you still have a chance to fix it without making a big job out of it. You could get a new nut & stud, and position the internal adjuster in place while the stud is getting snug against it. You will have to drop the pan, and the valve body in order to get the internal apply strut into position.

 

[lifttruck2008]

If I remove the pan how can I tell if the band snapped or the internal apply strut came loose. Where exactly do i look? will there be a piece in the pan?

 

[Glacier991]

The strut "usually" will fall into the pan. It CAN be replaced without dropping the tranny but it is a MAJOR PITA... I have never done it, just fooled with a tranny out of the vehicle trying to imagine if it could be done...I *think* it could.

If you remove the tighting bolt completely, the odds are good it will allow the strut to fall. I bet most tranny shops can more authoritatively answer the question about in vehicle replacement should the strut fall. (And many will tell you that you NEED a rebuild (sigh))

 

[lifttruck2008]

I just wanted to give everyone a follow up and recommendation. If you live near the downriver detroit area, I live in Monroe. Give your business to JR transmission. Truck is fixed. I had it towed by aaa to make sure the strut was less likely to fall. They threw it on a lift put a new bolt in and cleared the codes for $71, also found a failing u joint which I am going to let them do, just for the convience for another $85. Again, before I moved to chicago I have used this place before and it is awesome. Its a really small hole in the wall place. So truck is back for roughly $150 but i think i got lucky the strut band strut did not fall.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Thanks for the update! Is this shop a member of WWW.ATRA.Com? Tell them about Explorer Forum when you get a chance.