Bang, no reverse!

[joney]

So yesterday going to move my Ex, put it in reverse, loud bang/clunk from the back and NO reverse! All other gears ok. My nephew told me of an Aerostar with the same problem, said the owner fixed it by taking off the tranny pan and accessing and replacing a part on the tranny. Anyone had experience like this on an Explorer? Bad time for Murphy's Law to kick in! It's my 98 Ex with 188 k miles, 4.0 SOHC and the 55RE(?) transmission. Can this truck be saved?

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Hmm sounds like the reverse band may have broken. Id pull the pan and check it out. Do you have engine braking in manual 1st? Or manual 1st at al? Not a great start to the new year.



If not this is always an option (I kid)

 

[joney]

Hmm sounds like the reverse band may have broken. Id pull the pan and check it out. Do you have engine braking in manual 1st? Or manual 1st at al? Not a great start to the new year.



If not this is always an option (I kid)

No kidding, I may try that yet! Great redneck engineering. Will try putting it in 1st gear on the shifter. But I'm not sure what you mean with engine braking here. The only catch is it's outside and it's January in Wisconsin. Going to check on mobile mechanics around here. Can I assume this can be fixed without dropping the trans or driveshafts?

 

[Fix4Dirt]

No kidding, I may try that yet! Great redneck engineering. Will try putting it in 1st gear on the shifter. But I'm not sure what you mean with engine braking here. The only catch is it's outside and it's January in Wisconsin. Going to check on mobile mechanics around here. Can I assume this can be fixed without dropping the trans or driveshafts?

It truly is genius! Engine braking is when you let off the throttle you should feel it decelerate decently. For example when you are goign down a steep grade you take it out of OD and the rpms climb but you feel it slowing down somewhat right? Same idea here. If you blew a band thats gonna need to drop the trans. Also try pulling dipstick and see the color of fluid if any glitter grey etc.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

What Is Engine Braking and How Does It Work? | UTI

Engine braking is an alternate way to slow down your vehicle and reduce the amount of wear and tear on your braking system. Read more about it here.

www.uti.edu

Hopefully it goes into 1st and has engine braking that means band is intact.

 

[wollimann]

Sorry to read that you lost your reverse, a loud bang sounds like broken band.
5R55E pan of, reverse servo cover off, reverse piston out and feel with a long screwdriver
if band is broken.
Look for the reverse servo piston for cracked pin an worn o-rings.

Or maybe the rear sprag is broken and didn't lok anymore, not uncommon too.
Unfortunately the parts are at the end of the tranny, everything has to come out
to get access.

Can this truck be saved?

Yes of course, it is worth to save it!!!

 

[joney]

Sorry to read that you lost your reverse, a loud bang sounds like broken band.
5R55E pan of, reverse servo cover off, reverse piston out and feel with a long screwdriver
if band is broken.
Look for the reverse servo piston for cracked pin an worn o-rings.
View attachment 460265

Or maybe the rear sprag is broken and didn't lok anymore, not uncommon too.
Unfortunately the parts are at the end of the tranny, everything has to come out
to get access.

Yes of course, it is worth to save it!!!

OK, dumb question, but I got a quote of 4k from the transmission shop. Is it at all reasonable to just drive it without a working reverse? (Providing I can find a spot to park it where I can just pull out forwards) How long can the other gears last?

 

[wollimann]

It's my 98 Ex with 188 k miles, 4.0 SOHC and the 5R55E

Lot of miles and never rebuild (?), who can say what about the other gears?
All a matter of transmission fluid pressure, maybe the next issue is a blinking overdrive lamp
or slipping gears.
You are rely on a transmission shop?

 

[84FLH]

OK, dumb question, but I got a quote of 4k from the transmission shop. Is it at all reasonable to just drive it without a working reverse? (Providing I can find a spot to park it where I can just pull out forwards) How long can the other gears last?

I have a 2000 Mountaineer, 4.0 SOHC, with 411,000 miles on original motor and transmission. My reverse band broke with a loud BANG two years ago. Local transmission shop quoted $3400 with 18 month warranty. When I asked "Can I drive this without reverse, for how long, and what will happen if I do?" he said it might or might not drive oaky in all forward gears but didn't know how long or if it would damage anything else.

I had about 385,000 miles on the vehicle at that time and didn't want to spend the $3400. Have driven it the last two years without reverse and nothing bad has happened. Twice though, I parked wrong and needed someone to help push me backwards 5 to 10' so I could get out of the parking spot. Since then I'm super careful to scope out every parking lot, parking place, turn out, etc and make sure I either can roll backwards (only takes a very small slope to roll backwards) into a parking spot or can 'pull-through' park so that no one's ever in front of me.

My front driveshaft CV joint went out last year and 3 Dorman replacements also went out, so I removed the front DS until I find a complete replacement asssy with Spicer CV joint. But this issue isn't related to the transmission having no reverse. It's because the original Ford CV joint boot ripped and the CV joint rusted and failed.

I did, however, get myself the top of the line AAA membership, with 500 mile towing, when I started driving it without reverse. Haven't needed it in two years, though.

 

[Josh P]

Scrolling thru car-part.com I found a 5R55E from a 98 explorer in KY with 41k miles on the odometer for $900.

 

[C420sailor]

Problem is that unless you do your own work, the labor on a trans swap eats you alive. And god help you if the used trans is blown….

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Problem is that unless you do your own work, the labor on a trans swap eats you alive. And god help you if the used trans is blown….

^^^Ditto. Not sure what the market is like up North but here in SoCal 2 years ago a rebuild I remember when I thought it had an issue woulda run ya about 3k at a local speed shop out here. Now I can only imagine its more.


The hard part is these rigs are hitting the age where they need attention and then labor will eventually add up to an arm a leg a kidney things like that but if ya learn to do it yourself its just the cost of tools & parts (aka significantly cheapr)

 

[joney]

Problem is that unless you do your own work, the labor on a trans swap eats you alive. And god help you if the used trans is blown….

Yeah, I don't have the 4K for the rebuild with updates, nor the 2600 for just replacing the broke part. And darn, I like this truck! Since Mar. of '21 have enjoyed it. LOL the new tires on it have only 200 miles on them! I can't see myself taking on the repair myself as I've no tools and haven't even changed a trans filter. Maybe I can find a similar Explorer with minimal rust, then this one would be a parts car. Interior is pretty nice, even the paint is still nice. Don't wanna say goodbye to it yet.....

 

[joney]

I'll be checking every so often to see if anyone here is selling a 1st, 2nd, or 4th gen Explorer! Has to be 4x4 too.

 

[donalds]

4,000 is too much 2600 for a rebuild now that sounds about right
Who is gonna take apart the transmission just to replace a broken band and not clean anything or inspect anything along the way

 

[joney]

4,000 is too much 2600 for a rebuild now that sounds about right
Who is gonna take apart the transmission just to replace a broken band and not clean anything or inspect anything along the way

That was the rationale for the "upgrades" to replace other worn parts. Haven't found any shop but one in the Eau Claire WI area that fixes transmissions. If I could get it done for 2K or less, would go for it.

 

[allmyEXes]

@84FLH Share a link with us having to do with the AAA 500 mile towing.

 

[allmyEXes]

I wonder what the labor hours R&R on that type of transmission and separately the bench time hours just for the bench work, rebuild time is?

 

[C420sailor]

You’re not gonna find a *quality* rebuild including removal and reinstallation for under $2k. Mine was $1800 from a very reputable shop…in 2011. I’m still running on that rebuild 211,000mi later.

You want the “Ford Upgrades” not necessarily any other upgrades. Ford made changes to the 5R55E that improved its longevity.

Me being me…I’d sooner pay $3-3.5k for a high quality rebuild job with a good warranty in a truck with solid bones, solid paint, and solid interior, than likely spend around that same amount of money for another Explorer that is a can of worms. It’s the old “devil you know vs the devil you don’t” argument. Now, if you’re planning to spend more money to get something newer or in better overall condition, that changes things.

I’ve seen people balk at a $3k tranny job, go out and buy another $2k Explorer…only to have that chew up its tranny six months later or need $1500 in suspension work.

Gotta look at the whole picture.

 

[Flashflood]

Honestly 4k isn't bad that's about a grand more than what I got quoted for my 5r55e back about 2 years ago. I passed on it due to fact of sohc giving me death rattle. Do I miss that truck. Yes and no. I would look at this. Is your sohc in good shape no rattle when starting or running. How's rust? If it's in good shape drive it till it blows up. I did that with my parents 98 in high-school. Then we put a rebuilt 5r in their and continued trucking.