4 Wheel & Off Road – October 2019

45RFE/545RFE/68RFE

45RFE/545RFE/68RFE

Overview: Late - model four-, five -, and

six-speed electronically controlled auto-

matic transmissions.

Found In: 1999-2014 Jeep/Dodge/Ram/

Chrysler rear-wheel-drive and 4WD SUVs

and trucks.

Identification: Alloy housing, similar to

whatever transmission the transmission

you are looking at is based on. Transmis-

sion identification number and date code

may be the best way to tease apart what

you’ve got.

DODGE/JEEP

TF727/904/999

Overview: Spanning nearly 50 years, at

least four OEM names, several variations and

evolutions, and at least two naming conven-

tions (before and after 1991), the Torque

Flite transmission came in a wide variety

of vehicles, both rear-wheel drive and four-

wheel drive. These transmissions came with

three, four, five, and six forward gears.

Found In: 1962-1978 Dodge/Chrysler

cars and trucks with rear-wheel or four-

wheel drive, the slant-6, or V-8s; some

1980-1991 Jeeps (TF727, aka 36RH and

37RH); 1960-2002 in Dodge/Chrysler/

AMC/Jeep cars and trucks with rear-wheel

or four-wheel drive, the slant-six, or V-8s

(TF904, aka 30RH); 1972-2003 Dodge/

Chrysler/AMC/Jeep rear-wheel-drive or

4WD cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs (A998,

aka 31RH; and A999, aka 32RH).

Identification: Alloy housing. The best

way to differentiate between a TF727 and

TF9xx is via the transmission pan shape.

Ratios: TF727 (aka 36RH and 37RH):

2.45:1 First, 1.45:1 Second, 1:1 Third, 2.2:1

Reverse. TF904 (aka 30RH), A998 (aka

31RH), and A999 (aka 32RH): 2.7:1 First,

1.54:1 Second, 1:1 Third, 2.2:1 Reverse.

TF727/904/999

A500/A518/A618

Overview: The A500 and similar trans-

missions are the first light-duty, four-speed

transmissions available in many V-6 and

V-8 Dodge and Jeep rear-wheel-drive and

4WD vehicles.

Found In: 1989-2004 Dodge/Jeep trucks,

vans, and SUVs (A500, aka 40RH, 42RH,

40RE, 42RE, 44RE); 1988-2003 Dodge/Jeep

truck, vans, and SUVs (A518, aka 46RH and

46RE); 1994-2007 Dodge Ram SRT, 2500,

and 3500 trucks (A618, aka 47RH, 47RE,

48RE). Most of these transmissions are

based either on a TF727 or a TF999, making

identification more difficult without know-

ing what the transmission originally came in.

Identification: Alloy housing, similar to

whatever transmission the transmission

you are looking at is based on. Transmission

identification number and date code may be

the best way to tease apart what you’ve got.

Ratios: A500 (aka 40RH, 42RH, 40RE,

42RE, 44RE): 2.74:1 First, 1.54:1 Second,

1:1 Third, 0.69:1 Fourth, 2.21:1 Reverse.

A518 (aka 46RH and 46RE): 2.45:1 First ,

1.45:1 Second, 1:1 Third, 0.69:1 Fourth,

2. 35:1 Reverse. A618 (aka 47RH , 47RE ,
   48RE): 2.45:1 First , 1.45:1 Second , 1:1
   Third, 0.69:1 Fourth, 2.21:1 Reverse.

A5 0 0/A518 /A618

56 OCTOBER 2019 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROAD 4WHEELOFFROAD.COM

JUNKYARD AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SPOTTER’S GUIDE

AOD

Overview: AOD stands for automatic

overdrive, and this transmission was

introduced in 1980, two years before GM

offered an automatic with an overdrive

(the TH700R4).

Found In: 1980-1993 Ford, Lincoln, and

Mercury rear-wheel-drive and 4WD cars,

trucks, and vans.

Identification: Aluminum case with

14-bolt pan that is roughly square with

the two back corners tapered. The result

is a pan that looks like a baseball home

plate with the front point cut of.

Ratios: 2.40:1 First , 1.47:1 Second , 1:1

Third, 2:1 Reverse.

AOD

6R80

Overview: The Ford 6R80 transmission

is an impressively strong, band-free, and

compact six-speed automatic transmis-

sion with a nice low First gear and two

overdrives.

Found In: 2009-present Ford, Lincoln,

and Mercury rear-wheel-drive and 4WD

SUVs and trucks.

Identification: Aluminum case with two

engine bolt patterns, one for the 3.7 V-6,

and the other will bolt to 4.6, 5.0, 5.4, and

6.2 Ford Modular V-8s. The V-8 transmis-

sion can be adapted to the Ford Windsor

small-block pattern.

Ratios: 4.17:1 First , 2. 34:1 Second ,

1.57:1 Third, 1.14:1 Fourth, 0.87:1 Fifth,

0.69:1 Sixth, 3.4:1 Reverse.

AODE/4R70W

Overview: The AODE is an electronically

shifted evolution of the AOD transmission

introduced in 1991. In 1993 this trans-

mission was improved and renamed the

4R70W. Both require a computer controller.

Found In: 1992-2010 Ford Ford, Lincoln,

and Mercury rear-wheel-drive and 4WD

cars, trucks, and vans.

Identification: Similar to the AOD with

an attached cable for the computer con-

trols to enter the transmission.

Ratios: 2.84:1 First , 1.55:1 Second , 1:1

Third, 0.70:1 Fourth, 2.23:1 Reverse.

AODE/4R70W