Ford 6R transmission

6R
Automatic Transmission ZF 6HP 26 cutaway
Overview
Manufacturer	Ford Motor Company
Production	2005–present
Model years	2005–present
Body and chassis
Class	6-speed longitudinal automatic transmission
Related	GM 6L ZF 6HP Aisin AWTF-80 SC
Chronology
Predecessor	Ford AOD
Successor	Ford 10R80

The 6R is a six-speed automatic transmission for longitudinal engine placement in rear-wheel drive vehicles. It is based on the ZF 6HP26 transmission^[1] and has been built under license by the Ford Motor Company at its Livonia Transmission plant in Livonia, Michigan. The 6R debuted in 2005 for the 2006 model year Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer.

The 6R 80 was available in 2009–2017 Ford F-150 trucks (and 2018–2020 only paired with the 3.3L V6 engine). It features an integrated "Tow/Haul" mode for enhanced engine braking and towing performance. For the 2011 model year, the transmission was revised to provide smoother shifts, improved fuel economy, and overall better shift performance. Most notable of the improvements was the addition of a one-way clutch that provided smoother 1–2 up-shifts and 2–1 down-shifts. The transmission has a relatively low 1st gear and two overdrive gears, the highest of which is 0.69:1. This provides exceptional towing performance when needed, while maximizing fuel economy by offering low engine speeds while cruising.

The 6R 80 can be found behind the 3.7L V6 all the way up to the 6.2L V8. Ford has stated that while the transmission is used in multiple applications, each transmission is optimized and integrated differently depending on the engine it is mated to. The 6R 80 features "Filled for Life" low viscosity synthetic transmission fluid (MERCON LV), though a fluid flush is recommended at 150,000 miles if your truck falls under the classification of "Severe Duty" operation. The transmission, as used in the Ford F-150, has a fluid capacity of 13.1 quarts and weighs 215 lbs.

A conventional planetary gearset and a compound Ravigneaux gearset is combined in a Lepelletier gear mechanism,^[2] to reduce both the size and weight. It was first realized with the 6HP from ZF Friedrichshafen. Like all transmissions realized with Lepelletier transmissions, the 6R also dispenses with the use of the direct gear ratio, making it one of the very few automatic transmission concepts without such a ratio.

It also has the capability to achieve torque converter lock-up on all six forward gears, and disengage it completely when at a standstill, significantly closing the fuel efficiency gap between automatic and manual transmissions.

In-Depth Gear Ratios

With Assessment[a][b]		Planetary Gearset: Teeth[c] Lepelletier Gear Mechanism			Count	Total	Avg.
		Simple	Ravigneaux
Manufacturer Model	Version First Delivery	S1[d] R1[e]	S2[f] R2[g]	S3[h] R3[i]	Brakes Clutches	Ratio Span	Gear Step[j]
Gear Ratio	R ${\displaystyle {i_{R}}}$	1 ${\displaystyle {i_{1}}}$	2 ${\displaystyle {i_{2}}}$	3 ${\displaystyle {i_{3}}}$	4 ${\displaystyle {i_{4}}}$	5 ${\displaystyle {i_{5}}}$	6 ${\displaystyle {i_{6}}}$
Step	${\displaystyle -{\tfrac {i_{R}}{i_{1}}}}$[k]	${\displaystyle {\tfrac {i_{1}}{i_{1}}}}$	${\displaystyle {\tfrac {i_{1}}{i_{2}}}}$[l]	${\displaystyle {\tfrac {i_{2}}{i_{3}}}}$	${\displaystyle {\tfrac {i_{3}}{i_{4}}}}$	${\displaystyle {\tfrac {i_{4}}{i_{5}}}}$	${\displaystyle {\tfrac {i_{5}}{i_{6}}}}$
Step 2[m]			${\displaystyle {\tfrac {i_{1}}{i_{2}}}:{\tfrac {i_{2}}{i_{3}}}}$	${\displaystyle {\tfrac {i_{2}}{i_{3}}}:{\tfrac {i_{3}}{i_{4}}}}$	${\displaystyle {\tfrac {i_{3}}{i_{4}}}:{\tfrac {i_{4}}{i_{5}}}}$	${\displaystyle {\tfrac {i_{4}}{i_{5}}}:{\tfrac {i_{5}}{i_{6}}}}$
Shaft Speed	${\displaystyle {\tfrac {i_{1}}{i_{R}}}}$	${\displaystyle {\tfrac {i_{1}}{i_{1}}}}$	${\displaystyle {\tfrac {i_{1}}{i_{2}}}}$	${\displaystyle {\tfrac {i_{1}}{i_{3}}}}$	${\displaystyle {\tfrac {i_{1}}{i_{4}}}}$	${\displaystyle {\tfrac {i_{1}}{i_{5}}}}$	${\displaystyle {\tfrac {i_{1}}{i_{6}}}}$
Δ Shaft Speed	${\displaystyle 0-{\tfrac {i_{1}}{i_{R}}}}$	${\displaystyle {\tfrac {i_{1}}{i_{1}}}-0}$	${\displaystyle {\tfrac {i_{1}}{i_{2}}}-{\tfrac {i_{1}}{i_{1}}}}$	${\displaystyle {\tfrac {i_{1}}{i_{3}}}-{\tfrac {i_{1}}{i_{2}}}}$	${\displaystyle {\tfrac {i_{1}}{i_{4}}}-{\tfrac {i_{1}}{i_{3}}}}$	${\displaystyle {\tfrac {i_{1}}{i_{5}}}-{\tfrac {i_{1}}{i_{4}}}}$	${\displaystyle {\tfrac {i_{1}}{i_{6}}}-{\tfrac {i_{1}}{i_{5}}}}$
Ford 6R 60 · 6R 80	600 N⋅m (443 lb⋅ft) · 2005 800 N⋅m (590 lb⋅ft) · 2005	37 71	31 38	38 85	2 3	6.0354	1.4327[j]
Gear Ratio	−3.4025[k] ${\displaystyle -{\tfrac {4,590}{1,349}}}$	4.1708 ${\displaystyle {\tfrac {9,180}{2,201}}}$	2.3397[l] ${\displaystyle {\tfrac {211,140}{90,241}}}$	1.5211 ${\displaystyle {\tfrac {108}{71}}}$	1.1428[n][o] ${\displaystyle {\tfrac {9,180}{8,033}}}$	0.8672 ${\displaystyle {\tfrac {4,590}{5,293}}}$	0.6911 ${\displaystyle {\tfrac {85}{123}}}$
Step	0.8158[k]	1.0000	1.7826[l]	1.5382	1.3311	1.3178	1.2549
Step 2[m]			1.1589	1.1559	1.0101[n]	1.0502
Speed	–1.2258	1.0000	1.7826	2.7419	3.6497	4.8096	6.0354
Δ Speed	1.2258	1.0000	0.7826	0.9593	0.9078[o]	1.1599	1.2258
Ford 6R 140	1,400 N⋅m (1,033 lb⋅ft) 2005	49 95	37 47	47 97	2 3	5.8993	1.4261[j]
Gear Ratio	−3.1283[k] ${\displaystyle -{\tfrac {13,968}{4,485}}}$	3.9738 ${\displaystyle {\tfrac {13,968}{3,515}}}$	2.3181[l][n] ${\displaystyle {\tfrac {8,148}{3,515}}}$	1.5158 ${\displaystyle {\tfrac {144}{95}}}$	1.1492[n][o] ${\displaystyle {\tfrac {13,968}{12,155}}}$	0.8585 ${\displaystyle {\tfrac {13,968}{16,271}}}$	0.6736 ${\displaystyle {\tfrac {97}{144}}}$
Step	0.7872[k]	1.0000	1.7143[l]	1.5293	1.3190	1.3389	1.2744
Step 2[m]			1.1210[n]	1.1594	0.9854[n]	1.0504
Speed	–1.2703	1.0000	1.7143	2.6216	3.4580	4.6290	5.8993
Δ Speed	1.2703	1.0000	0.7143	0.9073	0.8364[o]	1.1710	1.2703
ZF 6HP	All[b] · 2000[p]	37 71	31 38	38 85	2 3	6.0354	1.4327[j]
Ratio	−3.4025[k]	4.1708	2.3397[l]	1.5211	1.1428[n][o]	0.8672	0.6911
Ratio R & Even	${\displaystyle -{\tfrac {R_{3}(S_{1}+R_{1})}{R_{1}S_{3}}}}$	${\displaystyle {\tfrac {R_{3}(S_{1}+R_{1})(S_{2}+R_{2})}{R_{1}S_{2}(S_{3}+R_{3})}}}$		${\displaystyle {\tfrac {R_{2}R_{3}(S_{1}+R_{1})}{R_{2}R_{3}(S_{1}+R_{1})-S_{1}S_{2}S_{3}}}}$		${\displaystyle {\tfrac {R_{3}}{S_{3}+R_{3}}}}$
Ratio Odd	${\displaystyle {\tfrac {R_{2}R_{3}(S_{1}+R_{1})}{R_{1}S_{2}S_{3}}}}$		${\displaystyle {\tfrac {S_{1}+R_{1}}{R_{1}}}}$		${\displaystyle {\tfrac {R_{3}(S_{1}+R_{1})}{R_{3}(S_{1}+R_{1})+S_{1}S_{3}}}}$
Algebra And Actuated Shift Elements
Brake A[q]		❶	❶	❶	❶
Brake B[r]	❶			❶		❶
Clutch C[s]			❶				❶
Clutch D[t]	❶	❶
Clutch E[u]					❶	❶	❶
^ All 6R-transmissions are based on the Lepelletier gear mechanism, first realized in the ZF 6HP gearbox ^ a b Other gearboxes using the Lepelletier gear mechanism see infobox ^ Layout • Input and output are on opposite sides • Planetary gearset 1 is on the input (turbine) side • Input shafts are R1 and, if actuated, C2/C3 (the combined carrier of the compound Ravigneaux gearset 2 and 3) • Output shaft is R3 (ring gear of gearset 3: outer Ravigneaux gearset) ^ Sun 1: sun gear of gearset 1 ^ Ring 1: ring gear of gearset 1 ^ Sun 2: sun gear of gearset 2: inner Ravigneaux gearset ^ Ring 2: ring gear of gearset 2: inner Ravigneaux gearset ^ Sun 3: sun gear of gearset 3: outer Ravigneaux gearset ^ Ring 3: ring gear of gearset 3: outer Ravigneaux gearset ^ a b c d Standard 50/50: 50/50 are above/below average step With consistently falling gear steps (row highlighted in yellow), the lower half of them (rounded down, here the first three) is always larger and the upper half of them (rounded up, here the last four) is always smaller than the average gear step (cell highlighted in yellow two rows above). Deviating gear steps (red bold) indicate an unfavorable gearset selection ^ a b c d e f Standard REV: reverse gear is similar to 1st gear Reverse and 1st gear should have the same ratio. Plus 11 % minus 10 % compared to 1st gear is good, plus 25 % minus 20 % is acceptable (red); even larger deviations (bold) can impair the driving experience, especially when towing a trailer. A torque converter can only partially compensate for this deficiency ^ a b c d e f Standard FIRST: gear step 1st to 2nd gear With consistently falling gear steps, the largest gear step is the one from the 1st to the 2nd gear, although it should be limited for a smooth gear shift. A ratio step of up to 5 : 3 (1.6667 : 1) is good, up to 7 : 4 (1.7500 : 1) is acceptable (red); above (bold) is unsatisfactory ^ a b c From right to left ^ a b c d e f g Standard SECOND: 2nd degree steps above 1 With consistently rising (from right to left) gear steps, each 2nd degree step (first row highlighted in green) is larger than 1. Smaller than its predecessor is acceptable (red); smaller than 1 (bold) is unsatisfactory ^ a b c d e Standard SPEED: shaft speed difference increase One difference that runs counter to the consistent increase in shaft speed differences (second row highlighted in green) is acceptable (red); two consecutive ones (bold) indicate an unfavorable gearset selection ^ First gearbox on the market to use the Lepelletier gear mechanism for comparison purposes only ^ Blocks R2 and S3 ^ Blocks C2 (carrier 2) and C3 (carrier 3) ^ Couples C1 (carrier 1) and S2 ^ Couples C1 (carrier 1) with R2 and S3 ^ Couples R1 with C2 (carrier 2) and C3 (carrier 3)

• 2006–2008 Ford Explorer/Mercury Mountaineer w/ 4.6L V8

• 2007–2008 Ford Expedition

• 2009–2017 Ford F-150 (except 2017 with 3.5L EcoBoost)
• 2018–2020 Ford F-150 3.3L
• 2009–2018 Ford Expedition/Lincoln Navigator
• 2009–2010 Mercury Mountaineer
• 2011–2016 Ford Territory (SZ TCDi)^[3]
• 2011–2017 Ford Mustang V6, GT, 2015–2017 EcoBoost
• 2011–present Ford Ranger (on 3.2L and 2.2L single-turbo diesel engines)
• 2011–present Mazda BT-50 (on 3.2L and 2.2L single-turbo diesel engines)
• 2015–present Ford Everest (on 3.2L and 2.2L single-turbo diesel engines)
• 2015–2019 Ford Transit

• List of Ford transmissions

• "Ford Shifting Six-Speeds into High Gear". Ford Motor Company press release. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved February 7, 2006.
• "2009 F-150 Technical Specifications". Ford Motor Company presskit. Archived from the original on September 29, 2008. Retrieved November 10, 2008.