Safety Warning
DIY auto repair can cause serious injury, fire, or vehicle damage. These guides are for informational purposes only. Always follow OEM torque specs, wear PPE, and consult a certified mechanic if you are unsure. You are solely responsible for your safety.
Planetary Gearset: Notes
This transaxle has 3 planetary gearsets to provide operation in reverse and 6 forward speeds.
The gearsets are comprised of the following components:
- Front planetary sun gear (part of the front sun gear and shell assembly)
- Front planetary carrier
- Front planetary ring gear
- Center planetary sun gear
- Center planetary carrier
- Center planetary ring gear
- Rear planetary ring gear
- Rear planetary carrier
- Rear planetary sun gear and shell assembly
The front planetary sun gear is splined to the forward (1, 2, 3, 4) clutch and is held stationary in 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th gears.
The front planetary carrier is splined to the rear planetary ring gear and transfers power from the rear planetary gearset to the front planetary gearset in 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th gears and reverse. The front planetary carrier is splined to the drive chain drive sprocket. The front planetary carrier is the output component for the planetary gearset.
The front planetary ring gear is splined to the center planetary carrier and transfers power from the center planetary gearset to the front planetary gearset in 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th gears.
The center planetary sun gear is splined to the input shaft and is used as input to the planetary gearsets in 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th gear.
The center planetary ring gear is splined to the rear planetary carrier and transfers power from the center planetary gearset to the rear planetary gearset in 3rd gear, from the rear planetary gearset to the center planetary gearset in 4th gear and is held stationary by the low One-Way Clutch (OWC) and low/reverse clutch in 1st gear and reverse.
The rear planetary carrier is splined to the Overdrive (O/D) (4, 5, 6) clutch hub and transfers power from the input shaft to the rear planetary carrier in 4th, 5th and 6th gears.
The rear planetary sun gear and shell assembly is splined to both the intermediate (2, 6) clutch and the direct (3, 5, R) clutch. The rear planetary sun gear and shell assembly is held stationary by the intermediate (2, 6) clutch in 2nd and 6th gear and is driven by the direct (3, 5, R) clutch in 3rd and 5th gears and reverse.
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When to See a Mechanic
Stop DIY work and contact a certified mechanic immediately if any of the following apply:
- • You smell fuel, burning insulation, or see smoke.
- • Brakes feel soft, pull hard to one side, or make grinding noises.
- • The engine overheats, stalls repeatedly, or misfires under load.
- • You are missing required tools, torque specs, or safe lifting equipment.
- • You are not confident in the next step or safety outcome.