What I Know About The New ZF Astronic Transmission
The ZF Astronic is a Ten
Speed Manual Transmission that shifts automatically.
To shift gears, it uses electronics and air pressure. The current transmissions we use shift gears using fluid, clutches,
and electronics.
The driver can select automatic or manual shift. You are encouraged to use only Automatic mode.
The ZF transmission WILL stall the engine if the driver forgets to downshift using the down arrow key in manual
mode.
The ZF will also, in manual mode, stay in the driver selected gear should the driver forget to manually upshift.
If the engine should stall, stop the coach, apply the park brake, turn the master switch off, then back on to reset the
transmission and engine electronics, and restart the engine. The ZF will automatically start in the Automatic mode, which
is where it should be, and it will shift up and down by itself.
The ZF transmission WILL “skip shifts” for peak performance and fuel economy.
This means the coach may start out in second gear, but it may very well skip third gear and go directly to fourth, and
this is expected. Don’t go writing it up as slipping.
The ZF gets better fuel mileage then the Allison B500, and is cheaper to run because it requires no filters or oil cooler,
and it lasts four times as long between fluid changes.
The gear selector is a touch pad and looks much like the one on the current transmissions. It should have a decal to the
right of it that reads “This Vehicle is Equipped with a ZF Transmission” It is located to the left of the driver,
near the wheelchair lift key and park brake push pull valve on the G coach.
