COMPREHENSIVE ZF RANGE FOR COMMERCIAL VEHICLE CLUTCH SERVICE

The TraXon automatic commercial vehicle transmission with 12 or 16 gears is the most widely used system in young vehicle heavy trucks on the European market. In addition to major brands in the truck sector, many bus manufacturers also use this transmission system. In series production since 2014 as the successor to the AS-Tronic model, vehicles with this type of transmission are increasingly appearing in independent truck workshops.

Although automatic actuation significantly reduces clutch wear compared with earlier manual truck transmissions, the friction clutch of the TraXon is still a wearing part. The service life depends to a large extent on the usage profile: In long-distance traffic, a mileage of up to one million kilometers is possible in view of the comparatively few starting and shifting operations. Conversely, in heavy construction site traffic a change may be necessary after just 250,000 kilometers.

A significant difference compared to the predecessor model, AS-Tronic, is in the clutch actuation. The TraXon transmission is always equipped with ConAct, a concentric pneumatic release cylinder that has replaced conventional clutch actuation by release lever. The system automatically determines the optimum release position; the vehicle electronics gently regulate the actuation. This eliminates the risk of clutch overload by the driver.

Nevertheless, changing the clutch on TraXon is a very similar process to that of a conventional commercial vehicle transmission. However, it should be noted that during any work on the clutch, on the ConAct and when removing the transmission, the pneumatic pressure in the ConAct system must be released via the bleed screw provided for this purpose before disassembling the clutch.

To detect damage or wear at an early stage and thus minimize unscheduled workshop visits, there is an optional predictive maintenance function for the transmission system. This enables fleet operators to keep a constant eye on the condition of critical individual components such as transmission oil or clutch discs and to plan maintenance in advance. This reduces costs and at the same time extends the service life of the transmission.

But ZF Aftermarket not only offers spare parts for its own transmissions. Rather, ZF is also the most important supplier of clutches for those truck manufacturers that produce their own transmissions. Even for models that were equipped with a clutch from another supplier as original equipment, aftermarket components in OE quality can be found in the ZF program. At ZF Aftermarket, OE technical innovations find their way into the independent aftermarket particularly quickly. No later than two years after the start of production, these are available as spare parts for all independent operations. One example is the new clutch discs with a torsional damper adapted to the latest generations of engines.

Workshops can find out for which commercial vehicle manufacturers and specific truck and bus models the TraXon clutches are available at aftermarket.zf.com. The simple search function in the redesigned Online Product Catalog is based on the Tecdoc system and makes it easy to search by part number or by the vehicle's manufacturer and type code number. In addition, further product information and installation instructions are available for download, and training courses can be booked via the ZF Aftermarket online portal.

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