ZF champions future skills with Hands-On Transmission training

ZF Aftermarket has delivered a specialist training session to Level 2 and Level 3 light vehicle repair students at Liverpool City College, offering a valuable deep-dive into the fundamentals of automatic transmission systems.

Led by Stuart McLeod, ZF Aftermarket Technical Support & Training Lead, the session focused on L1 transmission training, guiding students through the core principles, components and servicing techniques involved in ZF automatic transmissions,  a vital area of knowledge for technicians working with modern vehicles.

“During the day of training, we went through the fundamental operation of a ZF automatic transmission,” said McLeod. “We covered the basic types of transmission, how to identify them, and the internal design, including torque converters, oil pumps, wet clutches, and planetary gear sets. These are the real-world systems technicians are encountering every day in the workshop.”

Students were introduced to the operation of torque converters as a fluid coupling between engine and gearbox, as well as the oil pump’s role in supplying pressure to key components in hydro-dynamic systems. McLeod guided students through how clutches and brakes engage to control the rotation of planetary gear sets, which deliver the different drive ratios.

A highlight of the training was a section on ZF’s latest generation transmissions, featuring an integrated Transmission Control Unit (TCU) and valve body, a complete unit known as the mechatronic. Students learned how the mechatronic module controls gear selection with precision and responsiveness, combining hydraulic and electronic controls in a compact, high-performance system.

The importance of correct servicing procedures was also emphasised, with McLeod outlining the critical role that manufacturer-approved transmission fluids play in maintaining performance, protecting components, and avoiding costly failures.