8-Speed ZF Transmission with Electronic Shift Lever for the JL Wrangler?

wayoflife

wayoflife

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Mr.TY just sent me a link to a new article in FOUR WHEELER and in it, they show photos of what will most likely be an 8-Speed ZF Transmission with electronic shift lever. Check it out.

The most anticipated 4x4 around the office (and judging by your questions the off-road world in general) is the next-generation Jeep Wrangler, due for 2018. We’ve seen spy shots of it cruising the streets of Detroit, found out it will offer a diesel and turbo 4-cylinder powertrain option, and learned it will be available in a truck configuration. The latest spy shot of the new Jeep suggests it will be packing the eight-speed ZF transmission with a electronic shift lever.

The new shifter spotted in the test mule Wrangler appears to be a gated shift selector, alleviating the gear selection concerns with the previous return-to-center shifter. The new eight-speed shifter also switches to a mechanical release button, giving a more traditional feel to latest iteration of this eight-speed transmission shifter. The new shifter still follows the same PRND pattern, with D having side-to-side actuation for manual gear selection.

While there has been no official word on if the new Jeep Wrangler JL will have this style shifter, it does show that the eight-speed ZF transmission will be in the next generation Wrangler. We’ve always been partial to the manual gearbox, but this could be great compromise that blends the new electronic shift technology with the feel of a traditional gated shifter.

http://www.fourwheeler.com/news/160...10154306329794343&adbpl=fb&adbpr=134572609342[/QUOTE]

Sure would suck to not have a manual transmission as an option on a Wrangler but maybe I'm just old school like that. What do you guys think?
 
Hope it works out. We've seen a ton of ZF valve body issues on German cars and LandRovers over the years. Hope they've worked out the bugs.
 
Well, guess I'll look at used 15's/16's when it comes time to get another one in a couple years. Haven't heard anything decent from the new trans departments. Friend has the EcoDiesel pickup, went into limp mode and was not able to get to park, or neutral. Had a dumb connector get tore off the bottom of his pickup and caused all the trouble!

Even though I would not get a manual, it would suck to see it as an option no longer available.
 
I personally like a manual, it makes me feel like I have more control over the mannerisms of my vehicle, that being said I can't really knock the auto I have now. I do find myself using the "manual" shifting option when playing in the rocks and mud though. Not sure how I feel about the 8spd, I thought they were having issues with it in the grand Cherokee? Mpg should be better though.
 
I have a lot of experience driving both manual and automatic transmissions. I have only limited experience driving manual transmissions while rock crawling. However, those times I was rock crawling, I was doing so with limited gearing and really a insufficient rig. So maybe I am being unfair, but I gotta say how impressed I am with the 5 speed Automatic transmission I have now in my 2016 Rubicon. I can very easily control so many things since I have the proper gearing for my 37 inch tires. I can get it down to 1st gear and it will hold there, no problem. Then I can rest on rocks still in gear and contemplate my next move, and so on and so forth. I guess I lack enough experience with a proper rig to truly understand how a manual is worthy of the automatic transmission. As far as I am concerned, I love my automatic and would not feel broken hearted if we lost the manual. I wonder if a poll is out there regarding the manual vs. automatic debate, as in, how many manuals are there versus automatic. With the huge advancements in automatics, we are not long talking "dyna-slush" shifting.
 
I've always owned manuals until my current 2012 JKUR. I'm not 100% sure I'd go back now. In some situations it's almost like cheating.
 
There are two versions of the 8 speed ZF transmission. The heavy duty version goes in the with the Eco-diesel and the Hemi. The lighter duty unit goes with the 3.6L in the GC. I hope the Wrangler is getting the better unit. Me I'd rather have the 5 speed in a Wrangler if I were going to buy an AT version.
 
I've thought for a while my next Wrangler might be my first automatic, this will probably seal the deal. Not sure I'm down with the shifter though, I'm sure I can get used to it.

Man, now that it is a real possibility I am having second thoughts (already). I am picturing driving on the road and am losing some of that enthusiasm, on the trail I think it will be great. I feel like an eggo (starting to waffle on the whole automatic thing) now, I will have to wait until it comes out and drive one....
 
NevadaZielmeister said:
Is this the same transmission that killed Anton Yelchin, aka "Chekhov" and many others?
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ttfhell said:
Many others?
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You know what, I misspoke. I finally got behind a real computer just now. It appears it was only related to one death, but many other injuries. My apologies, here is the link: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160623006305/en/Hagens-Berman-Jeep-Grand-Cherokee-Owners-Sue

So in this research that I just conducted it would appear this is the very same transmission, but I could be wrong. Maybe someone with more in-depth knowledge can confirm. If it is true, that this is the ZF transmission that is related to so many recalls (811,000!!), then I am glad I got my JK now, just saying.
 
ttfhell said:
Many others?
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This because Chrysler screws with the programming and thinks they know how to de it better then Mercedes and bmw so they hire Chinese to do the programming for them on the cheap. I have a zf in my LR and I have had zero issues I love it. Shit I would be happy putting my LR tranny in my jk if I could. Lol nice thing that LR gets is a slip gear so you can control it like a manual drive to reverse so you can rock it back and forth say if your stuck in the mud.
 
First year in a new platform for the ZF. I will wait on the reports and let others be the test mules. I'm loving my Nag1 more and more.
 
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In my opinion they keep getting further and further away from people that want a jeep just go wheel and go where they want. Maybe its just me but the less electronics the better. Id hate to get out in the middle of know where and be completely screwed when my electronic shifter decided to take a crap.
 
Grubbicon said:
In my opinion they keep getting further and further away from people that want a jeep just go wheel and go where they want. Maybe its just me but the less electronics the better. Id hate to get out in the middle of know where and be completely screwed when my electronic shifter decided to take a crap.
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People who modify a jeep to wheel are like 1% of total sales. Why would they cater to that market?
 
Grubbicon said:
In my opinion they keep getting further and further away from people that want a jeep just go wheel and go where they want. Maybe its just me but the less electronics the better. Id hate to get out in the middle of know where and be completely screwed when my electronic shifter decided to take a crap.
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What's funny about this logic is. With every new version of the wrangler it's leaps and bounds more capable than its predecessor.

So how again do they (chry/fiat) get further away from what people want? Which is a more capable wrangler.
 
OverlanderJK said:
People who modify a jeep to wheel are like 1% of total sales. Why would they cater to that market?
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Disagree completely. The people who modify their Jeeps is more like 50%. Also, It is the Jeep off roaders who keep the Jeep mystique alive, much like the Harley Davidson bikers keep Harley Davidsons around. Should HD ever neglect their base of hard core fans, they would implode and disappear.

Edit: make that more at 85% who offroad, which further supports people modifying their Jeeps http://www.crowleychryslerjeepdodge.com/blog/2013/july/29/jeep-wrangler-is-still-offroad-king.htm
 
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NevadaZielmeister said:
Disagree completely. The people who modify their Jeeps is more like 50%. Also, It is the Jeep off roaders who keep the Jeep mystique alive, much like the Harley Davidson bikers keep Harley Davidsons around. Should HD ever neglect their base of hard core fans, they would implode and disappear.
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Lol you are high as a kite. Jeep has sold well over 1 million JK's. There are not 500k out there being wheeled.

And you can disagree all you want. It is fact that off-roaders are a small percentage of wrangler sales. And comparing wrangler sales to Harley sales are not the same.
 
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