ZF launches direct manufacturer support & repair service for transmissions & driveline components to all off highway vehicle operators
ZFGB Direct delivers:
- Fault diagnosis by experts over the phone
- Site visits with full diagnosis reports
- Repair, replace and remanufacture
- Service Exchange partnerships with leading OEMs
- On-site health checks for your vehicle
- Access to worldwide parts database
- Driver training, either in-house or on-site
- Maintenance and service training
- Installation checks
- Full ZF manufacturers warranty
ZFGB Direct opens up direct manufacturer support & repair facilities to vehicle end users, owners, operators, & OEMs
ZFGB´s Off Highway division has launched ZFGB Direct, a comprehensive new service covering all its gearbox and transmission products. Available to OEMs, end users, owners and operators, the new service enables anyone who has a problem with a ZF transmission or driveline component to contact ZF directly at Nottingham.
Callers will receive free advice and initial fault diagnosis by experts over the phone; they will be able to book site visits to provide diagnosis reports, and arrange repairs, remanufacture or service exchange units to get their machines back into service, fast.
The objective of ZFGB Direct is to provide full life technical support and backup for transmissions and driveline components, helping to maintain the operating efficiency of off highway vehicles to reduce costs.
Around 40% of calls we receive detailing problems can be solved over the phone, so it pays to call us first. In most cases we can have vehicles up and running again in hours. In the event of a replacement part being needed, we have access to the entire ZF worldwide parts database. As added insurance against problems in the first instance, we can also check installations and offer on-site health checks to ensure that a vehicle´s transmission and driveline remains in perfect working order.
In the worst case scenario: transmission or driveline failure, ZFGB Direct offers vehicle operators the options of repair or remanufacture. Repair is usually the lower cost of these, but only – it must be said - in the short term.
Repair vs Remanufacture
The reason for this is that the term "repair" generally means rectifying that part, or parts, which have gone wrong. In the field under pressurised working conditions, this can mean quick replacement of components that have failed. However, this takes no account of what caused the failure initially.
Consequently, a failure may be rectified with a repair, only for it to occur again due to the original cause not being identified and put right.
The alternative of Remanufacture is far more comprehensive, and is recommended by ZF after many hours of analysing the error data from the black box TCU´s (transmission control units) used on ZF transmissions. This has convinced ZF that the remanufacture process is far more comprehensive and offers greater benefits to the off highway vehicle operator than simple repair.
This message has already been heeded by a number of major off highway manufacturers, who ship failed transmissions directly back to ZF and receive fully remanufactured and tested ones in their place. The major benefit of this procedure is that it reduces the overall time the off highway vehicle is standing idle and is far more cost efficient overall for the vehicle operator.
The process of remanufacture entails a unit being fully stripped to component level; all parts are then cleaned and inspected to factory standards, and any parts that need replacing are genuine parts to OEM standards. New bearings and any product updates or improvements are also included in the remanufacturing programme.
Units are reassembled to OEM standards and then fully load tested by ZF, for up to six hours on one of ZF´s purpose-built test rigs. Only then are they ready to be shipped back to the customer, complete with a ZF warranty.
Lifetime Support
With most non-manufacturer repair services, the shipping of the transmission or driveline component back to the customer would be the end of the process. However, ZFGB Direct is different; the comprehensive scope of the service includes the facility for an optional service of installation check to obviate any post installation problems.
The service involves the checking of transmission mountings, propshafts, engine connections and the operation of any direct interlocks or other safety functions. In addition, it also involves the ZF engineer responsible in installing the latest updated software in the transmission control unit.
The value of the service of installation check can be judged from the fact that, in over 75% of the cases where it has been applied, ZF has been able to point out things on the vehicle that are not right, or not working, and give information to the operator on how to correct them and, in consequence, extend transmission life.
The new dedicated contact phone number for ZFGB Direct is:
0115 851 5532
To contact us by e-mail there are 3 options:
- ohsales.zfgb_AT_zf.com (Be sure to change the _AT_ to @)
- info.zfgb_AT_zf.com (Be sure to change the _AT_ to @)
- our contact form
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