ZF 8 speed automatic transmission review

[bgj1010]

The 8 speed in my JLU is the first automatic transmission I have ever loved. It is nearly perfect, imo.
The only time I don’t love it is in low range. It is very, very fond of 3rd gear in 4L. Reluctant to shift in either direction, but especially down. You have to almost stop for it to shift to 2nd, and it won’t choose 1st under any circumstances.
I don’t mind though. I’d just as soon choose my gears in low range anyway, and once I got the hang of it, shifting in manual became natural.
I spend an hour or 2 most every morning in low range, running my dogs on the hunting lease.
I like to use 4L, as it gives me a full range of gears under 20mph, rather than just 2 or 3.

When you shift manually from 1 to 2 mainly, sometimes 2 to 3, does yours tend to lurch forward on the shift? Mine will, just for a sec when my foot doesn't change position at all. I'm relatively new to 4LO. Usually 4HI gets me by good enough.

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[laueddy]

Just want to say I agree, that's how my M235i was like. When I had 6 speed stick shift, it's more common that I would go from 4th or 5th gear directly to 3rd which is essentially push forward to down shift.

Litebrite mentioned this in one of their videos. Apparently, race car transmissions are programmed the same way. The idea being that as you are accelerating, you’re pushed back in the seat, so pulling back to up shift is more natural. Conversely, during braking, you’re leaning forward, so downshifting is more natural with a push. Seems logical enough. Of course, doubt the forces a Jeep will ever produce will ever have us struggling to make a shift . Interesting that they thought of it, though.

Litebrite mentioned this in one of their videos. Apparently, race car transmissions are programmed the same way. The idea being that as you are accelerating, you’re pushed back in the seat, so pulling back to up shift is more natural. Conversely, during braking, you’re leaning forward, so downshifting is more natural with a push. Seems logical enough. Of course, doubt the forces a Jeep will ever produce will ever have us struggling to make a shift . Interesting that they thought of it, though.

 

[loiacki]

Love my auto. So smooth you dont know it's shifting and the reason I turned on the option to see what gear I'm in. It's crazy good.

I dont mind the way the manual works, makes sense to me and I only use it when wheeling. I have bumped it into manual by mistake and it freaked me out when it wasnt shifting. That would be my only complaint on it, but it only happened the one time.

How did you turn on that option? Did you have to use a Tazer or other programmer?

 

[pablo_max3045]

How did you turn on that option? Did you have to use a Tazer or other programmer?

Use the steering wheel controls for the dash display settings. The option is in there. Just a tiny number next to D.

 

[Outlaw]

How did you turn on that option? Did you have to use a Tazer or other programmer?

Do a YouTube search. There is a video of how to do it by Jeep informant.

 

[#diesel]

I have been in the tire business my whole life which has allowed me to drive hundreds of vehicles and test tires on race tracks and off road. The automatic transmission in our New Wrangler is the best auto I’ve ever driven except the Porsche PDK. The 8 to 7 shift on the highway, with 295/70/17 mt’s is seamless. I’ve been off-road twice with the new Jeep and I will never own a manual for wheelin again (last Jeep was 78 cj-5).

List of all the vehicles and variants of the ZF8HP used: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZF_8HP_transmission

Updated May 2, 2019 with review by Engineering Explained:

Very informative video. I also liked what he said at the end. I too would always opt for the manual transmission, if offered.
About 3,500 miles on my ‘19 JLUR and this six-speed is incredibly smooth, has a great crawl ratio and hopefully the reliability will match the fun factor.

 

[texasyj2009]

I am very happy with mine. I didnt buy a JK a few years back because I just couldnt bring myself to owning such a dog. Test drove a JL and bought it the same day. 5k miles later, I still love it.

I absolutely refused to buy a JK. I almost bought a 4runner until I saw them coming out with the JL. Just got my JLUR and love it so far.

 

[Paluss]

Better than P-Car PDK? Thats a bold statement!!! Hope you are right!!!

I own both, and the 8 speed is a really nice auto, but hard to compare it to the PDK since the the PDK is a double clutch transmission. The PDK is a racing transmission and the 8 speed is not. In comparison the PDK shifts are lighting quick probably shifts 10x faster and somehow seems to be in the right gear all the time. The PDK is proving to be durable and take the abuse of constant "launch Control" starts:

 

[WXman]

Litebrite mentioned this in one of their videos. Apparently, race car transmissions are programmed the same way. The idea being that as you are accelerating, you’re pushed back in the seat, so pulling back to up shift is more natural. Conversely, during braking, you’re leaning forward, so downshifting is more natural with a push. Seems logical enough. Of course, doubt the forces a Jeep will ever produce will ever have us struggling to make a shift . Interesting that they thought of it, though.

This "FORWARD LOW" MOVEMENT GOES BACK--OVER 80 YEARS, starting with manual tranny's--

If you're in neutral--go left-FORWARD/UP TO 1ST--it's the OLD WAY--we've always done it THAT WAY-IT'S NATURAL, NOT NEW !

W.E.

JIMBO

Just about every sports car does it this way, and is the way it should be imo, even for a truck, haha. Porsche screwed this up with their PDK initially and then fixed it around 2016/7. My 2015 Turbo S had it backwards (up to upshift and down to downshift) which was annoying but since it had paddles, I never used the shifter.

The ZF is an amazing transmission, it was particularly brilliant in my previous AR Giulia QV with Alfa’s tuning. I also prefer the ZF in the JL to the 10sp in the Raptor that I just traded for the JL. The 10sp upshifted wonderfully but downshifted terribly. When it downshifted, it would literally lunge the truck forward rather than slow it down. It was as if they couldn’t figure out the rev matching. And I felt 10 speeds was just too many, even 8 is pushing it.

I also agree with pulling (down) for up-shifts and pushing (up) for downshifts, I see it as pull and push on the stick more than up and down and it is much more natural to pull it towards you to shift up. I've felt like this from my first drive in an auto with a sequential shifter... That car had it backwards (push for up-shift) and it immediately felt wrong even with no prior experience.

You're thinking about it wrong. Forward IS down. Forward is relative to the plane on which the lever/switch is placed. So for the shifter, forward is forward. On the steering wheel, forward is up. Think push=down, pull=up. Same in aircraft, every piece of construction equipment, every mechanical or hydraulic control ever. Every joystick control ever.
The shifter is correct!
It's not like an old auto trans position shifter, it's like a high performance ratchet shifter. That is what lite brite was referring to and she's correct.

Naaa... they got it all wrong. Up (forward) should be for an upshift, down (rearward) should be for a downshift. It's all wrong in this Jeep.

At least Four Wheeler magazine gets it!

 

[Chemy350]

I've been working for Porsche since before the PDK came out in 2009. I agree with this statement, aside from the PDK, this is possibly the best on the market, unbelievable job. If in time, it ends up being as bullet proof as the PDK, we will all be very pleased.

 

[Chocolate Thunder]

Anyone whose ever driven a race car with a sequential manual transmission, or ever seen one driven, knows that bumping forward is to downshift and pulling backward is to upshift. I believe that everyone will agree that this guy knows his way around a transmission. Watch and learn.

 

[rogisilva]

Naaa... they got it all wrong. Up (forward) should be for an upshift, down (rearward) should be for a downshift. It's all wrong in this Jeep.

At least Four Wheeler magazine gets it!

Gawsh Darn it! I should have read that magazine before ordering!

My JLUR arrived next week. Now I guess I will have to cancel my order. I won't be seen in no backwards shifting monstrosity.

 

[cosine]

i think the 8 speed auto is a great trans. better than the 5 speed auto i had in my 07 grand cherokee.

 

[Jeep Junkie]

Yes, I love my 8 spd.

 

[Fatbob Frank]

My first Wrangler was a 2014 JKU 3.6L auto.
I can safely say this 8spd is considerably better than the 5 spd it replaced.
I also had it in a 2018 Grand Cherokee
Again in our 2022 Grand Cherokee
And my 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie
And there's even one in my 2021 Ram Power Wagon...
They have been outstanding transmissions IMO and that's having run them in several different platforms...

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