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SUVs Ford Explorer Ford Explorer Mercury Mountaineer 2005 and earlier
3320 messages, Last post on Oct 26, 2009 at 5:13 PM
You are in the Ford Explorer Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & tidester
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Well considering it's a joint venture, you could say it's both. It's a joint venture partnership and they have worked together, and now Ford has pretty much the upper hand over the organization. Here's another article that explains how Ford sort of...took over ZF... http://waw.wardsauto.com/ar/auto_ford_zf_no_2/ |
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Let me ask again: Is it built at a ZF plant, or a Ford plant? It can't be both. The issue of the bet is: Who physically owns the plant where the six-speed Navigator transmission is manufactured, and where is that plant? |
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That's the sticky part of the story. To make the story short, ZF is a huge international company specializing in drivetrain components for all possible applications from passenger cars, to trucks, to aviation. The Batavia plant (outside Cincinatti Ohio) was a joint venture between ZF (51% stake 4 years ago), and Ford (49%) stake. ZF was too slow working on the CVT, Ford just walked right on in and "assumed" 100% ownership. Ironically, Ford doesn't list this plant as one of there's on their website list of manufacturing plants. Neither does ZF. But Ford does control it since it's management personel, took over. Blue collar jobs weren't affected from the management transition, and ZF was passive over the situation. Now if prior to 1999, you were hired, then you were considered a Ford employee. If you were hired past 1999, then your considered "Batavia Transmission LLC employee". This same plant produces the automatic transmissions in the Escape/Mariner/Tribute. Now as to where the 6 Speed RWD tranny is built, depends where the unit is being shipped from. ZF has a few factories here in N.A., I believe the techinical center (head office) is Northville Michigan, although they do have another major factory in N.Carolina. The 6 speed RWD units (have different variations of them, depending upon the torque application of the engine mated to it)) are used in Jag S/XJ, Navi, LR's, and they supply to BMW and many other automakers as well. Where the specific transmission is being manufactured, will depend upon the sticker on the vehicle window. Some might be from U.S. plants, some might be Mexico, some might be from Europe. Obviously if one transmission plant is short on capacity, they'll shift and ship from another factory to one of Fords factories. ZF is already at the Ford Manufacturing Campus in Chiago, where the 500/Montego/FS are being built. It's a flexible manufacturing plant which Ford allows it's major suppliers to set up shop and build there, so parts are easily available for Ford vehicles. THAT shop supplies front and rear components for the 500/M/FS, as well as the transmission for the new Navi. So I guess it all comes down (to answer your question) with what the sticker will say. BUT if the sticker says Batavia Ohio, Cincinati, or Chicago, IL then consider it a Ford. |
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Thanks for making the story short. It could have been even shorter by omitting the discussion about the 500/Montego/FS CVT that has never been used in the Explorer/Mountaineer/Navigator. Actually, the issue is not at all sticky. The ZF 6-speed transmission used in the Explorer/Mountaineer/Navigator is manufactured by Ford. It's made under license from ZF at the Ford-owned Livonia Transmission Plant in Livonia, Michigan. It cannot come from the Batavia plant; it isn't tooled for the RWD 6-speed. |
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I understand that, but I thru in Batavia so you see the marriage of how their partnership together came to me. There's word that Batavia might manufacture the 6 speed units as well, when dropping the Escape transmission outputs. Livonia is reaching it's point of full capacity so other options are being studied. Did you win the bet though? |
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"There's word that Batavia might manufacture the 6 speed units as wel" Only the FWD version, not the RWD version. (The one we're discussing here) I won the bet. It was with myself. I bet that the following statement was incorrect, and its author wouldn't clarify the issue: "That is who builds the transmissions" Maybe I'm nit-picking, but I think it's important to know whether a component as significant as the transmission is built by Ford, or purchased from a supplier. |
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| In this case, joint collaboration wouldn't you say ? But how many would care who exactly would build the transmission ? I mean, as it is, some GM's feature chinese built engines and maybe that get an eyebrow raised for them doing so. | |
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| Thanks for the discussion. At any rate, the transmission as applied in the Navigator, is extraordinary to drive, and changes the dynamics, and personality of the whole truck in a positive way. When will this transmission be installed in the Explorer/Mountaineer? | |
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Explorer/Mountaineer get it, with floor-mount shift lever, with the 292 HP 3-valve 4.6 in 2006. I have one ordered. I appreciate your comments on your experience with it. The 4.0 L engine still gets the 5R55.
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