When cars with front-wheel drive arrived, transaxle design gained more importance. It connected the transmission directly to the drive wheels, eliminating the driveshaft.
And, Hydro Gear is a popular brand that creates transaxles. So, this gets people asking “how much oil does a Hydro Gear transaxle take?”
However, transaxles today aren’t limited to vehicles with front-wheel drive or front engines only.
Volkswagen Beetle is a well-known vehicle that’s known for using a transaxle with rear-wheel drive and a rear engine.
What is a Transaxle?
The word “transaxle” is a combination of the words “driven axle” and “transmission.”
That describes its function of transferring power from the engine through driven axles to the drive wheels. This also enables changing gear ratios by the driver.
In other words, it combines the axle, transmission, and differential in a single box.
A Quick Look at the History
Transaxles have recently gone widespread in the automobile industry but they have been there since the start.
The earliest known use of a transaxle dates back to 1898 when it was used in De Dion Bouton. In 1914, Soutz used a front-engine, rear-wheel drive transaxle.
Bugatti in 1929 and Volkswagen Beetle in 1938 are among other vehicles that used transaxle. However, the first known use in the US was in the ‘60s by Chevrolet.
Later, Quatro turble coupe by Audi in 1981 marked the first use of a four-wheel drive transaxle. Ford, Mitsubishi, and Nissan followed the suit in the same decade.
Transmission Oil
A transmission system in a vehicle transfers the power its engine generates to the wheels for movement.
Continuous friction for this power transmission could deteriorate the moving metal parts. Here, a transmission oil ensures smooth power transfer without wear and tear.
And this choice depends on various things like transmission type, manufacturer, and other factors.
Plus, the design and manufacturer guidelines can help you know how much oil does a Hydro Gear transaxle take?
Transmission oil (or fluid) is a lubricant for the transmission system’s metal bearings and other parts. It also prevents overheating of the gear system.
Transmission Oil Types
The choice of fluid varies majorly on the type of transmission – automatic or manual.
Manual Transmission Oil
The traditional version of transmission fluids, manual transmission oil is popular with old models of engines and vehicles.
For better system protection, this oil should have additives for load carrying and anti-wear features.
Thicker than automatic transmission oils, manual ones are not suitable for automatic vehicles. Moreover, new manual transmission vehicles also use oils for automatics.
Brown to amber shade and highly intense smell are common characteristics of manual transmission oils.
Automatic Transmission Oil
Automatic transmission fluids are suitable for power serving systems and automatic transmission vehicles.
Automatic transmission oils are usually red and thinner than manual ones. But manufacturers may use different colors for their automatic transmission oils.
Color-coding a transmission oil sets it apart from other fluids like engine oil. Also, keeping it translucent red helps identify fluid leaks and contaminants easily.
Transmission Oil Characteristics
A transmission oil also combines additives with the base oil similar to other fluids. These additives improve the efficacy and protection of the transmission system.
Some characteristics that are essential of a transmission oil include:
- Low Viscosity: This enables transmission fluids to flow freely and lubricate various parts of the system
- Viscosity Stability: Due to this, the thickness of transmission oil is kept intact under different temperatures
- Heat Resistance: Low viscosity also reduces the boiling point of transmission oils, needing heat stabilizers for enhancement. This enables them to serve as coolants.
- Protection from Deposit Build-up: Certain additives in transmission fluids like dispersant and detergent prevent the deposit from building up within the components.
- Foam Prevention: In addition, these oils also contain anti-foaming additives. These protect reduction in system performance by preventing the entry of air.
What and How Much Oil Does a Hydro Gear Transaxle Take?
Hydro Gear is one of the leading drivetrain solution manufacturers across the world. This brand’s transaxles and hydrostatic drives are used by various brands.
The company caters to the need for quality drivetrain solutions with its lineup of residential, commercial, and electric products.
Residential
Hydro-gear caters to the demands of residential users with a range of high-quality residential-grade solutions.
From reliable components to optimal performance, the brand offers a specific range of integrated transaxles.
Commercial
The commercial-grade products from Hydro-gear are made to deliver optimal performance for strenuous applications.
You can find products for a variety of applications including entry-level, mid-range, lightweight, and premium vehicles.
Electric
Under this section, you will find advanced solutions for a fully electric drive or drive-by-wire systems.
Transaxle Oil Service Kits by Hydro-gear
In addition to drivetrain solutions, the company also offers commercial oil service kits to ensure better performance and lifespan of transaxles of your machines.
Probably, every transaxle can have a different capacity for the amount of oil it can take. Similarly, the right type of oil for each can be different.
Here are the brand’s oil service kits for transaxles:
Service Kit Part #72750
The kit contains 5 quarts of commercial transaxle oil and 2 commercial filters by Hydro-gear in addition to the filter and pump.
The kit is suitable for transaxles models ZT-2800 through ZT-3800.
Service Kit Part #72881
In this kit, you will get 10 quarts of commercial transaxle oil with 2 commercial filters by Hydro gear and filter cover O-rings.
The kit is suitable for Hydro-gear transaxle models ZT-4400 through ZT-5400.
Wrap Up
Hydro-gear is a popular name that builds and delivers drivetrain solutions. However, not all are made equal.
That’s why people usually ask “how much oil does a hydro gear transaxle take?” And you can find the answer to this in the product manual.
Besides, the company also offers service oil kits with recommended, genuine commercial oil for transaxles that you can buy for better performance and life.
FAQs
How much oil does a Hydro-Gear ZT 5400 hold?
Hydro-gear ZT 5400 can hold 4875 mL (164.8 fl. Oz.) to 4925 mL (166.5 fl. Oz.) of oil.
What oil does a Hydro-Gear transaxle take?
15W-50 synthetic motor oil and 20W-50 motor oil are recommended options for Hydro-gear transaxles.
How do you fill a Hydro-Gear transaxle?
To fill a hydro-gear transaxle, you need to remove the filter, and O-rings, discard any existing oil, open the vent, and oil storage vessel, and pour in the oil.
While you can find instructions in the service manual of the concerned transaxle, it’s better to visit a professional if you aren’t confident.