Manual Transmission

Manual synchronised transmissions will remain the dominant transmission globally for light duty vehicles. Gear protection and bearing protection is a key requirement of a manual transmission fluid (MTF).

The drive for fuel efficiency and the move to lower viscosity fluids combined with rising torques on gears leads to a thinner film thickness, increasing the opportunity of metal to metal contact. The MTF chemistry become more and more important at preventing surface damage in these applications.

Mechanical damage is not the only consideration. MTFs must also prevent chemical damage, such as corrosion and rusting. Making sure the manual transmission fluid has the right balance of additive chemistry is essential to protect these fundamental parts.

Formulating is a balancing act and enhancing one performance aspect very often comes at the expense of another performance aspect. There is no MTF that applies to every application. To get the ideal MTF for a specific transmission design is challenging, but by understanding the hardware and the chemistry, Afton can deliver customized MTFs for each application.