ZF marine gearboxes · ZF Marine Service Point · Melbourne
ZF gearbox service and rebuilds.
From small cable-shift gears to large down-angle and V-drive units, single or twin. Serviced to ZF’s schedule at your berth where possible and rebuilt in our Spotswood workshop, with a clear rundown of what’s urgent and what can wait.
- ZF Marine Service Point
- Servicing Melbourne boats since 1995
- Full rebuilds in our Spotswood workshop
- At your berth across Port Phillip Bay
Your setup
Which ZF setup do you have?
ZF makes marine gearboxes from small cable-shift units to large, electronically controlled ones. Pick the closest to yours to see what we look after.
The small mechanical ZF gearboxes, and the older Hurth units before them, sit behind yacht and small-cruiser diesels and are shifted by a cable from the helm. They’re simple, but they don’t like the wrong fluid or a cable that’s out of adjustment.
- Fluid change, ATF to ZF’s spec
- Fluid level and leak check
- Shift cable and lever travel
- Damper plate checked for rattle at idle
- Output coupling and alignment check
- Engine and gearbox mounts
- Oil cooler check (where fitted)
- Propeller and cutless bearing at haul-out
Twin installations
Two gearboxes, one visit.
On a twin-engine shaft boat there’s a ZF behind each engine. We service both in the same visit, so the pair stays on one schedule.
- Both gearboxes serviced in one visit, at your berth where possible
- Shift travel and feel compared side by side, so a gearbox that’s drifting stands out
- A separate record for each gearbox, the history buyers and surveyors ask to see
- Removal, rebuild and refit planned with your yard
What you get
You’ll know exactly where your gearboxes stand.
Every service ends with a plain-English rundown. Each item is marked done, keep an eye on, or needs attention, so you can see what’s urgent and what can wait. Anything beyond the service is quoted first.
- A separate record for each gearbox
- Kept for your warranty and resale history
- What’s due next, so you can plan around the season
Service rundown
Twin ZF 280A · Down-angle · 900 hours
- Done
Gearbox oil and filters
Changed, to ZF’s spec.
- Done
Suction filters
Cleaned.
- Done
Oil levels
Correct on both.
- Done
Shift linkage
Starboard adjusted to reach full travel.
- Keep an eye on
Oil coolers
Light scale in the port cooler. Flush at the next service.
- Needs attention
Starboard flexible coupling
Rubber cracking and oil-soaked. Quoted to replace.
- Done
Mounts and alignment
Mounts sound.
- Done
Sea trial
Clean shifts ahead and astern, no slip or noise.
Something not right?
Signs your ZF wants attention.
Many problems give a warning first. If you’ve noticed one of these, it’s worth a look before it turns into a lost weekend.
Slow to engage, or slipping
ZF’s manuals point to a low oil level, a shift linkage that isn’t moving the gearbox lever to the end of its travel, or a damaged oil cooler. Short lever travel can burn the clutches, so it’s worth catching early.
The gearbox is running hot
ZF’s list of causes includes too little cooling water through the oil cooler, a dirty cooler, the oil level too high or too low, the wrong oil and a slipping clutch.
A rattle at idle that fades with revs
A worn damper plate or flexible coupling between the engine and gearbox is a commonly reported cause, rattling at idle and going quiet above about 1,000 rpm. ZF has the coupling replaced if the rubber is torn or oil-soaked.
Milky or grey gearbox oil
Water is getting into the gearbox. A leaking oil cooler is a commonly reported cause on ZF gears, and water can damage the clutches. Get it checked before they suffer.
Oil on the gearbox or in the bilge
ZF’s checklist starts with loose screws, connections, the dipstick or the fluid filter, and seals wear with age. Fixing a small leak early stops the level dropping far enough to cause slipping or loss of drive.
No drive at all
ZF’s list runs from a low oil level to a lost propeller, a broken shaft or a gearbox fault. On electrically shifted gears it can be lost power to the shift valves, which is what the “get home” feature on many ZF gearboxes is for. Ask us to show you where yours is.
Timing
Book around the boating season.
A little planning means the boat is ready on the first good weekend, not the third.
78%
of maritime incidents reported in Victoria in 2024–25 were vessel breakdowns, most of them engine failure or running out of fuel.
Source: Safe Transport VictoriaAugust to October
Pre-season service
Book before the rush. November to Easter is our busiest period, so a service in late winter or early spring has the boat ready for the first good weekend.
Book a pre-season serviceNovember to Easter
On the water
Peak boating, and our busiest months. If a gearbox starts slipping, rattling or running hot mid-season, call us.
Easter to July
Bigger jobs
The best time for gearbox rebuilds, coupling and cooler work and haul-outs, with the least boating missed.
Who you're dealing with
A ZF Marine Service Point, looking after Melbourne boats since 1995.
We service ZF gearboxes at your berth where possible. Rebuilds come back to our Spotswood workshop, where each gearbox is stripped, inspected and reassembled to ZF specification, then tested before it goes back in the boat.
- ZF Marine Service Point
- Full rebuilds in our Spotswood workshop
- Genuine ZF parts
- Also authorised for Volvo Penta, Yanmar and Twin Disc
ZF gearboxes, old and new
The letters after the number give the layout: A for down-angle, V or IV for a V-drive. Older boats may carry earlier Hurth (HBW, HSW) or IRM gearboxes, which ZF still covers in its lubricant list. Check the type plate on the gearbox when you book.
Questions
What ZF owners ask us
How much does a ZF gearbox service cost?
It depends on the gearbox model, whether you have one or two, and what’s due on its schedule. We confirm all of that and give you a clear quote before any work starts.
Do I need to bring the boat to you?
Not for a service. We service ZF gearboxes at the berth or on the hardstand around Port Phillip Bay. Rebuilds come out of the boat and into our Spotswood workshop.
How often does a ZF gearbox need servicing?
It depends on the model. ZF’s operating instructions have the oil level checked before use and the first oil change done early: after 25 hours on a ZF 25 A, and after 50 hours on a ZF 45 IV or ZF 280. After that it’s every 300 hours or yearly on the ZF 25 A, and every 500 hours or yearly on the ZF 45 IV and ZF 280, with the suction filter, shift linkage, oil cooler and flexible coupling checked along the way. The instructions and type plate for your gearbox set the exact interval.
Can you rebuild my ZF gearbox?
Yes. For high-hour, slipping or damaged gearboxes we do complete rebuilds in our Spotswood workshop: stripped, inspected and reassembled to ZF specification, then tested before refitting. If the engine is coming out for a repower, it’s a good time to look at the gearbox too.
Which ZF gearbox do I have?
Read the type plate on the gearbox and tell us what it says when you book. It identifies the model, and with ZF’s instructions for that model it sets the oil and the service interval. If yours says Hurth or IRM rather than ZF, tell us that too.
I have twin gearboxes. Can you do both at once?
Yes. We service both in the same visit and keep a separate record for each, so the pair stays on one schedule.
How do I book?
Use the booking form at the top of this page or call (03) 9399 5888. We aim to reply within 1 business day.
Ready when the weather is.
Tell us about your ZF gearbox and where the boat is, and we’ll take it from there.