Clutch chatter

Ten1nis

Member
My 30 pickup has clutch chatter when moving from a dead stop both forward and reverse. What can I do to smooth my engauagement?
 
The best thing is to take the clutch apart, either by removing the engine or removing the rear end and transmission. It is easier for me to remove the engine because then the clutch is accessable and I don't have to be working under the car or through the hole where the floor boards were. I don't have a lift.

You could try some spray parts cleaner with the clutch peddle held down while the engine is running. That would be a pig in a poke. I have no idea if it would work. And that may not be the cause of your clutch chatter. A block of wood cut to the right length and wedged between the clutch peddle and the brake peddle will hold the clutch down. Do not breath the spray. A carbon filter face mask is a good idea.
 
The two surfaces, clutch disk and flywheel, are not mating properly. Before taking the clutch apart, I would at least try to "mill" the disk by riding, (smoking) the clutch for a few seconds. That would also burn off any "foreign" materials on either surface. No harm to try this before going to all the work of accessing the clutch.
As suggested above, I would check the motor mounts first.
Good luck.
 
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That's one possibility.
That's one possibility. (joking)
An easier thing to check is "Are the engine mounts tight?"

Yup. When I purchased my ‘31 a couple of years ago it had ugly chatter. Upon examination I found one of the nuts on the bolt through the Float-a- Motor rubbers was about to fall off. That mount was loose as a goose. New rubber discs and some jam nuts - problem solved.
 
Take the clutch hand holed cover off and check for contamination with transmission oil / motor oil. If you find the clutch is contaminated, try douching it liberally with brake cleaner while a friend operates the clutch pedal.
If this fails to stop the chatter, it will be necessary to remove the clutch and flywheel for a thorough cleaning. I suspect the transmission may have been overfilled.
 
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