Clutch chatter

[stepchild]

I have a rebuilt 3 speed manual w/ less than a 1000 miles on it. During a first gear take off it feels like the filling are going to fall out of my teeth. I figured this could also be a u joint problem in the drive shaft, but the shaking doesn't seem like it's prevalent in all gears. Well, should I replace everything clutch, pressure plate, throw out bearing or do you think theres a good chance that I might only need to get the flywheel resurfased and a new clutch.

 

[S_bolt19]

try adjusting the clutch first, but it also sounds like axle wrap. How old are the rear leaf springs? Are they the original springs?

 

[stepchild]

I purchased the bronco w/ an existing superlift on it. the old owner said it was a 5.5" lift, but I beleive it to be a 4" lift. The rear springs look like the origionals from 69 w/ an add a leah plus a minor lift block. You think that the origional springs would could possibly cause axle wrap bad enough for a consistant violent shake? If it was axle wrap, the shake should only be during take off, right?

 

[S_bolt19]

When you say constant voilent shake, is this in all gears, all the time, or just when you put the gas down in a new gear or from take off? Another problem you have, and I would recommend taking care of it before too long, is that you have add a leaf & lift blocks. Make sure that everything is tight, the U-bolts for the springs and the spring pack bolts. If you have any slop what so ever, you will get axle wrap. The reason that I am, for the time being, leaning towards axle wrap is that the old springs are almost 40 years old if they are original. They lose strength to hold the rear axle in place and thus, they cause the pinion gear to climb the ring gear and it forces the axle housing down. A new set of springs could solve this problem.

 

[stepchild]

The shaking is only noticeable when I accelerate from a dead stop. Yeah I wasn't to thrilled about how the rear was lifted. I use to have a built 83 toyota that had the same sort of lift, I did swap out to the old setup w/ a new leak pack, made a big fiff. on handinling and articulation.

 

[S_bolt19]

I would lay a pretty confident bet that you have axle wrap. Typically you won't get any kind of chatter or heavy vibration from this in 2nd or 3rd gear because the vehicle is already moving. I had axle wrap when I busted the overload leaf on an old set of lift springs. I put a new set of leafs on and it solved my problem. But to me, it definatly sounds more along the side of axle wrap than a clutch problem. If you do decide to replace the leaf packs, check the spring perches and make sure they aren't rounded because that can help cause the wrap problem as well.

 

[stepchild]

Thanks for the help! I think I"m going to dissconnect the rear drive shaft and lock my hubs and go for a quick spin. If theres no chatter than you hit the nail on the head.

 

[rovernut]

Thanks for the help! I think I"m going to dissconnect the rear drive shaft and lock my hubs and go for a quick spin. If theres no chatter than you hit the nail on the head.

Not necessarily. Before you take the driveshaft out, check for play in the splines. That's the most likely suspect. Mine would chatter if the slip joint just needed grease.