Clutch shudder
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 207
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From: Ferndale, WA
Clutch shudder
I have a 66 truck with the 240 6 cyl. and 3 speed. Last winter I put a new clutch in it. The job went well with no problems. It has a nasty shudder in reverse only. It is very smooth in 1st so I don't think it is a clutch or flywheel issue. I replaced both of the motor mounts yesterday. I was not able to complete the job because the stud that goes through the frame is larger than it was on the original mounts and new nuts were not provided with the mounts. It was too late to make another trip to town for a couple of nuts. I'm not confident the new mounts will help. Although they were cracked, once I got them out I could see they were still pretty solid. the trans. mount is in good condition. I'm suspicious of the clutch linkage that runs from the frame to the bell housing. I'd appreciate anyone with some experience on this. I'm trying to teach my son clutch driving and this shudder is so violent the truck feels like it is going to come apart.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 166
Likes: 6
A shudder is usually caused by some engine oil on the flywheel. Are you sure that the rear main seal isn't leaking?
You did the right thing by changing out the motor mounts. Those things don't last forever, and you really can't tell much about their condition with just your hands.
Weak and broken leaf springs have also caused shuddering in my trucks. The shudder in one of my trucks disappeared whenever I put a few hundred pounds in the box. I guess the rear axle couldn't rock back and forth so easily with the leaf springs partially compressed.
Also check for play in the u-joints, splined coupler, pinion, and spring shackles too. They probably aren't the cause, but can aggravate the condition.
Jim Kozisek
Fort Collins, CO
You did the right thing by changing out the motor mounts. Those things don't last forever, and you really can't tell much about their condition with just your hands.
Weak and broken leaf springs have also caused shuddering in my trucks. The shudder in one of my trucks disappeared whenever I put a few hundred pounds in the box. I guess the rear axle couldn't rock back and forth so easily with the leaf springs partially compressed.
Also check for play in the u-joints, splined coupler, pinion, and spring shackles too. They probably aren't the cause, but can aggravate the condition.
Jim Kozisek
Fort Collins, CO
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2002
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From: Elizabethtown, PA
I have the same issue with my V8 truck. My suspicion (and I'll hopefully get to trying this soon) is that the rear axle is moving around, since this only occurs in reverse. My guess is worn spring bushings, which permit the axle to move/pivot. My theory has been poo-poo'd by some, but when everything else works as it should it's all you are left with. 
Agree that normally clutch judder is a symptom of oil on the clutch, but it would do that in both forward and reverse. Since you are changing direction when this happens, I'd look at the driveline.
Agree that normally clutch judder is a symptom of oil on the clutch, but it would do that in both forward and reverse. Since you are changing direction when this happens, I'd look at the driveline.
Freshman User
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 43
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I just fixed the shudder in my 65 stepside. It was because two of the springs were missing from the clutch and the motormounts were borken.
I replaced the motor mounts and had the same problem with one of them - it did not fit. I used the old mount and drilled a hole in it using the bolt and rubber that came with the new one. It worked great. I also had a rear main seal leak that I fixed when I had the motor and traini out of the truck, in my case the shudder was not caused by oil but the missing springs. Mine shuddered really bad, in first and reverse from stopped until the clutche engaged.
The pivot part you are talking was stripped out on mine only the pivot bolt that goes into the bell housing. The one that attaches to the frame was fine. I had to make a new one using an old bolt by cutting the pivot threads off and welding new threads from a bolt. Look back to yesterday I was given the part number by the number dummy. They are hard to find now.
I replaced the motor mounts and had the same problem with one of them - it did not fit. I used the old mount and drilled a hole in it using the bolt and rubber that came with the new one. It worked great. I also had a rear main seal leak that I fixed when I had the motor and traini out of the truck, in my case the shudder was not caused by oil but the missing springs. Mine shuddered really bad, in first and reverse from stopped until the clutche engaged.
The pivot part you are talking was stripped out on mine only the pivot bolt that goes into the bell housing. The one that attaches to the frame was fine. I had to make a new one using an old bolt by cutting the pivot threads off and welding new threads from a bolt. Look back to yesterday I was given the part number by the number dummy. They are hard to find now.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 207
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From: Ferndale, WA
Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I put a new rear main seal in when I replaced the clutch and it seems super dry at this point. I will look at the rear axle and springs. It is definitely a reverse only issue. You can slip the clutch out at idle in first without a peep. Put it in reverse and the truck jumps and shudders terribly. That three speed trans was heavier than I expected and we had to horse it around more than I would have liked on the reinstall. If we damages something going back together, I would have expected first gear problems as well.
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,793
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From: San Diego CA
If you broke some teeth in the tranny you would feel a definite clunking and banging right under your feet. You would most likely have it in first gear also. It would be vehicle speed dependant not engine rpm dependant. Do you have a two piece drive shaft. It could be the carrier bearing is worn and when you wind it backwards its hitting something. Motor and tranny mounts can also cause things to move in reverse that don't in foward. I wouldn't worry too much about if you damaged the tranny on the install. Most often damage occurs when the tranny is hung by the input shaft this damage shows up as a constant vibration or bearing growl in all gears.
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