AX-15 clutch issue question

[Lilbomb]

Ok so i've noticed in the past week or two after i've been driving the Jeep all day, to and from work lets say, when I let the clutch out and give it gas it's not smooth. If you were riding in it with me you would think i've never driven a stick before and just suck at driving. It doesn't do it when it's cold, just after driving it for a long time, say an hour or more. I just drove my kids to school and it's as smooth as can be. If I take it to work tomorrow I know on the way home it will have this issue. Is it a clutch thing? Fluid? Transmission? Or just after I drive it all day I suck at driving it all of a sudden. Lol When it starts doing it the only way to make it not do it is to rev it up pretty high and slip the clutch or give it almost no gas at all, just let the clutch out. If i'm just shifting like normal it gets real "jerky".

Any thoughts? Thanks in advance!!

 

[Steel City 06]

When was the clutch last replaced? If the friction material is almost gone, it will have some odd operating characteristics and inconsistent engagement

 

[Lilbomb]

When was the clutch last replaced? If the friction material is almost gone, it will have some odd operating characteristics and inconsistent engagement

No clue. I got the Jeep about 6-8 months ago with 142K miles ish. Has about 145K now and just started doing this. Maybe it's just starting to go out?

 

[Steel City 06]

No clue. I got the Jeep about 6-8 months ago with 142K miles ish. Has about 145K now and just started doing this. Maybe it's just starting to go out?

It’s a possibility. Personally with that much mileage I would preemptively replace the clutch. However, if you don’t do the work yourself it is a lot of labor charges. The parts are maybe $150 but the labor costs to replace the clutch are on the order of $500 to $1000.
The clutch disc can also become contaminated with oil or transmission fluid if there is a leaking seal somewhere. This would be visible if the transmission were removed for a clutch replacement

 

[StephenW]

No clue. I got the Jeep about 6-8 months ago with 142K miles ish. Has about 145K now and just started doing this. Maybe it's just starting to go out?

Same problem here. Just bought Jeep. 110k miles. Did you ever replace the clutch and did it solve your issue?

 

[Lilbomb]

I have not replaced it yet.

 

[Dunkut88TJ]

I have this issue at times, some jerky shifts. However, after reading in here for quite sometime I don’t think I was shifting at a high enough RPM. Don’t get me wrong should be smooth as butter regardless, but when I ride out the gears a bit more the shifting all around is just far smoother. That is probably no help but I’ll be interested to see what other folks have to say. I have 130k and am not sure if my clutch has ever been replaced.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Perhaps a previous owner had the flywheel machined during a clutch job. In most shops that would be done incorrectly and remove its required slight dome shaped surface leaving a flat engagement surface which would make smooth engagement/disengagement more difficult. The factory service manual specifically instructs not to machine it.

 

[hardtailpan]

Perhaps a previous owner had the flywheel machined during a clutch job. In most shops that would be done incorrectly and remove its required slight dome shaped surface leaving a flat engagement surface which would make smooth engagement/disengagement more difficult. The factory service manual specifically instructs not to machine it.

This is interesting, I did not know this. I'm not planning on doing the clutch anytime soon, but I will remember this.
I don't know if I would've seen this in the FSM or not.
Thanks for sharing.