Clutch chatter in reverse

I have a '71 cj5 with a 225 odd fire engine. I have rebuilt the engine and put a new clutch in it. I have driven it approx. 2400 miles since rebuild and new clutch has been installed. Only in reverse,.. the clutch chatters horribly as i try and release it. Once released it is ok. Anyone have any ideas as to what causes this? Thanks

 

Stay-cable to the frame cross member needs to be tensioned, or a feedback loop develops in the pedal and linkage. At least in an F-head. Does the 225 have one?

<http://www.earlycj5.net/forums/showthread.php?97718-Mystery-cable-on-bell-housing&highlight=tension+cable>

Engine mounts good?

 

does not have any cables.The linkage is made out of rod and heim ends

 

The stay cable mentioned above was a device Jeep installed to eliminate this problem. If yours is missing this could be part if not all of your issue. V-6 Jeeps did have this. Definitely make sure all engine, transmission, and transfer case mounts are In good condition first though.
Edit: the stay cable goes between the bellhousing or transmission and crossmember iirc. Would have to crawl under the daughter's '70 to verify. I want to say one of the transmission to bellhousing bolts held it in place but would have to doublecheck.


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On my parent's '68 V6 CJ5, bought new, the tranny mount had an extension to the side which had an extra bushing to reduce this problem. When it wore out the chatter would get worse. It was even there a bit when not worn out. It could cause the clutch linkage pivot shaft between the frame and tranny to pop out of place. That was very fun to get back into place when that happened. I recall replacing that bushing when I did the first clutch job on it in '78.

 

That may be the source of my chatter! I might have to check tomorrow...

 

Loose or squishy engine and trans mounts (including the already mentioned 'extra' mount on the transfer case) always seemed to cause that for me. I had a Loadstar that I was blaming the ceramic clutch for the chattering, but when I changed the trans mounts on the bell, the chatter went away for good. Same on an old CJ5 I had years ago. Good luck.
Frank

 

Does anyone have pictures of the stay cable. I have a 1968 with the V6 and I do not recognize what you are describing.

 

Here's a pic of a loose one. The rod portion at the bracket end is threaded and has nuts with built in shake proof washers on both sides for adjustment.
This one is not for sale.


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Not to hijack the thread but just got two quick questions regarding the stay cable:

Is the metal bracket supposed to have a slight bend? or straight

hmm I guess I will clean the threads on mine and adjust it.

 

The bend on this one and the one installed on the daughter's '70 are both very obviously factory. Both V-6 versions. Not sure about the F-head version.


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Thanks Nickmil, I wasn't sure if mine (v-6 version) was supposed to be.


sorry pblalock for high jacking.

 

Thanks for the picture!

 

Ok so here is my question on this subject. I have a 1968 cj 5 with the 225. I have rebuilt from front to back. I also installed the advanced adaptors clutch linkage. My clutch chatters in reverse too. My transfer case is the single lever one. My jeep does not have a stay cable and it does not have the transfer case side mount (isolator bushing) and it seems it never did. I looked aound on-line and found the isolator at several places. My trasfer case has the spot for the isolator to mount but my cross member does not have the corresponding hole. Walcks has a notation that it is for the dual shift type only. Do you folks think if I installed the isolator ( I need only drill on hole in the crossmember) would it cure my chatter or is it a waste of time. Apparently Jeep did not include on mine from the factory? Thanks alot!

 

Here is what I see on my Yellow Barn Find '70 with the factory Dauntless: the 'foot' on the transfer case does not line up with the hole in the transmission crossmember, so instead of the isolator cushion and bolt like I have seen on F-head installations, there is a rubber mount bolted to the inside of the frame channel about 2 inches away from the aforementioned 'foot' on the transfer case front output casting. The intervening gap between that casting and the rubber mount on the frame is filled with a short piece of 1/4 X ~1 1/2 steel, with a slight offset bent into it. The rubber mount I described looks just like one of the factory 4 cylinder engine mounts.
There is no stay cable present, and I have no significant problem with clutch chatter in either direction.
I suspect this is factory because the condition of the rest of this Jeep as being relatively unmolested by Bubba.
I can try and get some pics this weekend.

Don

 

Transfer case snubber.. Mine did the same.. Until I fixed the snubber, that other mount thingy that goes to the frame on the right side...

 

Here is the transfer case mount that was stock on my 71.

http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?R=BK_6021020_0342303911

It was exactly as described above. I purchased my 71 from my grandpa who bought the Jeep in 73 so it was very much original. I can't recall ever having the stay cable to prevent reverse chatter but thats not to say it never had it.

When I bought the Jeep, it did not chatter. After replacing the clutch and rebuilding the T-14 it chattered so bad I thought that something would break. I rigged up a home brew stay cable with a turnbuckle and some angle iron. The turnbuckle went from the lower drivers side transmission bolt down the the crossmember. It helped some but never eliminated the chatter. I dealt with it by shifting into 2-Low whenever I needed to backup....it never chattered this way. I really hope that the issue goes away with the SM465 swap I'm doing.

 

Thanks for all the advise. Almost positive that my 71 did not come with a stay-cable. I do have the "transfer case mount" though. The rubber one that connects to the right side frame rail. I am going to replace all rubber mounts and see what happens. Thanks