Last owner said the clutch, pressure plate, and throw out bearing was replaced last year.
Clutch grabs fine and everything works as it should...except

Whenever your on a slight hill or not careful on flat ground the truck will shake and needs babied out of first gear. Which is getting old fast.
I let my father drive the truck, all he ever drives is standards, and he had the same trouble.

Any idea's where I should check first?
I've been told motor and transmission mounts.

I guess we need to know if it's a NP435 granny gear or an A-833(OD?)

I would check the tranny mount as bad wobble will bounce it out of gear, also if it is a rear tranny mount (A-833) and the bolts have fallen out it will act a lot like a slipping clutch on launch.

If going up a hill I always do the mopar 2 foot 3 pedal shuffle: one foot holds the clutch and brake pedal and your right foot (which was on the brake) steps on the gas (hard).

-D.Idiot

Sorry, its a A-833.

I've done the truffle shuffle on these pedals
No matter what you do, it always shakes from a hill, and on level ground it will try the same thing only its easier to keep steady.

Yep, love that 'dance'.

Let us know what your mounts look like. The absolute worst case scenario in this case is the tranny needs a rebuild and the roller bearings replaced and gears inspected for damage.

-D.Idiot

I checked out the rear mount.

What exactly is holding the mount to the cross member?

I didn't see one bolt, joining the two together. Just one bolt running through the rubber bushing itself.



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

If it's the later style spool mount you have 2 bolt into the tailshaft, and one that bolts through the bushing crossways(driver's side to passenger side) and through the ears on the truck cross member. If the rubber is torn you can have about 3/4" of travel between the bolt and bushing sleeve.

Time to get a jack and remove it and see if you are missing a part or the bushing. That could be most of you current issue right there the tailshaft housing is not secured.

-D.Idiot

Thanks for the help Duster,

I'll be honest, the trans mount is different than my Mavericks, they resemble more of a engine mount.

I took her off,
Very worn, has about 3/8 - 1/2 inch's of play on both sides. Hopefully this is the culprit.
I ordered a new mount, should be here tomorrow.
I need to track down a new bolt the runs through the mount, the shaking over time has stripped the threads.

New mounts are chinese or sub grade rubber now, I would recommend the Energy suspension poly bushing and take a torch and brun the old rubber out of yours and replace that way (they are pretty solid and will last until you get rid of the truck).

Go to Lowe's and get a grade 8 bolt and a couple of washers and you're good to go.

-D.Idiot

Thanks my friend, I'll update in the coming days.

Hope that it's "just" a bad mount. Other things to look at would be the mounts on the engine, slop in the drivetrain (ie. - esp. the differential/spider gears).

There also might be a problem with the "new" clutch- such as a burned disc from improper break-in or slight oil contamination- both could cause chatter or grab that would be most noticeable in hi-load 1st gear engagement. But let's not borrow trouble- get the mount replaced & see what it does.

_________________
63 Valiant Wagon
225 - 4 bbl

I swapped to a spindle mount on the Dsuter. I got the whole unit. I can't remember who made it. IIRC Same piece on my van too!

_________________
'72 Duster 198 stock cam, 3:23's Hookers on jack stands for 8 years in the driveway
'79 Maxivan 360 Offy Qjet Comp RV cam/rusting in the driveway.
93 D350 160HP Cummins Auto Dually Clubcab needs a injector pump
2005 Golden Couch Buick

Popped the old bushing out this evening, put the new bushing in.
Greased and tightened everything.
I went to the steepest hills, nearby. Smooth as butter.

Problem solved.

I'm glad it was something simple and nothing major.

And that's the way we like it!

Quick and easy.

If that one was bad, you might look at your engine mounts they won't be too far behind...

-D.Idiot

Absolutely,

No doubt those will soon follow suite.

Thanks for the help