Has anybody successfully remedied their clutch shudder?

2008 2.7L 5 spd 4WD. 160k miles.

I've searched and seen the threads about the clutch shudder when the clutch is cold. Some people are saying it's just a characteristic of the truck. It's particularly bad for me right now in winter, sometimes the shudder is so bad the tires chirp when starting out and the truck shakes violently just about every time. Sometimes driveability is so poor I confess I find myself trying to warm the clutch up by slipping it at stoplights, which I know is terrible. Once it's warm it's smooth as silk and grabs tight with no slipping.

Has anybody seen this problem go away after a clutch job? I don't think my truck necessarily needs a new clutch based on what I know about it's history but there's no saying for sure. I got it at 130k, but I'm pretty sure most of those were highway miles seeing as the original owner put 115k on it in 3 years.

 

I have a 2011 V6 Manual that currently has 98K, I have never experienced "clutch shudder" But this can suck to diagnose as it can be many other issues other then the clutch.

1. Oil Contamination of Clutch Plate from Engine or Gearbox Seal Leakage
2. Loose or Worn Engine Mountings
3. Worn Shackles or Loose U Bolts (Where applicable)
4. Worn or damaged Universal Joints or CV Joints
5. Drive Shaft Centre Spigot Bearing worn or Failure (Where applicable)
6. Broken Drive Straps on Cover Assembly through driver abuse i.e. Down changing or Savage clutch engagement.
7. Incorrect driving habits, Driver induced shudder is also caused by abrupt clutch engagement or releasing, the clutch should always be feathered on release or engagement rather than being jabbed when releasing or engaging.
8. Worn Pilot Bearing/Spigot Bush-Dry Gearbox Snout or Clutch Disc splines.
9. Missing Flywheel Dowels
10. . Incorrect installation i.e. Clutch Disc Bent during installation by hanging gearbox or incorrect clutch adjustment i.e. Clutch over adjusted causing over centering which can create premature engagement.

 

I can't reconcile any of these with the fact that the problem disappears when the clutch has warmed up, with the possible exception of #1. However there is no oil around the outside transmission/bellhousing area. Unless it's somehow a completely contained leak that's only affecting the disk/plate area itself I doubt this is happening.

The only driving habits that I can even remotely envision causing the type of shuddering I'm feeling is allowing the RPMs to drop too low when starting/slipping the clutch causing the engine to lug and shake. I ruled this out by paying attention to my tach when I feel the shudder, I've felt it anywhere between idle and 2000 RPM. The shimmying is too violent for this anyway. Occasionally I'll mis-pedal my takoffs and the RPMS will dip a bit and I'll get that vibe like it's about to stall - I know the feeling and it's a very different sensation from my clutch shudder.

 

I have an 08 2.7L 5 spd Prerunner with 101k miles. I think this is the first time I've heard of a shuddering problem. The only time I've noticed any shuddering is when I'm not paying attention and take off from a stop in 2nd. Even then I just feather the crap out of the clutch and get going without too much shaking.

 

Does your clutch pedal squeak? I had what I believe you are describing in an 05. The issue stopped after they replaced the clutch pedal because it was squeaking. Only did it on cold starts....

 

Start with replacing the clutch! I have been driving manual yotas for the past 29 years and work the shit out of the clutch and have never had the "shudder" but I always replace it at 100K and only use factory parts. Hopefully you find the issue cheaply

 

How many miles do you have?

 

My current Truck is a 2011 with 98K... Clutch replacement coming soon

 

Funny i have about the same . Little more.

Not looking forward to that

 

Yeah $$ But sooo worth it...I wheel every weekend and shes my DD, also its in the shop getting SAS Installed as we speak So a new clutch will be needed. haha

 

I would like to say i wheel a lot. But i dont.
Work a lot.
I go out every chance i get though

 

Work Sucks.. For me Cons to living in the High Desert, well its the High Desert... Pros is 15 min to killer trails

 

It does, and I'd actually like to know more about this because there is some history with my clutch hydraulics.

The previous owner said the master cylinder ruptured was replaced, it spilled fluid into the interior (this was about 30k miles ago now). I'm not sure exactly what happened.

Maybe I need to take a look at my hydraulics?

 

I have this every so often. no idea why it happens. my clutch pedal was squeaky and got replaced but that has nothing to do with this issue. I immediately looked at rpm's but they were fine. been driving manuals for 25 years, never owned anything but one and I know its not me. its the truck. when it happens I let off the gas then press it again and power it through until the shift to 2nd. curious to see if there is a fix myself

 

There's a TSB for the clutch pedal squeak. Maybe it's to recall status by now??? If it's still a TSB, you might have trouble getting the stealership to do it because of the age and mileage on your truck.

 

The '05 mentioned I bought new. The first winter with the truck in Colorado I started experiencing a jerking sensation when starting. Almost like dumping the clutch. This would only happen after work when the truck was parked outside for 8.5 hours. In the morning it wouldn't do it but it would be in a garage all night and slightly warmer. After 4 or 5 stop signs the jerking would stop. I took it to the dealer like 3 times to see if it would happen but wasn't willing to leave it overnight. On one test drive the tech at the time noticed it squeaking and said there was a TSB on that and went ahead and replaced the assembly. The jerking stopped after that. I kind of thought that maybe the clutch pedal was hanging up and then suddenly releasing...I really don't know but it never did it again after they replaced the clutch pedal. I traded the truck in '08 for a Tundra. Now I have a '14 Tacoma and the stupid clutch pedal creaks on it every now and then. If I rotate the shaft it will stop for a couple months. I haven't experience the jerking sensation on this one but now I live in AZ and its never cold.

 

I know the clutch is slow to return to normal whens it say 5 degrees out and you let it go after the initial start. Try pushing it in by hand and see if it returns to normal smoothly or if it appears to hang up?

 

It returns fine.... but the coldest it gets around here is maybe 30 degrees overnight low. If the overnight low is in the 50s or 60s (summer) there is no shudder.

 

I started noticing something like this on my 00. It havent noticed on take off but mostly when I decelerate on the down shift...odd but I just recently had a new clutch installed so its not a bad clutch.

 

Happens on my 2.7 as well. Another Tacoma anomaly. Strangely enough the problem went away when I replaced the battery two years ago. A few months later the problem returned so I disconnected the negative battery cable and problem gone again. I don't believe it's a mechanical problem with the clutch but it is temperature related.