Hi guys. My TJII VRX generally only gets used on weekends and lately I've noticed clutch take up is not as smooth as it could be. Particularly after everything has warmed up I notice the clutch can get grabby and I get shuddering on take off in first. Is this a sign the clutch is on the way out? I don't get any slippage will accelerating in other gears.

If it's not slipping between gears that's a good sign, slipping between gears is like an early sign that it's wearing out.

It might just need adjusting using the good old 13mm spanner.

How far off the floor is the take up and how old is the clutch

Sounds like it may have hot spots on either the flywheel, pressure plate or both. Shudder can be a good initial sign that the clutch is on its way out especially if the shudder is getting worse.

Thanks guys. Mal, take up seems ok - about half way through clutch travel. I bought the car at 90kms, now has 145kms. Cheers

Halfway is way too high

Hmmm thanks. I'll try Neo's suggestion and see what effect that has but it sounds like I'll be seeing you for a new clutch sooner rather than later.

adjustment? arent they hydraulic clutches, hence no adjustment can be made?

Yes and no, not at the clutch end but if a fresh clutch is not adjusted properly at the pedal, when it gets worn out the clutch point can move up too high. I've been in a car that it was not clamping due to the pedal not being adjusted as it wore out slowly and the pickup point was so high it wasn't being released fully.

I readjusted it making the pickup point down lower and when the pedal is released the clutch was able to release the whole way.

It's a 13mm nut on the end of the clutch pedal rod that goes to the clutch master cylinder. Undo the nut, screw the rod clockwise a little, do the nut back up, test, unscrew, turn rod again, do nut back up, etc until adjusted. Takes a lot of tweaking :|

i see. thanks

Just on a different approach here. Any time I had a grabby clutch in previous cars, I blamed lack of use rusting the metal of the pressure plate/flywheel, or oil on the clutch plate. I would then proceed to start in second gear from a standstill, to get some heat into the clutch and rub off corrosion/burn out oil. After a while the clutch came good. Might be worth a try.

Just on a different approach here. Any time I had a grabby clutch in previous cars, I blamed lack of use rusting the metal of the pressure plate/flywheel, or oil on the clutch plate. I would then proceed to start in second gear from a standstill, to get some heat into the clutch and rub off corrosion/burn out oil. After a while the clutch came good. Might be worth a try.

I'll give it a go. Thanks.