JLUR Manual clutch slipping at certain RPMs

[EMTJEEP]

I picked up my 2018 JLUR 6MT back in September 2019 used with about 36,000 miles on it. Everything has been great and glad to be back in a jeep after having an FJ for the last couple of years. I am now at 48,000 miles and i am starting to notice an issue with my RPMs revving mainly when i am in gear 3 and up. Whenever i shift from 2nd to 3rd and the RPMs drop to low 2000s and i give it gas the RPMs shoot up and then bounce around until it gets past 3000rpms and then mellows out. It also happens when i'm in 4th,5th or 6th and at cruising speed and slow down a bit enough for the RPMs to drop around again to low 2000s, and when i give it gas to pick up speed, pass someone or start going up a hill will the RPMs start to bounce around again until it gets pass the 3000 mark. My FJ and last 2 jeeps were all manuals and never had this issue. I have had a clutch go out on me before but i lost the lower gears and the clutch feedback slowly got softer until the clutch wouldn't engage anymore. None of which is currently happening with my JLUR, the "slipping" feeling only happens in the gears 3 and up and specifically around low 2000rpms.

I've read a bunch of threads on this forum about clutch issue and other manual transmission issues, but none of which really describe the same issue that i am having. I know some issues have been tracked back to the slave cylinder contaminating the assembly but i am not having any of symptoms of that issue.

Does this sound like the clutch is slipping or something else that i am not aware of with the new JL manuals? I am at the point of just replacing the clutch with a Centerforce clutch kit but wanted to see if there should be anywhere else i should look at before replacing the clutch.

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[Kenny]

No clue but I do have the same issue. Would like to know how the Centerforce clutch works out.

 

[JeepCares]

I picked up my 2018 JLUR 6MT back in September 2019 used with about 36,000 miles on it. Everything has been great and glad to be back in a jeep after having an FJ for the last couple of years. I am now at 48,000 miles and i am starting to notice an issue with my RPMs revving mainly when i am in gear 3 and up. Whenever i shift from 2nd to 3rd and the RPMs drop to low 2000s and i give it gas the RPMs shoot up and then bounce around until it gets past 3000rpms and then mellows out. It also happens when i'm in 4th,5th or 6th and at cruising speed and slow down a bit enough for the RPMs to drop around again to low 2000s, and when i give it gas to pick up speed, pass someone or start going up a hill will the RPMs start to bounce around again until it gets pass the 3000 mark. My FJ and last 2 jeeps were all manuals and never had this issue. I have had a clutch go out on me before but i lost the lower gears and the clutch feedback slowly got softer until the clutch wouldn't engage anymore. None of which is currently happening with my JLUR, the "slipping" feeling only happens in the gears 3 and up and specifically around low 2000rpms.

I've read a bunch of threads on this forum about clutch issue and other manual transmission issues, but none of which really describe the same issue that i am having. I know some issues have been tracked back to the slave cylinder contaminating the assembly but i am not having any of symptoms of that issue.

Does this sound like the clutch is slipping or something else that i am not aware of with the new JL manuals? I am at the point of just replacing the clutch with a Centerforce clutch kit but wanted to see if there should be anywhere else i should look at before replacing the clutch.

Hi EMTJEEP,
Thanks for sharing you concerns here, I'm sorry that you are experiencing trouble with your JL. If you decide to bring this to the attention of your dealer, please send our team a PM. We would be happy to add our assistance to your service visit.

Kathryn
JeepCares

 

[EMTJEEP]

No clue but I do have the same issue. Would like to know how the Centerforce clutch works out.

Have you noticed that if you finesse the gas pedal that the "slipping" does not happen? I have been troubleshooting this for a couple weeks and noticed that the "slipping" is worse when you try to give it gas (about 3/4 or more) getting on the freeway or passing someone. But if i push the pedal in about 1/2 way and ease into the speed, it does not happen. It's annoying to have to do that especially on the freeway and would not be happy if i have to do that everyday when i drive my jeep.

I don't really want to spend $1k plus on a centerforce clutch and at this point don't know if that will actually solve my issue. I have no clutch burning smell, clutch isn't getting softer and the lower gears are still normal and haven't had any issues.

 

[farrell5000]

Based on the post I have seen about the manual transmission catastrophically failing in some JLs resulting in a major fire I would take it to a dealer ASAP.

 

[EMTJEEP]

Based on the post I have seen about the manual transmission catastrophically failing in some JLs resulting in a major fire I would take it to a dealer ASAP.

I've read those post and most of all those post had happen when the jeep was new with only a few hundred to a couple thousand miles on the clock. I am at 48k miles right now and based on those threads something catastrophic should already happened.

 

[FlatSixShooter]

I've read those post and most of all those post had happen when the jeep was new with only a few hundred to a couple thousand miles on the clock. I am at 48k miles right now and based on those threads something catastrophic should already happened.

That is not a safe assumption. I have gotten several documents from FCA around the clutch pressure plate issue and recall. While they’re not saying what exactly is causing the clutch slippage, the risk is some pressure plates, when overheated by slippage or friction, are cracking & fragmenting. There is an electrical bundle and fuel lines in the area where the fragmentation has caused a fire and injury. One part of the planned fix so far, includes rerouting the electrical bundle in the immediate area of the bell housing.

not trying to scare you, just trying to inform everyone. Thanks

 

[urr2slo]

No clue but I do have the same issue. Would like to know how the Centerforce clutch works out.

I installed the first Centerforce dual friction clutch in my JLR back in September, best decision I made, JLR is much nicer to drive on and off road. I hated how the stock clutch felt and performed. The Centerforce has exceeded all my expectations. I have just over 4K on it now.

 

[Kenny]

I installed the first Centerforce dual friction clutch in my JLR back in September, best decision I made, JLR is much nicer to drive on and off road. I hated how the stock clutch felt and performed. The Centerforce has exceeded all my expectations. I have just over 4K on it now.

Thanks - does it have a heavier feel or same kind of force to use it?

 

[EMTJEEP]

That is not a safe assumption. I have gotten several documents from FCA around the clutch pressure plate issue and recall. While they’re not saying what exactly is causing the clutch slippage, the risk is some pressure plates, when overheated by slippage or friction, are cracking & fragmenting. There is an electrical bundle and fuel lines in the area where the fragmentation has caused a fire and injury. One part of the planned fix so far, includes rerouting the electrical bundle in the immediate area of the bell housing.

not trying to scare you, just trying to inform everyone. Thanks

i understand where you're coming from. I've been keeping an eye on the W12 recall as well. I ordered a centerforce clutch to replace the stock one but after finding out about the recall and being able to get the clutch replaced under the recall i took my jeep into the dealer to start the process. They opened a claim up yesterday and now have to wait for it to be approved.

 

[urr2slo]

Thanks - does it have a heavier feel or same kind of force to use it?

The Centerforce is heavier than stock but not stiff, it has great feel to it, what I like to call as close to perfect as possible. First time I depressed the clutch pedal when I bought it I thought it had a problem,it was to soft and had no feel. I had the stock clutch for 6 months and had less than 2k on it, just wasn’t a great driving experience around town. In the 5 months since the Centerforce install I’ve put 4K on it. I find myself grabbing the keys for it for my around town runs, it’s just drives that much nicer now.

 

[Kenny]

The Centerforce is heavier than stock but not stiff, it has great feel to it, what I like to call as close to perfect as possible. First time I depressed the clutch pedal when I bought it I thought it had a problem,it was to soft and had no feel. I had the stock clutch for 6 months and had less than 2k on it, just wasn’t a great driving experience around town. In the 5 months since the Centerforce install I’ve put 4K on it. I find myself grabbing the keys for it for my around town runs, it’s just drives that much nicer now.

The challenge I have is I have a spinal cord injury at L4/5 and that means I have no plantar flextion. I do fine with the stock clutch but would like a better setup - do you happen to be in SoCal? I come over a lot and would maybe like to depress your clutch a couple of times before I dump more into my rig.

 

[urr2slo]

The challenge I have is I have a spinal cord injury at L4/5 and that means I have no plantar flextion. I do fine with the stock clutch but would like a better setup - do you happen to be in SoCal? I come over a lot and would maybe like to depress your clutch a couple of times before I dump more into my rig.

I'm in AZ, N. Phx to be exact if your out this way. I had low back surgery 3 years ago and have had 6 knee surgeries as well so I understand what you mean. The stock clutch has no feel to it and is to soft, but I cant handle a stiff clutch either. For me the new clutch is perfect.

 

[Kenny]

I'm in AZ, N. Phx to be exact if your out this way. I had low back surgery 3 years ago and have had 6 knee surgeries as well so I understand what you mean. The stock clutch has no feel to it and is to soft, but I cant handle a stiff clutch either. For me the new clutch is perfect.

I'll give you a two weeks heads up the next time I've over that way - thanks

 

[FtWTXJL]

What ever happened with this? Did the clutch fix it? Have the same model and the same problem exactly; clutch slips only between 2-3k.

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