Terrible Clutch on Brand New JLUR Has Me Really Frustrated

[Some Random Guy]

I know you’re still on break-in, but have you tried getting aggressive with it? I find nothing tunes my Jeep and I back up like running it fully through gears or getting it into 4Lo and working it in the trails.
But if it is that inconsistent I think you’re right something is wrong. You’ve got way more experience than I do. One of the nearby dealerships is on the forum here, but I’m not sure how engaged they are.

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[FLjeeper]

If you have a tazer you can use steering wheel controls to hold the brakes. I use this when doing steep obstacles.

Please tell me more about this voodoo that you do!

 

[Petey]

I am now fully convinced something is going on here. The Jeep will shift just fine on my commute to work and then shift terribly on the way home and vise versa. I had a forum member drive my Jeep yesterday and he said it felt fine and I agreed and shifted it just fine on that drive. Today it is terrible. Lurching even when I've fully engaged 1st let off the pedal and driven 100 ft in 1st gear. What could this possibly be? @Petey can you elaborate on your comment about torque curve?

To put it bluntly engine power might be down and it's unlikely the trans would feel that different over just a few miles. MAYBE the fuel delivery is off ...or maybe its the ignition. @certain rpm s my 3.6 loses torque and regains it again higher rpms. Always around 1300 rpm it appears and then again around 1600 rpms. This causes lurching or jerking . The problem is that its a bit less prevalent or obvious @times ..seems what u describe. Taking it to the dealer might be asking for trouble because they're going to tell u theres nothing wrong or the jeep thing. To me the fuel map is off or something along the lines. I guess the only way to find it is to take it to the tuner and see how they can alter the curve so to get smooth power .

 

[AlamedaJeep]

Lurching even when I've fully engaged 1st let off the pedal and driven 100 ft in 1st gear. What could this possibly be?

If you’re talking about lurching or bucking when going slowly in 1st gear (with clutch out) this seems to be something that occasionally happens and is “normal”. It’s been discussed here before and happened to me in previous manual Jeeps as well.

You may have other clutch issues but I dont think bucking in 1st at times is one of them.

 

[Petey]

Today it is terrible. Lurching even when I've fully engaged 1st let off the pedal and driven 100 ft in 1st gear. What could this possibly be? @Petey can you elaborate on your comment about torque curve?
[/QUOTE]
I would like to add, this part right what has me thinking your engine is bogging. check fuel pressure . it should show in other gears too not just first.

 

[MarkY3130]

Please tell me more about this voodoo that you do!

This is from the Tazer instructions.

 

[FLjeeper]

This is from the Tazer instructions.

That's a game Changer. no more multi tasking for my left foot. Thank you for sharing.

 

[AlgUSF]

That's a game Changer. no more multi tasking for my left foot. Thank you for sharing.

I was looking at the "Line Lock/Burnout" feature. I really could have used that 27 years ago, what a time we live in.

 

[MarkY3130]

That's a game Changer. no more multi tasking for my left foot. Thank you for sharing.

I printed out and laminated the instructions for "Rock Crawl" mode and "Winch Mode" and have one of them taped to the back of the driver visor and one to the back of the passenger visor. Don't use them all the time but when I need them they are right there. Since I use Rock Crawl mode far more frequently, that one is on the driver side visor.

 

[FLjeeper]

I printed out and laminated the instructions for "Rock Crawl" mode and "Winch Mode" and have one of them taped to the back of the driver visor and one to the back of the passenger visor. Don't use them all the time but when I need them they are right there. Since I use Rock Crawl mode far more frequently, that one is on the driver side visor.

That's one of the reasons I love this forum, people and their dang good ideas. Now to amazon for a laminator.

 

[angrynewyorker]

2021 2 door Rubi on 35s with 2 inch lift and no issues. Actually really enjoy the clutch feel.

 

[leskcdn2]

2019 2 door JL Sport manual with 35's, April build.

40 years + experience with manual's. 2 recalls/TSB's for clutch....wire shield and re-flash to lower engagement torque (cheap FCA weenie fix). Overall....hate this clutch....I have a 1967 military jeep and clutch has better feel and better engagement. My problem is that the clutch in my JL is light up to 1 to 2 inches from engagement then heavier and appears to "spring up-unwind-kicks up" in the last 1-2 inches....in short clutch movement and engagement is not linear. Never had this before in any other manual vehicle car or truck......1970's to recently. I also have a lurch in 1st just off the start but its only at low RPM...near idle.....once RPM's build lurch is gone. So, 1st is a bitch to engage smoothly....2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 are a dream. Also, I shift at about 1500-2000 RPM with the exception of hills. That said, after 9000 miles I am getting used to it and now the trans-clutch-3.6 combo is tolerable to good & getting better. I just hope that the clutch holds up as good as both of my 12 year old Toyota's. Now to understand why my fresh oil/filter change turns dark brown to black in 4000 miles? My other cars/trucks are still honey colored at that mileage.

lk

 

[ALRUI]

I printed out and laminated the instructions for "Rock Crawl" mode and "Winch Mode" and have one of them taped to the back of the driver visor and one to the back of the passenger visor. Don't use them all the time but when I need them they are right there. Since I use Rock Crawl mode far more frequently, that one is on the driver side visor.

What is the purpose in winch mode of the 2K RPM?

 

[MarkY3130]

What is the purpose in winch mode of the 2K RPM?

Winches draw a lot of power when in use. 2,000 rpms helps the alternator keep up, or so is the theory.

 

[omnitonic]

It's possible there really is something wrong with your clutch, but you probably just need to spend more time with it. I stalled out three times before I managed to drive the Jeep off the lot. I've gotten a lot better, but I'm still struggling with it a little after 5,000 miles.

Every manual-equipped vehicle is different, and there is always a getting to know you period with anything. I still haven't quite figured this Jeep out. It's just kind of wonky.

Another thing is that I've never driven a vehicle that fast idled after you put it in gear. If I start this thing and go, I have to drive about half a mile working against an engine that wants to idle at 1500. If I let it sit long enough to idle down, I don't have this problem. It probably wastes less gas to let it idle down before pulling out than it does to fight against it all the way to the first stoplight on my commute. It probably wastes less gas, but I'm stubborn and impatient, so I fight the high idle every time.

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