I've got a 1996 dodge ram 2500, 318, 5 speed. The problem started around back at around 170,000 miles, the original clutch started to shutter a little when releasing the clutch. My dad took the truck in for a new clutch, thinking that either oil got into the clutch or it was just worn out. No oil contamination, and the clutch still had material left on it. Flywheel was surfaced and a new clutch put in. Seemed to fix the problem.

About 30,000 miles later the shutter started to come back. This time the diagnosis was one of the brakes hanging up, freed the brakes and the shutter seemed to go away. Now has 218,000 miles and the problem is back worse than ever. Brakes are not hung up, can push the truck by hand.

When the truck is cold, the clutch seems to work normally. After driving for 30 minutes or more it starts to shutter when leaving from a stop. Only seems to do it when everything is at operating temp. Used to be able to start in 2nd gear, but it would shutter so hard things would fall off the dash. Feels like it's going to drop the drive shaft! Started using granny 1st to get rolling, but now it shutters using it as well. Reverse is almost unusable sometimes. The more you try to feather the clutch the worse it is, goes from no friction straight to bucking. Only way to get going is to let the engine at idle and dump the clutch, and hope it doesn't stall. NO slippage in the clutch once rolling.


I haven't dropped the tranny yet, but I'm thinking maybe the pressure plate/flywheel is glazed, or a bad aftermarket clutch? What do you guys think? It got so bad we had to park the truck until I fix it, going to start tearing into it tonight.