shimmy starting in first gear

[JonP9576]

so this is going to seem kind of vague but i have started to notice a sort of shimmy when taking out the clutch to start in first gear. it doesnt seem to do it in second gear, only about halfway out in first gear.

i took it to my mechanic and he said he isnt really a transmission guy. he took off the drive shaft and inspected the u joints. they seemed fine.

i know i should take it to a good transmission guy but my problem is that am supposed to leave for north carolina saturday. should i go?

the jeep drives great otherwise. if i lose first gear will i also lose my 4WD drive low first gear?

when i go to NC i drive on the beach so there is going to be a little more stress on first gear getting going in the sand. should i start in second on the road and not use first gear, and then when i am on the sand put it to 4lo and start in second there as well?

[Bada-Bing.]

What size tires and what gear ratio in the axles?

If your tires are too big for your gear ratio then you will get a shimmy.

[JonP9576]

its a 2001 sport, i am not sure of the gearing or the axles. it has 33'' tires, but would the shimmy have started right away? because i've been running this size tires for 4 or 5 years

[Bada-Bing.]

It could have 3.73 or 3.07 gearing - no idea why you didn't notice the shimmy before but the gearing is too high for the tire size. You should be at 4.10 or 4.56 to return back to "stock" feeling

[JonP9576]

i have only noticed it in the past couple weeks, and ysterday i didnt do it at all. should i make the run to NC?

[Bada-Bing.]

Up to you... maybe borrow a friends car or rental car and save on gas money and headache as well??

[auriga560]

This started with me once a few years back - a couple months later the pressure plate failed. The mechanic said the leaf springs were shot and that was probably why the clutch was engaging so rough - he called it "clutch chatter". I really cant say if that is the issue with yours or not, but all I know was mine failed suddenly and I would hate to see that happen with you on a trip. If you drive out on freeman park on Carolina Beach in North Carolina (been out there countless times - Wilmington Native) then the tow truck rates to get you out of the sand are gonna be a buzzkill for sure.

[CMSurfer]

Have you checked your transmission mount?

At least on my YJ, there is also a torque arm that connects from the skid plate to the transmission. If it's loose (like mine is), it can also cause the shimmy. I'm not sure if TJ's have them or not.

[DrLewall]

sounds like the begining of pressure plate/throw out bearing failure to me..how old is the clutch in the rig right now? You may be in need of a new one

[JonP9576]

the clutch is only about 3 years old with less that 25k miles on it.

[wizard9100]

..going with a pressure plate situation...

[JonP9576]

ok, i'll check that out.

but heres the kicker, i took the trip, 400 miles down no shimmy no nothing.

i was driving out onto the beach(not the first time of the trip) and i heard a small pop and the jeep just stopped. It popped from 4h into neutral. Its not the first time it has done this, but my heart stopped.

i put it back in gear and everything was fine.

drove fine all the way home too.

so now i have thie sppt with my transmission guy and he said we'll go for a ride together so he can feel it shimmy and its not doing it any more.

do i wait till it starts again or just have him tear into it