What did I do wrong?

I am on my third clutch in my 73 cj5 (304 T15) since I owned it about ten years. I installed and setup this one the same as all the other clutches. It was installed in May. This clutch had strange vibrations when it would engage which went away in a couple days. A couple of weeks ago I went four wheeling; try to go up a trail that I had done in the past. I came out on the clutch pedal and nothing, no power to the wheels (yes it was in gear). Tried it a few more times and no engagement. It seems to engage fine the rest of the day on different trails. Now I have a really bad growl while driving that disappears with the pedal in. The jeep holds itself on a slope, and the engagement point is I set it just a few months ago.

I am currently getting all my ducks in a row to install a SM 420. Just waiting on the 420 to get rebuilt. So If I have to drop the tranny again the T15 will not go back up.

Was this an installing error that I made, or a bad clutch from the parts store, and or just aliens messing with me?

What about the grawling?

 

Just a few bs type questions

Oil on disk surface?
growl in throw out bearings?
cheap parts from cheap suppliers are big problems! China just can't do it and you are the one under it fixing their problems.
could the transfer case been stick halfway between gears?

 

You might want to check your transfer case. I had a simular problem. What I found was my transfer case was popping out of low range. Rebuilt transfer case, problem went away so far. Will know for sure in another week when I am in the mountains.

 

I had a similar experience with my T-case also, but it realy wasn't popping out. my linkage was warn and it actually wasn't completely engaging. I also have had the rod get bent up on a trail but that made mine be engaged instead of disengaged. you have something odd going on and it very well could be simple.

 

Growling could also be pilot bearing. That wouldn't affect the clutches grab though. They usually make noise when you push in on the clutch pedal.