I have a 72 VW Beetle and when you take off in 1st it shudders. Would this be a clutch plate and how hard to change

You could have an oil leak from the engine, black oil, or from the gearbox, clean oil that smells like transmission oil...
and the oil is on the clutch plate, which makes them shudder.

Its a fairly easy job, after the engine is removed....

Best to replace the Clutch plate, throw out bearing and both oil seals.... or at least the clutch and throw out bearing..
and grease the needle roller bearing in the flywheel with lithium based moly grease...

Either oil seal can start leaking at any time, so its good insurance to replace them...

My Son didn't, and the gearbox seal started leaking....
engine out again.... not something You want to do every weekend....
Don't forget to oil the surface of the New oil seals after installation...

Lee

From Memory {old & worn out though]

I think the clutch can shudder when the clutch cable is about to break, that is, it has started to break some strands already.....
If this is the case... its much easier to replace a clutch cable than a clutch plate....
I think they break a few inches from the pedal...

Maybe someone who has replaced one recently can help with information here...

Lee

ive had a similar problem in my 72 sbug it turned out to be the clutch had oil on it from a leaking rear main seal. ive broken a cable as well but it feels different it just was like the clutch need adjusting ie peddle was spongey

Thanks for that... Barls

Yes, the clutch pedal gets spongy when the cable starts to brake... strand by strand...
memory coming back....

so, it looks like it IS the clutch plate... and OIL... OR....

Your transmission [engine} Mounts may be broken...
that can also lead to clutch shudder... You can check them out when You take the engine out... as they are bolted from the inside of the clutch [bell] housing....

You may be able to tell by looking at the engine mounts to see if the rubber has seperated from the steel...

Lee

Clutch shudder is most commonly caused by an incorrectly adjusted clutch bowden tube. It is the black outer tube that goes from the floorpan at the front of the gearbox to a bracket on the gearbox over the diff. It should have a bend in it to allow for gearbox movement on the engine mounts, without the tube pulling tight.

Broken gearbox mounts can add to the problem and cause bad clutch shudder.

A cheap incorrectly made clutch plate will also shudder for no apparent reason.

It could be a number of things Only way to find out is to have the engine out.

could be

gearbox mounts
oil on clutch
worn out clutch
incorrect adjustment on clutch
bent or twisted pressure plate
loose flywheel
broken throw out arm
gearbox shaft seal leaking

the list goes on