Swapping the clutch on an '05 Legacy GT

[Ridgeracer]

So does this also confirm the possibility of an 08/09 STI OEM clutch/flywheel working on an 05 LGT? Is the stock WRX or STI clutch have that much greater holding power over a stock LGT clutch?

[schwinn]

Have you installed your setup yet? Any feedback?

Still waiting for the FW to arrive... then I'll setup the appointment with the garage and let them have at it... $500-ish is better than me spending 2-3 days on it!

 

I based my purchase on many other users with this setup, reporting excellent results...

[LegGTLT]

The HDMM is the same as the Modified Street correct?

[schwinn]

Yes... HDMM (techincally, SB5-HDMM) is the part number for the modified street on my 06LGT...

[LegGTLT]

Thanks!

[RyanE]

Yikes, this thread picked up when I wasn't paying attention

 

I paid about $550 for the flywheel (which included pilot bearing), clutch disk, pressure plate, and throw out bearing. I receive preferred pricing, so figure about 20% more walking in off the street at your local Subaru dealer. You can get similar pricing online, but shipping will be $$$ since the flywheel is still pretty heavy. Note that the new WRX style pressure plate and clutch disk say Exedy on them, while the old dual mass bits were Sachs brand.

 

I broke in the clutch for about 1000 miles and then headed off to a HPDE. I haven't had a slip or any other problem with the clutch. It smelled the first mile or so that I drove it, but it smelled like clutch, not like dual mass farts

 

It holds like a mother and doesn't shudder during acceleration. It is also much lighter and easier to modulate than the old dual mass unit. The clutch pedal engages/disengages in the middle of the pedal throw, which is nice.

 

-Ryan

[schwinn]

Have you installed your setup yet? Any feedback?

Well the setup is installed now: SB5-HDMM ACT clutch with WRX flywheel. Also had them do the rear main engine seal and replace the trans-fluid while they were there. Haven't completed the breakin yet, so I'm trying to be nice to it for now, but initial impressions are that the clutch is much "grabbier"... in other words, there is a shorter distance between starting-to-engage and completely-engaged. That's probably to-be-expected since it's a stronger clutch.

 

Pedal feels heavier than stock, for sure. Granted, I was driving the GF's Saturn SL1 for a few days with a no-pressure clutch compared to stock... but this one is certainly heavier than stock.

 

I feel a bit of vibration during engagement, especially in 1st-gear starts from a stop, but nothing I can't get used to - I've heard this from many other people as well. I don't hear any chattering that some have described (though they have reworded the "chattering" to be a physical vibration in the pedal, more than a noise).

 

Another user installed the TSK bearing sleeve along with his clutch - sounds like he's seeing the same behavior as I am seeing... so I'm happy to have not spent the extra $175 for the TSK kit. There was nothing reported on the snout, so I imagine it was all fine and dandy.

 

Have to give credit to the shop that installed the kit: http://www.fastrackservice.com/ - they did a great job, and were careful during the install (I had them replace the tranny fluid with Extra-S from FredBeans, which comes in weird bottles - they caught this before putting it in, since the bottles say "Bathroom cleaner" on them... it wasn't cleaner, but it's good to see that they were paying attention!)

 

Beyond that, they took a little longer than originally expected to get it done - kept it overnight last week. It was no bother to me, but they gave me the option to either take it home on Thurs night, or let them make sure everything is ok on Friday morning. I let them keep it, and they called me on Friday before 9am to let me know it was all set. Too often I have shops not call me (when they say they will) and just expect me to show up or call them to make sure... these guys are on-the-ball!

 

Only "complaint" I have is that they may have overfilled the trans fluid,as I had a bunch leak out when I was stopped at a friend's place. The level is just below the full-mark now, but it is certainly concerning to see oil leaking out like that. As I'm paranoid, I'll be checking the trans fluid daily for the next week or so, and looking for drips... it's been fine since Saturday's leak (no drips) but better safe than sorry!

 

Best of all, the shop charged me exactly what they quoted for the work... can't argue with that! I can't recommend them enough... thanks FasTrack!

[Umass94]

"Eagle eyed viewers may recognize the barn we are working in as the backdrop for the now-canceled "Franz Kafka's Garage" section of Car and Driver. Yes, my Dad was Franz Kafka."

 

Really? Soooooo cool.......always flipped right to that section when I got my C&D.

[TSiWRX]

^ That's what I said, too, on his NASIOC thread!

[JSK05LGT]

TSI+WRX - did you install your setup yet? I just ordered the HDMM and the WRX Fly Wheel, wondering what your impressions were as well.

 

Schwinn - keep us posted on anything else you may find with the new setup!

[schwinn]

Not much more to report - it's definitely heavier, but it works well. The shuddering is gone now, either because I've gotten better at revving up a bit higher, or because it's broken in now. Definitely has a shorter engagement-distance, so you need to be a bit slower when slipping... but overall, I love it. I wish it were a lighter pedal, but I could afford to get a left-leg workout, I guess! In heavier traffic, I do tend to shift less frequently

 

Still can audibly hear the springs when decelerating (and the radio is down)... but it's not a problem or too noticeable, really.

[JSK05LGT]

Thanks for the feedback!

[duckJAI]

Would the pressure plate be the reason for why the clutch pedal feels softer?

 

I've read some people actually have found their new aftermarket ACT clutch to be SOFTER than stock.

What is going on here, I think a good portion of LGT owners say the clutch if STIFF, and some say it's soft. Any logical explanation? Faulty OEM pressure plate?

[TSiWRX]

TSI+WRX - did you install your setup yet? I just ordered the HDMM and the WRX Fly Wheel, wondering what your impressions were as well.

 

^ Yep, it was installed just two days before RyanE cross-posted the thread here....otherwise, if I'd seen the thread, I'd have attempted it, myself - yeah, I like to wrench.

 

Occasional still a bit of abruptness going from 1-to-2, still, but it's still more technique related, I think, as about 50% of the time (when I'm not thinking about being smooth, of course), the shifts are Lexus-automatic smooth.

 

No other "performance" related issues.

 

No chatter or rattle on decel that I can hear/feel, but my butt-dyno is pretty out-of-calibration, and the cat-back plus my summer tires really do work to hide any such noise.

 

 

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Would the pressure plate be the reason for why the clutch pedal feels softer?

 

I've read some people actually have found their new aftermarket ACT clutch to be SOFTER than stock.

 

What is going on here, I think a good portion of LGT owners say the clutch if STIFF, and some say it's soft. Any logical explanation? Faulty OEM pressure plate?

 

Dunno....

 

I know that when praedet drove my 5MT, back in 2005, he said that it felt heavier than his, but I didn't notice, since I've been used to daily-diving (city) the ACT-2600 on my last DSM.

 

I do think that this ACT setup has, noticeably, a bit heavier pedal effort than the stock, but to my rather well-developed left calf, it's really not all that different from stock.

[LegGTLT]

The ACT is definitely heavier than stock and has a much shorter engagemnet. I just switched over to the HDMM Modified Street and the streetlite flywheel. It was pretty noisy to start with on decel but after about 500-1000 miles it's really running smooth now. I stalled it the first two tries it was such a short engagement. You get used to it realllllly quick though. Not a problem at all now.