SPEC Stage 2 Clutch Pack and LWFW Review

Yours is a 08, I'm betting it's a SMFW. Only the 05-06 had DMFW's.

 

Have you asked the guy's at Fred Beans ? You can email them from the contact page.

Just had it confirmed (via VIN) by a friend of mine who is a Subaru Tech, it's a SMFW.

 

It's time to go shopping.

http://www.iagperformance.com/shopping_cart/products.php?cat=682

 

At the bottom of the page is ACT clutches for a Spec B. Spec B's have a SMFW. Those should bolt up to it.

 

Look like a great shop.

 

 

Have your FW re-surfaced. and then just bolt a ACT SB6-HDMM to it. DOn't get involved with the STi clutch and all this hassel.

 

Load a STi into the search and see what ACT clutch's pop up. that should tell you if they are the same.

 

Bumping for clarity. 2006 Spec Bs are DMFW. 2007+ Spec Bs are SMFW.

Sorry to dig up an old thread but being that you guys have experience with this clutch set-up I wanted to get your impressions. I have been running the Spec Stg 2+ Clutch and LWFW in my 05 LGT for about 20k. Also have the TSK3 Kit and kartboy shifter bushings. In low rpms, in higher gears especially, I have gear noise on acceleration and deceleration. Noise goes away when clutch pedal is pressed. Clutch engagement and grab are amazing. Drives wonderfully. I've always assumed that this was in relation to the FW but wanted to make sure I wasn't ignoring a bearing, etc. Edited November 21, 2015 by careercadaver

Even my junkyard tranny makes noise. It had 96,000 miles when it was installed a year ago has the whine under acceleration in low gears and makes the decel noise in higher gears.

 

As I've said, I put the tranny in neutral when coasting down long hills on the back roads.

 

 

That is with a OEM SMFW and Spec 2+. The clutch was installed this past March.

 

This new Spec 2+ has a much lighter pedal pressure then the old 2+. It feels a lot like the OEM clutch in my 09 Spec B.

That's reassuring. From what I have been reading the dual mass flywheel that these came with from the factory absorbed the gear noise to a greater degree. The LWFW is just not able. I have no noise from the TOB with the TSK3 Kit installed but the gear noise is noticeable on decel and in higher gears at lower rpm ranges.

 

I've also been playing with the clutch to see if there was an engagement issue that might be able to be corrected by the helper spring set-up but after driving around for a bit I noticed a small decrease in noise decreased in 5th at 50mph but no change in 3rd at 30mph...It seems like if I'm staying over 4K rpms the noise is pretty much gone...especially with any acceleration. Thought thus could be drown out, to some degree, by my exhaust.

 

The noise was a bit bothersome at first but I've grown accustomed to it as it's not changed at all in nearly 20K. I have no issues with the clutch as it grabs great!

That's reassuring. From what I have been reading the dual mass flywheel that these came with from the factory absorbed the gear noise to a greater degree. The LWFW is just not able. I have no noise from the TOB with the TSK3 Kit installed but the gear noise is noticeable on decel and in higher gears at lower rpm ranges.

 

I've also been playing with the clutch to see if there was an engagement issue that might be able to be corrected by the helper spring set-up but after driving around for a bit I noticed a small decrease in noise decreased in 5th at 50mph but no change in 3rd at 30mph...It seems like if I'm staying over 4K rpms the noise is pretty much gone...especially with any acceleration. Thought thus could be drown out, to some degree, by my exhaust.

 

The noise was a bit bothersome at first but I've grown accustomed to it as it's not changed at all in nearly 20K. I have no issues with the clutch as it grabs great!

 

 

I ran an ACT LWFW for a short period of time, and swapped to a 2006 OEM WRX SMFW because of the gear noise. I'm pretty sure that is why the car came with a DMFW from the factory- even with a SMFW I get some gear chatter on decel.

 

If you think about what's happening it makes sense. As you remove weight from the crankshaft, you reduce the engine's ability to smooth out the individual strokes. During decel it is most apparent, when you're barely loading the back faces of the gears.

 

Do you have a LW crank pulley?

I do not. I heard the words "nasty vibrations" and decided to avoid it.

I do not. I heard the words "nasty vibrations" and decided to avoid it.

 

Good call. Sometimes people, like my previous owner, will have the OEM crank pulley fail so they get a LWCP as a replacement then run into issues.

So for the spec stage 2 you have to use their flywheel?

So for the spec stage 2 you have to use their flywheel?

 

No it will mat to a OEM FW.

 

Call Spec and talk with them, I used to talk with Jeremy@specclutch.com

 

He'll tell you they don't recommend a Spec 2 for these cars.

No it will mat to a OEM FW.

 

Call Spec and talk with them, I used to talk with Jeremy@specclutch.com

 

He'll tell you they don't recommend a Spec 2 for these cars.

im guessing 2+ then? OEM Fw eh? hmm I don't know I still might do a LW FW

Is it recommended to get a lighter flywheel with a stage 2 clutch kit

 

 

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IMO, the LWFW was the worst mod I ever did to my car.

 

Drivability suffered greatly and it chattered like crazy on decel.

I did replace the LWFW in my wagon with a OEM SMFW.

I did replace the LWFW in my wagon with a OEM SMFW.

Hey how much does the OEM SMFW weigh in at?

Same here i replaced with the exedy LWFW and hate it. It sounds horible and you can run all stage 2 clutches on stock flywheel.

I even noticed a driveability change going from the DMFW to the SMF. And noise/chatter that I didn't like. This was with the ACT HD Street Performance clutch which seems to be pretty comparable to the Spec Stg II clutches. I could not imagine anything lighter than a WRX/07+ LGT SMFW for a street-driven BL/BP.

I will add the OEM SMFW is close to the same drive-ability issues as the LWFW. The car doesn't like being in 4th gear below 40 MPH.

 

Also, again, these cars need a Spec 2+ clutch not a Spec 2 clutch, the 2+ will last longer.

Uhmm 4th gear and under 40 that's really lugging maybe fa flat road yeah but not any longer then it needs to be

 

 

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FWIW, I'm now back with the Spec LWFW and Spec 2+ clutch. This being the third 2+ in the car.

 

This one has the lightest pedal pressure yet on my left leg. I got 90,000 miles out of the last 2. The first one was replaced at 85,000 when I did the ej257.

FWIW, I'm now back with the Spec LWFW and Spec 2+ clutch. This being the third 2+ in the car.

 

This one has the lightest pedal pressure yet on my left leg. I got 90,000 miles out of the last 2. The first one was replaced at 85,000 when I did the ej257.

 

how dose the car feel now drive-ability wise with the new spec lwfw and new clutch still same issues ?

The new set up is great. The car still needs to be in 4th gear if going under 45mph. The low speed/low rpm still lug's the engine.

 

Where the DMFW and OEM clutch was fine at that speed in 5th gear.

 

But other then that, I really like the throttle response. I have to get used to the rpm hang if I don't get my foot off the gas quick enough when shifting or putting it in neutral to coast. But that's my fault not the LWFW.

 

Just to get it right, this is still the LWFW I bought back in 2007, just with a new friction surface, which is a $79 item.