LGT clutch release bearing

I strongly recommend anyone who replaces their clutch, especially the LGT, install the PDM TSK3 sleeve kit. It is a repair product but also a preventive measure. The '05-up LGT does not have a retainer clip from the factory. There is 1/4" of travel between the fork & bearing. This allows the bearing to float & due to drag on the quill, the bearing remains in contact with the pressure plate. This bearing is not designed to spin constantly & especially at high RPM's. The bearing overheats, seizes, & in some cases disintegrates. One LGT owner actually had his quill broken off as a result of the bearing disintegrating! The quality of this bearing is not par with Subaru's standards. The PDM TSK3 comes with a retainer clip to prevent this from happening.

 

You are spending a lot of money on a new clutch & the labor, spend the extra money & protect your investment.

 

Paparoo

Hi there. You are special.

How much does this TSK3 run?

Well, it doesn't look like pdm usa has it listed yet but I bet you can find out through one of their distributors.

 

http://www.pdmusa.com/Dealers/dealers.html

 

Many have found the TSK2 NOT to work on the Legacy which is why there's a TSK3.

PDMUSA is updating their website, but you can find some dealers on their old site. The price varies, but it is usually $175-185. Shop around, sometimes you can find it cheaper.

 

http://www.pdmusa.com/Dealers/dealers.html

 

I posted a clarification of applications on a previous thread. The only Legacy turbo models that use the TSK2 are the early, '91-94 models. If you want to know what fits your car, see the post under the thread "Need advice on tranny", post #6.

"One LGT owner actually had his quill broken off as a result of the bearing disintegrating!"

 

Hey i know what you are talking about first hand. This happened to me a month ago. wish i had read this forum before. the damage was terrible and i still havent been able to replace the bellhousing on the gearbox. cant seem to locate one..... My major problem is that i m from Trinidad & Tobago (caribbean Island)... so MT parts are rare.

 

i had to do a full conversion to a WRX box, drive shaft, rear axles, diff the works....

 

check the pics below..... warning not for the faint at heart.

there was no additional damage (spline still intact)......

 

the scary thing is there was no warninig .... no noise .....

Wow....what mileage was your LGT at? Thanks for sharing those pics...

Wow....what mileage was your LGT at? Thanks for sharing those pics...

 

27000.... as i said...no warning what so ever..... guys you need to take all precautions to prevent this sort of disaster...... i still hope to find a replacement bell housing..... cars back up with wrx parts...ride is sweet but damn nothing like original parts.....and the piece of mind.

I recently purchases an 08 Legacy Spec B and when I let the clutch out in 1st and 2nd gear there is a sandpaper type grinding noise. Does anyone else hear this and think its not normal? The dealership says that its the new carbon fiber parts in the transmission.

" The dealership says that its the new carbon fiber parts in the transmission."

 

They said what? Carbon Fiber parts? Wow, dealers really will say anything

carbon fiber parts in the transmission

 

glad i just bought my tranquil tsk3 kit for my clutch install!

This interests me as I have a fried clutch at 36K miles.

 

Likely the dealer will do the install but I will be bringing them all the parts needed, as I don't want to pay their idiotic parts pricing.

 

This could be added to the list.

Sounds like a definite "add to the list". I'd have it done if I was getting into the clutch at all. I got a quote locally to just have this TSK3 part installed and it was like $850! I think I'll wait until the clutch needs work too.

 

Cheers!

I strongly recommend anyone who replaces their clutch, especially the LGT, install the PDM TSK3 sleeve kit. One LGT owner actually had his quill broken off as a result of the bearing disintegrating!

 

OMG really??!! One whole LGT has had this happen??!!! That's like almost everyone. This is almost as bad as the 10 total people that have broken their trannys.

 

 

Will this thing hurt anything, no. But it's not worth the cost unless you are paranoid.

 

This snout issue is common to ALL MT subies. If it was that big of an issue, then Subaru would almost be forced to make their own repair kit or redesign the tranny snout. Also, if this was such a problem, it'd be all over all the suby forums.... which its not

^^^ buddy to be honest, maybe its not a very common problem, but guess people alwyas think that "$hit" won't happen, till the day it does. I only mentioned my problem to give you guys a heads up. BTW go on ebay do a search for legacy transmissions. you will see that in at least two cases persons selling their "used tranys' are selling for parts because the had a similar problem like i did.....i live by the rule better safe than sorry.... what can i say go brave.

And how many of those Ebay trannys say where they came from and under what conditions did they fail? How many had clutch kits not meant for that car, which caused the failure? How many normal customers come into the dealership with this problem?

 

Edit: Aren't you on an island... surrounded by ocean? That puts you into an upper tier of wear and tear on the car. Ever driven your car onto or around sand?

I'm with mwiener on this (that reads like "I'm with my weiner..."). I looked into getting a snout kit for my clutch swap, but the more research I did, the fewer instances or problems I could find on late model year Subarus (2.5t engines).

 

The way I look at it is, if when you, or the shop, pull the clutch, and you see evidence of grooving, then order up a snout kit. Don't fix what's not broken.

 

Warren

I did a little more research on this and it turns out it IS a LITTLE more common than I thought.. but still doesn't warrant the claim "add the snout kit just cause you're in there"

 

If you're in there and you're paranoid, do it

 

If you're in there and you see signs of wear, do it

 

If you're in there and everything looks peachy, put it back together and go on your way

I just bought it for extra peace of mind. Whats $160 when you have already spent thousands on your build. But I do understand why people don't buy them. I just like to take extra precaution. I would never install it unless I was already in there doing a clutch.

Subaru will not acknowledge the problem. To do so would open them up for lawsuits & disgrace. They would be responsible for the problem even after the warranty ran out. Subaru has had issues before without admissions. They claim the air flow meter on the 1999 models were not defective, but that was the only year the used that design. If you read my opening thread, you would know why they fail, there was NO clip on the bearing to the fork. When the grease gets dried out, the bearing does not return with the fork. It stays in contact with the P/plate. This bearing in this assembly is about half the size previously used by Subaru. I am talking about the actual bearing, not the bearing assembly itself.

Adrian, PDM can make you a special order sleeve to save your case. It is a press fit, so it is hard to get off in case you need to service your trans, but it is better than buying a new case.

Adrian, PDM can make you a special order sleeve to save your case. It is a press fit, so it is hard to get off in case you need to service your trans, but it is better than buying a new case.

 

Paparoo...... can you look in to this for me. contatcting PDM may prove to be a bit of a task from here.

 

mweiner "Edit: Aren't you on an island... surrounded by ocean? That puts you into an upper tier of wear and tear on the car. Ever driven your car onto or around sand?"

 

im sorry cuz i dont mean to offend but that is an ignorant ass statement.... cummon. i live on an island so the wear and tear would be different or i may have drive on or around sand..... i think you have looked at too much gilligan's island my friend. Trinidad recently hosted the VSOA. do some research. there are ppl on trinidad who have never been to the sea/beach or ocean. i for one would never subject my subie to that sort of environment.

 

i reiterate.... my reason for posting was to add some value to what paparoo what kind enough to discuss..... knowledge is power......thanks paparoo.

I live less than a mile from the rocky mountains and I know people who have never gone past the foothills.... what's your point?

 

 

Subaru will not acknowledge the problem. To do so would open them up for lawsuits & disgrace. They would be responsible for the problem even after the warranty ran out.

 

You mean kinda like how Honda is recalling several hundred thousand cars due to airbag defects? If it was a big enough problem that warranted a proper fix, then Subaru would release a TSB and make their own fix kit. Just because a flaw is found in a car doesn't mean the manf. has to be ashamed of it. Stuff happens. There is no law that says a product can't fail due to unforeseen circumstances.

mwiener... your right. Thanks for your input.

 

paparoo..... let me know if you get some more info for me.

 

cheers.

Mwiener - Honda, and all manf's, are forced to recall any known safety defect (such as the airbags).

 

A defective part, on the other hand, is a whole 'nuther issue.

 

Honda has known issues with their 2002+ 6-speed transmissions on the K20-series engines.....lots of 2nd and 3rd gear problems throughout the years. It took them about 4 years of ALOT of complaints before they issued a service bulletin about it. In 2007, they issued a technical bulletin for the Civic SI that allowed part of the gearset to be replaced if the customer complained about it and it was reproducable (car not going into 3rd gear).

 

I think that was a much more evident, and relevant, problem to what Subaru is experiencing with the TOB. Honda's problems are even more in your face (your car grinds or won't go into gear) and they have greatly resisted trying to resolve the issue.

 

I'm not offering anything against what you are saying. I'm just saying that manufacturers will often resist fixing problem parts in non-safety related locations.

 

Joe

 

P.s. 27500 miles on my LGT and it makes TOB noise every morning, wet or dry, when I start the car and back out of my parking spot. Goes away after about 30 seconds of driving. I know what causes TOB wear to accelerate, and I don't do those things. It's not comforting that it's whining already, but I know other members have reported 75k miles on their LGT with a whining TOB and no problems.