legacycentral bbs

Drove my brother-in-law's OBS with the hydraulic clutch all day today and I don't like it. The travel is twice as long as my cable clutch is and it sucks in Boston-Cape Cod traffic. I also don't like the feel as much although it's easier to modulate. However, it's harder to drive smoother as it takes so damn long to work the clutch.

Is there a way to use the cable style system I have now with a turbo Legacy transmission?

Would something like an Exedy clutch be too much for the cable system if it would work?

Is the turbo clutch travel any different than the N/A Legacy's making these questions pointless?

Steve

Hydro clutches don't feel as "connected" to the car as cable shifters do.

I've driven cable clutch Suby's, and my turbo, and I MUCH prefer my hydro.

Pedal travel should be the same between the turbo and the N/A. You won't be able to use your cable shifter on a Turbo tranny.

As far as being hard to drive smooth, you need to practice more. I've got no smoothness problems unless it's throttle error. My clutch grabs consistantly, firmly, and I don't notice any issues with the throw being to long. It feels just as long as the cable clutched Subaru's I've driven.

The Exedy has a 2400lb pressure plate. Probably not good for the cables, as it was designed around a hyraulic system. But I know a guy running a 6-puck clutch on a cable shifted Ford Taurus, so it's probably not THAT bad.

you can convert a hydro tranny to cable. it's as easy as repositioning the pivot ball to the lower location and using the cable clutch fork. unfortunatly you must use the flywheel, pressplate and disk from a cable system also. not recommended for a turbo motor. if i hit more then 14 psi in 3rd the clutch lets go
i'm running a 98 rs tranny with 4.11 but must upgrde my pressureplate.

If you don't mind the heavy pedal effort, I would think you could do it.

You could use the entire turbo clutch setup but cut a retainer into the top of the clutch fork to hold the cable. Then, it seems to me, a properly mounted cable ought to work fine.

The cable would have to pull the top of the clutch fork towards the front of the car.

Unless the required travel couldn't be achieved with the cable setup... Maybe a set of pulleys....

You should try test driving a Legacy Turbo with its stock clutch control system first; you might find it's not the same as the Outback Sport.

It's more the length of throw that bothers me. I was wondering more if the turbo's travel was the same or not - the connected feeling isn't that bad and isn't so much a concern. Traffic is terrible in the OBS as I have to move my leg half way to my body every time I shift. With mine I barely more than flex my ankle and I don't like having to use the gas even when I upshift to get a smooth shift. Traffic is only an emotional aggravation in my car thanks to the short travel. Also makes shifting quicker - I felt like I was driving a manual muscle car or truck with the OBS clutch. Most of the time thismay be fine, but if anyone's ever gone through Big Dig mess to Cape Cod, you would understand.

The seats in the OBS are like sitting on granite, too, but that's another story.

Thanks for the feedback, now that I think of it, I don't remember the turbo clutch travel being any different. It was just late and I was pissed so I forgot about anything else.

Steve

My clutch grabs right above the floor. I don't see any problems with it, but I am willing to sacrifice minor inconveniences for ultimate driving performance (otherwise I wouldn't have Group N mounts and a lightweight flywheel).

I don't remember how the car drove on the stock clutch and flywheel, and since my clutch was slipping, I didn't have to revmatch.

If you don't like having to revmatch, don't get an M5. Revmatching is just a part of driving some cars.

I've got no trouble in traffic in my car. My heel never has to leave the floor.

I should add real quick, that I'm not sure if the need to rev-match is a result of the lightweight flywheel or not. I don't like to shift fast when I am just cruising, so I always like to revmatch for a smooth shift.

My clutch catches low as well with an ankle flex. The OBS was real high so it was rediculous. I don't mind rev matching sometimes, but when I'm just cruising or have girls in the car it can be tiring. I always match on the downshift, but in my car now I can shift relaxed and the revs fall perfectly to the gear. I just don't want to lose this pleasant and driveable clutch, although I'm aware I will have more pedal effort.

Steve

Then it might just be my flywheel. My revs fall way to fast during casual shifting, but fall PERFECTLY during WOT pulls, something the stock flywheel didn't do. A revmatch for slow speed shifts is pretty much required, but it doesn't bother me. Women never seem to complain about my driving either.

My truck grabs really high. It takes me a good 5 minutes to get used to where the clutch grabs when I drive the truck.

Women don't complain with me either, but I like to drive so it's as smooth as an auto.

Steve

BAC5.2 wrote:Then it might just be my flywheel. My revs fall way to fast during casual shifting, but fall PERFECTLY during WOT pulls, something the stock flywheel didn't do. A revmatch for slow speed shifts is pretty much required, but it doesn't bother me. Women never seem to complain about my driving either.

My truck grabs really high. It takes me a good 5 minutes to get used to where the clutch grabs when I drive the truck.

Ironically, the revs fall perfectly on my setup. Dunno if that's ironic or just coincidental or whatever, just thought i'd post that.

Women sometimes get winey in my car but I don't care one iota. If they don't like the way I drive they can get the f#@k out! My friends wife won't ride in my car because I scare her and it hurts her neck. Hehe, just the way I planned it.


I've driven cable clutch's on lots of cars and I think they feel sloppy and loose. I much prefer my hydro. Mine releases just off the floor too.

I actually worry about my car under WOT shifts to 3rd and 4th. It's like I never changed the gear, the car just smoothly pulls, grab 3rd, and it's like I'm still in the same gear. That probably isn't the best for the clutch or something...

does it almost feel like it's slipping?

Does it sound like those rice-Hondas when they always slip the clutch badly upshifting because they can't drive to save their lives (and if I owned a big truck this would not be an exaggeration).

Steve

In my new 2000 Sedan, with the hydrolic clutch, it makes a 'clunk' when dumping the clutch after a shift. The old cable clutch in the 1995 I used to have never did that. Then again, this poor hydrolic clutch was very low on fluid, so low it barely showed on the dipstick. Getting that fixed, though.

Legacy92ej22t's car does that, it's the pressure plate snapping shut when you side-step the clutch.

I've tried the side-step thing on the 1-2 shift, but that's a BIG no-no. All you get is a LOUD clunk (2400lb pressure plate will do that to you) and a violent lash.

The 3-4 thing is nothing to worry about, it just keeps smoothly pulling like I never shifted. No spike or fall in revs, so it's normal. Just smooth.

My 1-2 shift needs some hella work though. I keep side-stepping it when I'm in a hurry, and that sucks.