Competition Clutch 06-11 WRX / 05-11 LGT Stock Clutch Kit w/ Flywheel

The Competition Clutch 15026-STOCK is an OE-style replacement clutch kit, with a flywheel, for the 2.5L turbo Subaru WRX and Legacy GT with the five-speed manual. It is for owners whose car is stock or has basic bolt-ons and who simply need a worn clutch replaced: the pedal has started to feel different, the engine revs climb in third or fourth without the car pulling, or takeoff has turned shuddery. Because the flywheel is in the box, it also covers the common case where the original flywheel is heat-checked or worn past resurfacing.

What this kit does in a 2.5L five-speed WRX or Legacy GT

In these cars the clutch sits between the EJ-series 2.5L turbo engine and the five-speed transaxle. The pressure plate clamps a friction disc against the flywheel so engine torque passes to the input shaft; pressing the pedal moves the release bearing against the diaphragm and frees the disc. Competition Clutch designed the 15026-STOCK to match the original torque capacity and keep a factory pedal feel, using an OE-style pressure plate and an organic full-face disc rather than the ceramic or segmented discs in its performance stages. The maker lists the kit contents as the pressure plate, organic disc, throwout bearing and pilot bearing or bushing where applicable, and an alignment tool, and the part is sold as a kit with flywheel. Shipping weight is about 33 lb, which reflects the flywheel in the box.

Symptoms of a worn clutch on these cars

• RPM rises in a high gear under load without matching acceleration (slip)
• Shudder or chatter when pulling away from a stop
• Engagement point creeping higher in the pedal travel as the disc wears
• A burning smell after a hill start or a hard pull
• Whirring or chirping that changes when the pedal is pressed, which points to the release bearing
• Hard engagement of gears or grinding when the clutch does not fully release

How to confirm before you buy

Do a slip test: in fourth gear at low RPM, go to full throttle and watch the tachometer. If revs jump ahead of road speed, the disc is slipping. Before blaming the clutch for grinding or drag, check the hydraulic system: low or dark fluid, a leaking slave cylinder or air in the line will keep the clutch from releasing, and a new kit will not fix that. If the car is tuned well past stock, an OE-style clutch is the wrong choice and will slip again. Our slipping diagnosis guide walks through telling real slip from other drivability faults, and shift flare vs. slip explains what the revs are telling you.

Fitment

Our listing is titled 2006-2011 WRX and 2005-2011 Legacy GT, and our catalog fitment shows the 2006-2011 WRX. Competition Clutch's own description reads 2006-2014 WRX and 2005-2009 Legacy GT with the 2.5L and five-speed. It is not for the six-speed WRX STI, the 2015-up WRX, or automatic cars. Treat the overlap between the two descriptions as certain and anything outside it as something to confirm: send us your year and VIN and we will check it before it ships. For a modified car, see the Stage 3 segmented ceramic kit with steel flywheel for the same cars. Other clutch kits are in the rebuild kits category.

Install notes

• Install a new pilot bearing or bushing; the old one comes out with a slide-hammer puller such as the OTC 1172 puller.
• Clean the protective coating from the new flywheel and pressure plate friction faces with a residue-free cleaner before assembly.
• Use new flywheel bolts or bolts in good condition, and torque them to the factory specification in sequence.
• Put only a thin film of grease on the input shaft splines; Competition Clutch warns that too much grease can damage the disc and void the warranty.
• Center the disc with the supplied alignment tool and draw the pressure plate down evenly in a crisscross pattern.
• Inspect the release fork and pivot while the transaxle is out, then bleed the clutch with the brake fluid grade marked on the reservoir cap.
• Break it in: the maker says to shift as often as possible during the first 500 miles so the disc beds into the flywheel and pressure plate.

If the car will make more power later, the Stage 2 steelback brass plus rebuild kit is the next step up for the same flywheel pattern.

Does the 15026-STOCK fit a WRX STI?

No. It is for the 2.5L turbo WRX and Legacy GT with the five-speed manual. The STI uses a six-speed with a different clutch, and the 2015-up WRX uses a different engine and gearbox.

Is the flywheel really included?

Yes. The part is sold as a stock clutch kit with flywheel, and the shipping weight of about 33 lb reflects it. The kit also has the pressure plate, organic disc, throwout bearing, pilot bearing or bushing where used, and an alignment tool.

Will it hold power on a tuned WRX?

It is engineered to match original torque capacity, so it suits stock cars and basic bolt-ons. A tuned car with a bigger turbo or more boost should use one of the Stage 2, Stage 3 or Stage 4 kits instead.

Will the pedal feel change?

Competition Clutch says the OE-style kit keeps a smooth, factory pedal feel, which is the point of choosing it over a performance stage.

What fluid does the clutch hydraulic system use?

The clutch shares brake fluid; use the grade marked on the reservoir cap and bleed the system after the install.

Is there a break-in period?

Yes. Shift as often as possible during the first 500 miles and avoid hard launches so the disc beds in evenly.

• How to Diagnose Transmission Slipping
• Shift Flare vs. Slip: How to Tell Them Apart
• Automatic vs. Manual Transmission Repair Cost