Competition Clutch 1998-2004 Subaru Forester Stage 2 - Steelback Brass Plus Clutch Kit

The Competition Clutch 15010-2100 is a Stage 2 clutch kit for the 1998-2004 Subaru Forester five-speed with the 2.5L engine. It is the kit for a Forester owner whose original clutch is slipping, chattering or near the end of its travel, and who wants more holding power for towing, a loaded cargo area, mild engine work or spirited driving, while keeping a pedal that still works in daily traffic.

What the clutch kit does in a 1998-2004 Forester

Competition Clutch pairs a performance pressure plate with a full-face disc. Their product page describes it as a full-face organic high-torque disc, and their Stage 2 line uses what they call Brass Plus friction on an alloy backing. For this kit they quote a 40 to 50 percent increase in torque capacity over stock, with a slightly firmer pedal than factory and smooth engagement. A full-face disc engages progressively, which is what keeps this kit friendly in stop-and-go driving, unlike the puck-style ceramic discs in their Stage 4 kits.

In a Forester, the clutch sends power into a five-speed that drives all four wheels full time. A slipping clutch on these cars does more than waste power: the extra heat glazes the flywheel and can leave hot spots that cause shudder even after a new disc goes in. That is why the flywheel surface matters as much as the kit itself.

Symptoms of a worn Forester clutch

• Engine speed rising without acceleration on a highway on-ramp or when climbing a grade in fourth or fifth
• Slip that shows up first when towing or carrying a full load
• Engagement high in the pedal travel, near the top
• Chatter or shudder when pulling away from a stop, worse in reverse
• A burning smell after a steep driveway or hill start
• A whir or chirp when the pedal is pressed, which usually points to the throwout bearing
• Hard shifting into gear with the pedal down, which can also come from the release fork or pivot

How to confirm before you buy

Try a fourth-gear pull from about 2,500 rpm with the pedal fully released. If the tach climbs faster than road speed, the clutch is slipping. Before you pull the transmission, check that the pedal returns fully and that the release linkage has no binding or excess play, since a misadjusted release can feel like a bad clutch. Our slipping diagnosis guide covers the road test, and the flare vs. slip guide helps rule out other causes. To budget the job, see our manual repair cost guide.

Fitment

Our listing covers the 1998-2004 Subaru Forester. Competition Clutch lists the same 15010-2100 kit for the 1998-2004 Forester and Impreza 2.5L, the 2000-2004 Outback 2.5L, the 1993-1997 Impreza 1.8L, 1995-2001 2.2L cars and the 2001-2003 Outback 3.0L. It is for manual transmission cars only. The 2004 Forester XT turbo is a different case: our catalog carries a separate Competition Clutch kit listed for the 2002-2005 WRX and 2004-2005 Forester, so XT owners should send us the year and VIN before ordering. Anyone with a swapped engine or transmission should do the same. More kits are on our rebuild kits page.

Install notes

• The kit includes the pressure plate, disc, throwout bearing, pilot bushing and alignment tool. A flywheel is not included.
• Resurface or replace the flywheel so the new disc beds against a flat, clean face with no hot spots.
• Remove the old pilot bushing with a puller such as the OTC 7318 pilot bearing puller and install the new one squarely.
• Center the disc with the supplied tool and tighten the pressure plate bolts evenly in a crossing pattern.
• Competition Clutch warns that too much grease can damage the disc and void the warranty, so keep spline and fork grease to a thin film.
• Break it in the way Competition Clutch recommends: shift as often as possible through the first 500 miles so the disc material embeds into the pressure plate and flywheel faces.

Will 15010-2100 fit my 2003 Forester with an automatic?

No. This is a manual transmission clutch. Automatic Foresters use a torque converter and do not take a clutch kit.

Does it fit a 2004 Forester XT turbo?

Competition Clutch lists 1998-2004 Forester for this kit, but our catalog carries a separate kit listed for the 2004-2005 Forester with the WRX. Send us your year and VIN so we can confirm before you order.

Will it also fit my 2002 Impreza 2.5 RS or 2001 Outback?

Competition Clutch lists the 1998-2004 Impreza 2.5L, the 2000-2004 Outback 2.5L and the 2001-2003 Outback 3.0L for this kit, all with manual transmissions.

How much stronger is it than stock?

Competition Clutch quotes a 40 to 50 percent increase in torque capacity for this kit, with a slightly firmer pedal than factory.

What is in the box?

The pressure plate, disc, throwout bearing, pilot bushing and alignment tool. The flywheel is not included and should be resurfaced or replaced.

How do I break it in?

Competition Clutch says to shift as often as possible during the first 500 miles so the disc material beds into the flywheel and pressure plate.

• Transmission Slipping Diagnosis Guide
• Shift Flare vs. Slip: How to Tell the Difference
• Automatic vs. Manual Transmission Repair Cost