Competition Clutch 2002-2005 Subaru WRX Stage 4 - 6 Pad Ceramic Clutch Kit
Competition Clutch part 15029-1620 is the Stage 4 six-pad ceramic clutch kit for the 2002-2005 Subaru Impreza WRX with the 2.0L turbo and five-speed manual. This is the kit people look for after a bugeye or blobeye WRX has gone well past a simple tune: a larger turbo, ethanol fuel, sticky tires and hard launches that cook an organic disc in a few passes. If your current clutch flares the revs in second or third the moment boost comes in, or it smells hot after one drag-strip pull, this is the heavy end of the range.
These early WRX cars use a pull-type clutch. The release bearing locks into the center of the pressure plate diaphragm and draws it back toward the gearbox to free the disc. Competition Clutch builds the 15029-1620 for those pull-style cars only. It combines a Competition Clutch performance pressure plate with a sprung hub disc carrying six ceramic pads, and the maker rates its Stage 4 Strip Series at up to 250 percent more torque capacity than the stock clutch. Competition Clutch notes that the -0620 versions use a solid hub; this -1620 part keeps the sprung center, which takes some shock out of the driveline on hard shifts.
Six small ceramic pads have far less friction area than a full-face disc, so clamping force is concentrated and heat is shed quickly. The trade-off is engagement. A puck disc tends to grab rather than slip in gently, so expect a short engagement window, some chatter when pulling away in first or reverse, and a car that is harder to drive smoothly in stop-and-go traffic. Competition Clutch markets this series at high-horsepower and drag-racing use, and that is the honest fit for it.
Run a load test before you spend money. In fourth gear from about 2,500 rpm, go to full throttle and watch the tachometer: a needle that jumps while the car does not pull harder is clutch slip. A car that just feels flat, with no rev flare, points toward a boost leak or a tune pulling timing, so log boost and knock on the same run. Also check the hydraulic side, since air in the line or a leaking slave cylinder causes grinding and drag that a new disc cannot fix. Our slipping diagnosis guide walks through the load test step by step.
Our listing is for the 2002-2005 Subaru WRX with the manual gearbox. Competition Clutch also lists the 15029-1620 for the 2004-2005 Forester, 1991-1994 Legacy and 2004-2006 Baja in pull-style form. It is not for the 2006-and-later WRX, which moved to a push-style clutch, and it is not for the six-speed STI. Some models in these year ranges were built with different clutch hardware, so compare your old pressure plate and release fork, or send us your year and VIN before you order. The maker's specification table shows no flywheel included, even though its general copy mentions one, so treat this as a clutch-only kit. More WRX clutch parts are in our rebuild kits category.
If your WRX is a daily driver with a moderate tune, the 15029-2600 Stage 3 segmented kit or the 15029-2100 Stage 2 kit will be far easier to live with.
| Brand | Competition Clutch |
| Part number | 15029-1620 |
| Fits | Competition Clutch 2002-2005 Subaru WRX Stage 4 - 6 Pad Ceramic Clutch Kit |
| Vehicle fitment | Subaru Wrx (2002-2005) |
| Type | Clutch Kits - Single |
| Condition | New |
| Ships | Same business day (in stock), from the USA |
| Warranty | 1-year |
No. It is a pull-style kit listed for the 2002-2005 WRX, 2004-2005 Forester, 1991-1994 Legacy and 2004-2006 Baja. The 2006-and-later WRX uses a push-style clutch and needs a different part number.
Usually not. A six-pad ceramic disc engages quickly and can chatter in first and reverse. Competition Clutch aims its Stage 4 series at high-horsepower and drag-racing cars. For daily driving, look at the Stage 2 or Stage 3 kits.
This -1620 version uses a sprung hub. Competition Clutch notes that its -0620 Stage 4 parts are the solid-hub versions.
No. The maker's specification table lists the flywheel as not included. Plan to resurface your flywheel or buy a new one such as the 2-671-ST steel flywheel.
The kit includes the throwout bearing and pilot bushing. Have the flywheel resurfaced or replaced, check the slave cylinder and clutch fork for wear, and bleed the hydraulics with fresh fluid.
Competition Clutch says to shift as often as possible during the first 500 miles so the friction material beds into the pressure plate and flywheel. Avoid launches until then.
