Question for Subaru manual transmission owners

[LoneRanger]

Someone asked if mine was Manual or Automatic. It's a manual. It's really fun to drive. Using engine braking coming into the entry to a curve then powering through the apex really works well with the this style of AWD Subaru uses in their manual trans. The Nokian WRG2's were a tad squirmy in curves when new but after being scrubbed-in, they handle surprisingly well for such an aggressively siped winter style tread.

The only thing that is a little not perfect is 1st gear ratio is pretty short. I'm shifting to 2nd by the other side of the intersection. But then the short 1st helps for soft road / off road. Although a genuine low range would be best. I think in the Australian market Subaru was offering a low range.

 

[bulwnkl]

Go have a look around at the Ultimate Subaru Message Board. It's a _much_ more helpful place than many of the model-specific boards, because the guys there tend to be more mechanical types, and interesting-project-types, and so forth. There are PLENTY of threads on failed power transfer clutch packs in most of the A/T Subies, and even a few about the potential for the LSD packs in the M/Ts failing.

There isn't any _good_ reason for the LSD pack in one of the M/Ts to fail before the transmission itself. You'd really have to be beating on it, or rallying it, or something of that sort, IMO.

 

[buster]

Thanks bulwnkl!