2007 Outback legacy 

is it easier to drop the transmission to change the clutch or pull the engine?  Odd question maybe.  I can’t find any information on the weight of the 5 speed manual that’s in the car.  I don’t have a lift but i do have a cherry picker.  I’m just not sure if I can get the car high enough to drop the transmission.  What have you guys done?  Thanks

I've done it both ways  but without help or a tranny jack, i'd lift the engine. 

You have to get it up high and its no fun wrestling that weight.

Yes you have to drain the coolant and separate  the exhaust (don't forget to disconnect the O2 sensors), but I can do this without help.

 

O.

Edited August 13, 2025Aug 13 by ocei77
add

If you have other engine maintenance to do, pull the engine.  Yes either works.

Reseal the oil separator plate behind the flywheel.  RTV - gray.  Get the metal plate if you'r is plastic.

https://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/145506-ej251-engine-weighs-119-kg-262-lbs/?do=findComment&comment=1222275

Thanks for the info guys!  Yeah I figured it might be like that.  Awesome!  Thanks for your help!  

Late to the party, if only doing clutch I drop the gearbox. 

On our 2000 Liberty/Legacy, I pulled the gearbox and managed to slide it back enough to work on the clutch and swap it out for a new one. 

This saved dropping the gearbox, I can’t remember if I managed to get away without removing the drive shafts. If I needed to it was an easy wiggle one way then the other with the gearbox because my model has diff stub axles, yours will have the male driveshafts into the gearbox to contend with. 

I used two steel rods that sat on the engine crossmember and the front gearbox crossmember piece. The rear crossmember and centre piece was removed, as was the gear linkages, tail shaft and exhaust. 

Where there’s a will there’s a way. These days I find it easier to drop the gearbox rather than lift out the engine. I put the car on ramps and go from there. 

If dropping the gearbox out all together I use a motorcycle jack and usually need to get the car up higher to clear the bellhousing as the engine comes out from under the car. 

Cheers 

Bennie