GL, GL10, Loyale Clutch Cable Replacement

[scoobydube]

CLUTCH CABLES last about the life of 1 1/2 clutches, or about 150,000 miles.  I am leaving a few tips here for your future search when you can't find a mechanic who can figure this one out.  I came up with two tricks to help considerably in this nightmare of a project.  The first trick is to fashion your own spring compressor out of rebar tie wire, going from one side at one end, to the opposite side at the opposite end, with a circular loop, and then do the mirror image for the other side of the spring.  Set the spring in a vice with a 10mm socket over the rod end, in order to compress the spring to be as short as possible.  You will have to remove the spring from the clutch lever arm in order to do this, and then reinstall the spring with the compressor still attached, before attempting final reassembly.  The second trick is to fashion two 6 mm x 35 mm bolts with a filed down point on the end, to replace the two 6 mm x 30 mm bolts in place.  The lower one of those bolts should be inserted in it's proper hole in the loose base retainer for the spring, before the spring is reinstalled between your loose clutch lever are and your loose base retainer for the spring.  The reason for the spring compressor is make it possible to slip both the brake lever arm and the holed end of the base retainer, over the main lateral pivot bolt for both the clutch and the brake.  The reason for the pointed end bolts is that you won't likely be able to use the existing bolts and get them to find the hole to which they are anchored in the anchor plate.  So to help with terminology.  From left to right, at the front of the clutch assembly,  you have the spring assembly, the base retainer for the spring, the actual clutch cable Tee end with two holes, and then the anchor plate.  The clutch lever arm has three attachments.  One to the main lateral pivot bolt, one to the back end of the compressor spring, and one to the back end of the clutch cable.  Subaru no longer makes these cables and there is only one supplier.  Those clutch cables are quite stiff due to sitting around for 10 years.  Which makes them difficult to work with.  Although the Subaru manual says to remove the entire brake and clutch assembly from the firewall, I removed all 4 of those bolts and it would not budge.  Furthermore, you are not going to get it very far from the fire wall with that assembly because the right end of it extends over the top of the steering column to the accelerator.   

[bushytails]

Might want to clarify what year range/models you're working on.  I'm guessing a few years of EA82?  EA81 came in a few different varieties, none of which are anything like that.

[scoobydube]

It would be the 85 to 94 EA 82 engine series.  I am assuming that nothing improved with the loyales as I was working on an 86 turbo.  An additional note, I squirted as much lithium grease in each end of the cable as I could get, before installation.  After installation, I noticed considerably less resistance in the operation of the clutch.

[moosens]

Check for a crack in thr pedalbox. Left side near the pivot pin. 
 

Get down there and either press the clutch pedal with a hand ot have someone else do it while you observe the left side of the box. If it flexes at all you’ll likely have that crack. 
 

Do it regardless of all you’ve done and learned. This is a common problem. 
 

I have new old stock cables i sometimes need and they’re fine. If anything just a squirt of lube. But they're coated and should not bind much until many many many years of weather and grime. 
 

[moosens]

Forgot to add my NOS cables are from

the 70s and sat in a barn for a couple decades and on top of that now I’m a good 18 years after the lot purchase we made. 
 

Good luck. 

[SuspiciousPizza]

I personally prefer to use graphite for any of my cables. My speedo cable is starting to get pretty lazy and I have to pull out the inner cable from the sheath, run it through my hand with graphite cupped in my palm. Throw it back in and repeat the process when the needle starts its squeal and bounce routine.

Not sure if it'll work with the clutch cable but you can pour it like a light oil and it doesn't attract dirt and doesn't harden like grease. You just have to be careful near electrical connections. 

Just food for thought.

[bushytails]

You can't remove the core of the clutch cable.  It has crimped attachments on both ends.