unibrook

2001 Forester 5MT. 110k. I have always run 35lbs all the way around.

I have 2001 Forester 5MT. I thought I had center diff torque bind at 109k miles, but it was really front diff bind. People usually report rear wheel bind, as you are. But my car felt more like it was the front wheels that were binding. So, just for kicks, I replaced my front diff oil....and the bind disappeared completely. You might as well try it, but it sounds like your REAR tires are binding, so you might not get off easy like I did.

2001 forester I reached over passenger front panel. Maybe remove the air ducting first.

No fuse for 5MT. Just take my advice and change your front diff oil. Not hard or expensive. If that doesn't fix it, you can try something else next. You might as well try the easy first. And it worked for me. 2001 Forester 5MT 109k miles on her. As you can read in my link above, people will confuse center diff torque bind with front diff bind....since they are at first glance rather similar.

Not so much a popping/clicking sound....as a juttering/chugging/clunky sound as the wheels were binding and grabbing the pavement. If your car has over 100k on its front diff oil, it is past due. Change it out....and the car will shift gears silkier too. Read this thread for more background: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=126131

If the grabbing is happening at the front wheels, then it sounds like what my car was doing....essentially, front differential bind. Change your front differential/gear oil. This is not the same as engine oil. That fixed it for me. Report back here with your results.

Just a word to the wise. If you live in the rust belt and your Subie has reached 10 yrs old or 100k miles, I recommend replacing at least the bottom drivers side radiator hose clamps with new ones, and you might as well replace the top hose clamps too. One of my lower hose clamps rusted through and snapped, the hose came loose, dumped coolant all over the road. Just lucky wife noticed it, pulled over and parked immediately without overheating. I am so pleasantly stunned she listened and absorbed my imploring her to never overheat the beast!

Ok. 2001 Forester 5MT. 110k miles. I got the car good and warm on a hot day in Boston yesterday and I did the tight, slow, full-lock turns in a parking lot, and all symptoms of my torque bind are gone. In my case, the rear wheels never were binding, it was my front wheels that were doing it. Most people say they notice their REAR wheels binding, so my symptom was similar, yet different from the usual torque bind complaint. I only changed out my front diff/gear oil, and that cured it. Hope this helps someone else. Definitely worth a try before you pay for a new center diff.

Yes, my tires all same, same wear, same pressure. I changed my front gear oil/front diff oil (same reservoir) on my 2001 Forester 110k miles on her......I swear to gad it has helped. So maybe I have been experiencing partial front diff bind along with partial center diff bind. I have to do more testing this weekend to see if completely cured or partially....

email me and I will send you the step by step for rear wheel, wont be much diff for front wheel. nwlovell at yahoo

Well, there is the possibility that what I THINK is center diff tbind is actually front diff tbind. We shall see, but my hopes are small. What symptoms arise from front diff failure?

I think this is why my slave cylinder seals are failing after 109k miles. That puppy really heats up in a summer traffic jam.

2001 Forester 5MT. 109k miles on her. Experiencing torque bind when hot the last 4 months. So I changed the front diff/gear oil just for the heck of it. Had to get on that drain plug with a breaker bar to loosen it, so I know it has never been changed before. I have only very small hopes that this will cure the torque bind (hey, it COULD be the front diff, right?). But it does make the shifting a little silkier.

I just did my 2001 Forester bulb this weekend. Dunno if 2007 is same, but open rear gate, look for plastic cover to brakelight area inside of car. Pull off cover. Rotate plastic retainer clip holding dead bulb in its socket...counterclockwise about a quarter turn. Gently but firmly pull glass bulb out of its plastic holder. Push new glass bulb into the plastic holder and screw it back into place.

Mice suck. They enter our old 1982 GL wagon via the gearshift portal through the floor. We put a metal plate over the shift every night to keep them out. We also put poison pellets on the floor of the car....just in hopes of killing a few of dem nasty critters.

2001 Forester 109k. Just like clockwork, my clock stopped displaying again...after another 5 yrs, again. So I popped out the clock, DEEPLY resoldered both sides of the usual suspect 510 resistor, and now the clock is working (display lights up) again. Now if only this dang torque bind were so easily fixed! :-\

I am assuming you have changed your front 02 sensor within the last 40k miles, right? If not, do that next. Fixed mine.

A/C, water pump, turbo.

If your front 02 sensor has not been replaced in the last 40k miles, you might suspect that. Symptom will usually occur under load when engine is warm.

If your car is hesitating under load (ie, acceleration) when the engine is warm, then I suggest you replace your front 02 sensor. My 2001 Forester seems to want a new one every 40k miles. It is pretty easily done yourself.

Any resolution on this?

Ok, thx for clearing that up for me. Given the expense of replacing the center VLSD, I will probably wait until it gets really irritating, then go this route: "or wait until it completely fails to permanent locked and remove the rear driveshaft and run it in FWD." Is that really doable with no ill side effects? Cuz, I really do not need the 4wd.

2001 Forester 108k miles. Manual Tranny. I am getting torque bind now when the car is warm, not when cold. Exactly which fluid should I be changing where? Exactly what is the fluid called I should use? thx.

I don't even bother to downshift in order to slow the car down. My theory is that brakes are easier and cheaper to replace than the clutch is. ymmv.

Rooster, I have done a rear wheel bearing with a Hub Tamer. I have a detailed writeup I can send you. Then you will know what is involved. if you want it: nwlovell at yahoo.