SAAB has made a number of memorable models throughout the years. Most hardcore SAAB fans will tell you that pre-GM era cars are the only true SAABs. However, saying that nothing good ever came from GM would be untruthful. SAAB 9-3 Viggen is a car any old school fan of this brand would love to drive.
Being a beefy version of a standard 9-3 means that some of the car’s components had to be made stronger and more durable. Components such as the clutch, for example.
What Made the SAAB Viggen so Popular?
The 9-3 was always considered to be the sweet spot of the entire SAAB lineup. It was just the right size for its power output, all while bringing a decent combination of comfort and luxury. More importantly, these were the cars you could play with. A turbo 9-3 is a toy that likes to eat boost and spit out power.
Naturally, SAAB released a whole gamut of 9-3s to the market. There was something for everyone. Europeans obsessed with efficiency and fuel consumption even had a range of economical diesel engines to choose from.
Then, there’s the other side of the gamut – the breakfast club of the SAAB 9-3 range. Looking at this part of the offer, you’ll notice various convertibles and, of course, the Viggen. Saab Viggen was a beast.
A Bright Spot in the 9-3 Range
Saab Viggen was a special toy. First introduced in 1999, this car brought a taste of everything good about the pre-GM vehicles into the new era. You could even say it was an homage of sorts. SAAB engineers weren’t alone in designing this car either. They turned to Tom Walkinshaw and his company for a few ideas.
Tom was a long time touring car veteran who knew exactly how to make a slow car fast. Even though the Viggen pales compared to Tom’s other work, it was more than just a consultancy job. The TWR had infused this car with their essence, giving it just enough bite to stand above the rest of the 9-3 family, especially in 1999.
The original Viggen was meant to be a coupe – a fast little thing that would put a smile on your face on your way to work. The car used Volvo’s legendary B235R engine from the 9-4 cars. It was delivering some 230 horsepower at 1 PSI boost.
The B235R is naturally torquey. SAAB had recognized this right off the bat, which is why they went with a special clutch kit for this car. As it turns out, this kit also fits a wider range of SAABs, which is why many consider it to be an upgrade.
The initial reviews were mixed. Positive reviews praised the overall grip and power these cars delivered, while negative reviews disliked the torque steer that would sometimes happen when you push a Viggen hard.
Viggen Sach Clutch Kit Upgrade
SAAB being SAAB, they always put function over form. The beefy clutch they installed in Viggen is just an enlarged clutch from a standard 9-3, making it capable of handling the extra torque.
Doing so meant making only a slight change to the already existing production system. More importantly, such an approach ensured that you could possibly use the new, beefy clutch in other SAAB models.
Namely, the clutch pack fits most 9-3 versions built after the year 1999. In fact, you can run this clutch on SAAB 900s from the newer generation. It will not, however, fit any 9-5.
Why Get a Viggen Clutch?
Clutches are important. Without them, we can’t use the power produced by the motor several times through gearing. That being said, clutches aren’t indestructible. On the contrary, your average clutch disc is considered to be expandable goods. There’s usually no way for a clutch to outlast the car, especially if you have a more dynamic driving style.
On the other hand, going with a beefier clutch kit has its perks. Mind you, we’re not talking about a performance clutch here. Going with a Viggen kit is more of a lateral move in terms of upgrades.
Installing this kit will give you a larger grip surface and arguably more bite with every gear change. This isn’t to say that you should beat on your 9-3 just because it has a better clutch, but the Viggen kit definitely could take a bit more abuse than the regular pack.
Longer Replacement Intervals
Another potential benefit of running a Viggen clutch in your standard 9-3 is that it will last longer. The math is simple. SAAB had built the Viggen clutch to withstand the torque of the fairly beefy B235R turbo engine.
Pairing that clutch to any of the 2-liter versions would give you plenty of extra clutch life. Even the strongest B200 series engine SAAB installed in these cars, the one that made 205 horsepower, wasn’t enough to push the Viggen clutch kit to its limits.
There were literally no downsides to going with a Viggen kit aside from its higher price tag. Then again, if it means you’ll have to change your clutch less frequently, is it really that much more expensive?
Other Upgrades
Older SAABs that take this clutch, like the NG900 series built prior to 1999, come with mechanical clutches. If you have one of these and you’re already messing with the Viggen clutch kit, you might as well do a hydraulic clutch conversion.
Why bother with this in the first place? Well, why not? If you’re refreshing the clutch system, chances are you’ll need to replace a few components in your mechanical clutch linkage anyway. Doing the hydraulic conversion using our kit could prove to be cheaper.
All you have to do is get a clutch pedal and bracket yourself. Everything else is included in the kit. Once paired with the Viggen kit, you can make your NG900 feel like a brand-new car with a small investment.
How to Tell Your Clutch is On Its Way Out?
A clutch disc lasts for about 60,000 miles on average. Anything over that is usually considered an extra. If you drive your cars hard, you can probably shave a few thousand miles off that magical figure.
When clutches begin to fail, they usually do so over a more extended period. You’ll usually notice it on the highway first. Your car will drive along usually, but then you’ll see that your vehicle isn’t accelerating when you give it gas.
This effect is caused by the clutch slipping. When you first notice these issues, it might be a good idea to start planning a clutch job. It’s best to pay the price of a new clutch before it deteriorates too far.
Other Signs of a Failed Clutch
Catching the clutch starting to slip on the highway isn’t always easy. Sometimes you won’t notice these fairly subtle symptoms. Instead, what you’ll notice are the other, much more severe symptoms. Here’s just some of them.
Clutch Making Noises when Used
An average clutch is packed full of springs and other small components. As your clutch goes through its life cycle, these small components tend to become loose. Once that happens, the noises start.
The cause of noises can be anything from a worn friction disc that no longer has any ‘meat’ on it to a worn pilot bearing or a warped pressure plate.
The fact that so many different things can cause noise is a good sign that your clutch needs work.
Failure to Accelerate from Stand Still
A severely worn clutch disc means that there’s no more friction material to engage the flywheel. If you reach a moment where your car is having trouble accelerating from a standstill, the chances are that there’s so little meat on your friction disk that your car isn’t capable of operating normally anymore.
Although a worn-out friction disc means there’s a price to be paid in the very near future, it is one of the best-case scenarios. Performing a friction disc change alone means that most, if not all, of the other clutch components, are fine.
If there’s a piece of advice we can give on this subject, it would be never to take your chances with a worn clutch. There’s nothing good that can come from seeing just how far you can drive with no friction material on your clutch.
Get Genuine SAAB Parts for Your 9-3
SAAB is, unfortunately, no longer an active member of the automotive industry. That being said, we at eEuroparts.com still offer a wide range of Genuine, OEM, and aftermarket parts for this legendary brand.
To determine which parts fit your particular SAAB, all you have to do is head over to our online store, input your car’s details into our navigation tool, and let our system go to work. Once it’s done crunching the data, you’ll receive a list of parts that match your particular vehicle.
In case you have any questions regarding our offer of SAAB parts, you can always get in touch with our customer support service. We’re available via email or phone and are standing by to answer whatever questions you might have.
I just bought a viggen and shortly thereafter noticed a rpm jump under wot. Every indication is a slipping clutch I also feel a bang letting off wot and my shifter moves abruptly.
If you get an RPM jump at wide open throttle, and you don’t feel the acceleration to accompany it, then clutch is your number one culprit. The sudden bang when letting off, and movement in the shifter is most likely a broken or worn out engine mount(s) letting too much movement and slack in the drivetrain. I recommend replacing all engine mounts when you do the clutch to save time and be done with it.
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so where can i do it please assist.
We are working on an email newsletter that would be separate from the promotional emails. It’s primary focus would be to show recent blog posts and alert users to upcoming events. Look for this soon.
The article says the Viggen clutch is “enlarged”, but does not say more. Larger diameter, thicker disc, different material? What about the pressure plate, stronger Springs, different diameter? Do you need a different flywheel?
I am considering this as an upgrade for my stage 1 tuned 9-3. I’m right around 260hp 360nm. What are the limitations of this stock viggen clutch? Would I be able to go with a stage 3 tune on it? That’d be 410nm
The stock Viggen clutch will be able to handle 410nm with ease, tune away!