The clutch assembly fitted on every Saturn enables drivers to keep a tight rein of the car. Composed of a gear and plate assembly designed to transmit rotary motion, the Saturn clutch engages and disengages the engine via the clutch pedal. Through the transmission system, the Saturn clutch enables the degree of transfer or gear ratio of the engine power to the drive wheels in the form of rotary motion.
A Saturn clutch kit is typically made up of a clutch friction disc and a clutch pressure plate. Some clutch kits even have pilot bushings or pilot bearings. The clutch disc is a metal disc that directs the flow of power between the engine and the transmission along with the pressure plate and the flywheel. The pressure plate, on the other hand, contains a clutch plate, springs, cover, and release fingers. Newer Saturn clutch kits have one or more friction discs, pressed tightly together against the flywheel by springs. These clutch discs are lined with asbestos, the same material used in brake shoes and pads, and provide better friction and enhanced grip between the flywheel and the disc. Clutches installed on a Saturn usually use ceramic clutch discs for increased friction.
Saturn are available in manual and automatic transmission systems. Most Saturn owners go for the manual transmission over the automatic because it offers greater control over speed selection for various conditions. A Saturn manual clutch likewise offers greater fuel efficiency and slipping is further minimized as the gears are shifted just like in an automatic transmission. The automatic Saturn transmission, while largely used in modern models, has a downside in its parking pawl feature. It locks the output shaft of the Saturn transmission to a set gear selection, making the clutch assembly not able to adapt to varying drive applications. But, generally, the performance of both the automatic and manual Saturn transmissions depends on the friction materials and springs used, which in large part set the Saturn for faster and harder launches, quicker shifts, and much better durability.
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