Question when converting a Bravo to a Bravo X series drive

[1BIGJIM]

I am have the RED dot gimbal bearing at the 10 a clock position so that should be fine.

I am reading a Mercruiser service bulletin from September 2000. It has a page about replacing the U-joint Bellows Sleeve with a new Bellows Sleeve part no. 862209. There are a lot of things I have never heard of but why would this make a difference?

[rhinoLX]

00

[1BIGJIM]

Originally Posted by rhinoLX

The red dot at 10 O'clock will pretty much line up the grease passage to the zerk fitting on the starboard side of the gimbal/outer transom plate and in the case of the "a3" gimbal bearing will place the part in the correct position to give added clearance for the larger u-joints of the 19 spline input assembly. The new bellows retainer sleeve has the small lip inside removed for clearance of the XR style u-joints. Are you installing a complete new drive? If you are just installing the "upgrade" gearset into a pre-1998 bravo the modified bellows sleeve is not necessary. Also the latest GKN u-joints (no zerk fittings) probably clear the old bellows retainer anyway though I've not tried it. I believe the only u-joints that do not clear are the late "90s - early 2K Bachmans.

It's a 1989 transom assembly, so from what I am reading I do not need to change the ring? The X drive is a 2004.
I also assumed all the input shafts have the same number of splines and will work with my existing engine coupler?

[Rocko C]

I upgraded my 2000 Bravo I to a new Bravo X last year. No mods were necessary. I have the standard transom assembly, by the way, not the HP.

Rock