bravo xr lower questions
05-19-2012, 07:02 PM
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bravo xr lower questions
Hello everyone, i have a 29' kryptonite 650hp with a barvo xr dual water pickup. the boat runs right around 93mph. today, i was running around for a while and noticed i had no reverse. i had to manually pull the cable assy all the way to the stop to get reverse. lots of play between forwarn and reverse.
i figured there was somthing going on with the cable? so i made sure it was in forward all the way and drove back at about 2500rpm. during that, it banged and went into neutral making grinding noises etc. when you put it in forward it made a whine noise but still moved the boat. i had it towed in.
since i had a shifting issue, im assuming my lower is broken and not my upper. i will take it off tomorrow to see.
my questions.. are the imco lowers stronger? should i get another xr lower or switch to an imco. thanks!
Ray
i figured there was somthing going on with the cable? so i made sure it was in forward all the way and drove back at about 2500rpm. during that, it banged and went into neutral making grinding noises etc. when you put it in forward it made a whine noise but still moved the boat. i had it towed in.
since i had a shifting issue, im assuming my lower is broken and not my upper. i will take it off tomorrow to see.
my questions.. are the imco lowers stronger? should i get another xr lower or switch to an imco. thanks!
Ray
05-19-2012, 10:05 PM
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The upper in a bravo controls the shifting, not the lower. Unfotunately, Imco SC lowers are not much stronger than a Bravo XR. Imco shafts are better, as well as the prop shaft bearing, but the gears are the same P.O.S. that Merc sells. In any case, sounds like your entire drive has to come apart, as I am sure, metal has gone through the lower as well as the upper.
05-20-2012, 06:58 AM
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The upper in a bravo controls the shifting, not the lower. Unfotunately, Imco SC lowers are not much stronger than a Bravo XR. Imco shafts are better, as well as the prop shaft bearing, but the gears are the same P.O.S. that Merc sells. In any case, sounds like your entire drive has to come apart, as I am sure, metal has gone through the lower as well as the upper.
05-20-2012, 06:55 PM
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ok my upper is dead. it looks like i have an xz upper not an xr. should i switch to an XR? is it stronger? anyone have an XZ or XR upper for sale?
mine broke some gear teeth and broke the front part of the housing
mine broke some gear teeth and broke the front part of the housing
05-20-2012, 07:39 PM
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Ray,
that damage is typical of an XR upper gear set. Usually the first tooth snaps off and then the pinion gear trys to knock the second one half off, then it gets to the third tooth and can't destroy it, so it pushes the pinion out of the front of the snout. The XR/XZ cases are thinner there for the different retainer nut.
Not to say it cant happen on the helical cut gears of the XZ.. I just have not seen it. With your power level and driven with respect, the helical gears should've held up. At least there are a lot of guys running them without issues.
So to say the XR is stronger, only if you get a good set of gears. These days that is iffy.
You are looking at a new upper. One solution is to upgrade to an SCX upper or complete SCX. Or the B-Max is another alternative.
I would like to see a pic of the pinion gear on your drive. If you can get it pulled out..
Dick
that damage is typical of an XR upper gear set. Usually the first tooth snaps off and then the pinion gear trys to knock the second one half off, then it gets to the third tooth and can't destroy it, so it pushes the pinion out of the front of the snout. The XR/XZ cases are thinner there for the different retainer nut.
Not to say it cant happen on the helical cut gears of the XZ.. I just have not seen it. With your power level and driven with respect, the helical gears should've held up. At least there are a lot of guys running them without issues.
So to say the XR is stronger, only if you get a good set of gears. These days that is iffy.
You are looking at a new upper. One solution is to upgrade to an SCX upper or complete SCX. Or the B-Max is another alternative.
I would like to see a pic of the pinion gear on your drive. If you can get it pulled out..
Dick
05-21-2012, 06:39 PM
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Ray,
that damage is typical of an XR upper gear set. Usually the first tooth snaps off and then the pinion gear trys to knock the second one half off, then it gets to the third tooth and can't destroy it, so it pushes the pinion out of the front of the snout. The XR/XZ cases are thinner there for the different retainer nut.
Not to say it cant happen on the helical cut gears of the XZ.. I just have not seen it. With your power level and driven with respect, the helical gears should've held up. At least there are a lot of guys running them without issues.
So to say the XR is stronger, only if you get a good set of gears. These days that is iffy.
You are looking at a new upper. One solution is to upgrade to an SCX upper or complete SCX. Or the B-Max is another alternative.
I would like to see a pic of the pinion gear on your drive. If you can get it pulled out..
Dick
that damage is typical of an XR upper gear set. Usually the first tooth snaps off and then the pinion gear trys to knock the second one half off, then it gets to the third tooth and can't destroy it, so it pushes the pinion out of the front of the snout. The XR/XZ cases are thinner there for the different retainer nut.
Not to say it cant happen on the helical cut gears of the XZ.. I just have not seen it. With your power level and driven with respect, the helical gears should've held up. At least there are a lot of guys running them without issues.
So to say the XR is stronger, only if you get a good set of gears. These days that is iffy.
You are looking at a new upper. One solution is to upgrade to an SCX upper or complete SCX. Or the B-Max is another alternative.
I would like to see a pic of the pinion gear on your drive. If you can get it pulled out..
Dick
im trying to get the carrier out of the lower to clean out the mess. its the blue billet one. i cant get that thing to budge! any advice for me? thanks!
heres a pic of that pinion still installed.
05-21-2012, 09:57 PM
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If it were me, I would go with the XZ. But it is not offered anymore. I think when you buy the XZ they send an XR. The Bravo1 X is the XZ replacement. The lower in the X is the 1" shaft.
It would be better to know what broke on your drive and why. But in most cases I know a lot of boats running more than 650hp with the helical gears and having good luck with them.
Were you able to unscrew the retainer nut on the lower? If so, then the bearing carrier is stuck. I use a slide hammer to get it started or a plate, spacer, and nut to get it moving.
Hope that helps.
Dick
It would be better to know what broke on your drive and why. But in most cases I know a lot of boats running more than 650hp with the helical gears and having good luck with them.
Were you able to unscrew the retainer nut on the lower? If so, then the bearing carrier is stuck. I use a slide hammer to get it started or a plate, spacer, and nut to get it moving.
Hope that helps.
Dick
