#1 The main problem with the trs is it is very expensive for merc to manufacture and therefore did not net much profit margin when compared to other drives. The bravo is usually a little faster because (1) the engines are further back (2) it is 1" shorter and (3) it is lighter weight. all this for about 3 mph or so. On some hulls the TRS will be faster because it puts the prop further aft, and it has no water pickup holes( less hydrodynamic drag).

THE GOOD OLD TRS
 

The TRS drive was good for it's time. As usual in everything we purchase things get better and better! It will hold the same amount of HP as the Bravo I XR drive but the Bravo I does not need the tranny to help out in the shifting dept. SOONER more than later ALL parts pertaining to the TRS will be EXTINCT! :(

Never owned a boat without a TRS, never had one break down but have seen plenty of BRAVOS on the bench at the local marina.:eek:

Either Doller Offshore or Bam Marine Carries almost all the parts for the TRS drives and the Trannies. Doller even has some stuff that is NLA. Not sure if Bam does or not. I'm sure betting they are good. I do have the good 72C Borg Warner trannies.

Right on. Well theres some good info in here. Basically the TRS's are a smaller version of the #3 drives?? And where's the water pick up if it's not in the drive? Just a pick up in the bottom of the boat?? And I take it the motors are pushed up to allow room for the trannies like #3's & 6's??

Thats right the pickups are on the bottom or off the transom it depends who rigged it. And the motors are moved further ahead for the trans. The same trans as the bigger drives with different tail shafts.
They did use 2 different transmissions. The Merctrans and the Borg Warner the Merctrans will not handle as much as the Borg Warner and it is a little shorter so they are not interchangealble unless you move the motors and change the spline on the outdrive. The merctrans uses a female spline the Borg warner uses a male spline.

i have owned a set of trs with borg warners attached to twin 500s on a 28 ftr. the extra weight is great in the rough, the durability is awesome (never had a problem) and the parts are all here in florida. i use bills marine, i had to replace two hydraulic rams at a very reasonable price...i even painted them to look like #3s.....i would rather run 73 mph without worrying about blowing it instead of doing 75 with the bravos...my 02

Are the older trim pumps (87 vintage) slower than the newer ones? Seems to take for ever to raise the drives compared to my old boat with Bravo's.

Or is it just the weigh..:eek: :eek:

If parts do get scarce for the TRS, you can bolt on a Konrad 540. It matches right up.

dont know about the speed of the pumps......my xdimension is raised 2.5 inches, so i dont need a lot of trim to get where i want to go