Do Drive Showers Really Cool The Oil?
03-28-2012, 07:09 AM
#21
Registered
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Huntsville, AL
Posts: 1,628
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have never had a boat with a drive shower. But I have felt the drives after running the boat. and they dont take skin off. BUT i also dont runa boat WOT for more then 1-2 min max at a time.
its amazes me someof you guys runa boat at 4k to cruse and 5k for 20 min or more at a time.
its amazes me someof you guys runa boat at 4k to cruse and 5k for 20 min or more at a time.
03-28-2012, 07:36 AM
#23
have had them on my last 5, no probs!!! I believe in them!!
03-28-2012, 09:12 AM
#24
Registered
I once had a 25 Checkmate and it had a metal speedometer pick up that ran off of the transom. I took it off and also picked 1-2 MPH. By the way we never ran drive showers on the race boat and never had a problem. IF you were running the boat for extended periods of time without coming off plane they may be of some benefit. We usually ran for an hour in races at WOT.
03-29-2012, 01:36 AM
#26
Registered
Wanna know if drive showers get rid of the heat that always shortens the life of drive gear oil and drive gears?
Run your boat without a drive shower on a nice day at lets say for 15 minutes at 4000rpms, quickly stop the boat a go to the back over the drive (Don't Really Do This!) and put your flat palm on the top of the drive cap. I guaranty you will either leave some palm skin there or blister the liv'in hell out of your palm! Thats how hot they get without showers! I would never run a Bravo equipped high performance boat without a GOOD shower period! I would also never go out in public or around friends without a good dailey shower also! Showers are good!
Best Regards,
Ray @ Raylar
Run your boat without a drive shower on a nice day at lets say for 15 minutes at 4000rpms, quickly stop the boat a go to the back over the drive (Don't Really Do This!) and put your flat palm on the top of the drive cap. I guaranty you will either leave some palm skin there or blister the liv'in hell out of your palm! Thats how hot they get without showers! I would never run a Bravo equipped high performance boat without a GOOD shower period! I would also never go out in public or around friends without a good dailey shower also! Showers are good!
Best Regards,
Ray @ Raylar
Michael
Last edited by Michael1; 03-29-2012 at 01:39 AM.
03-29-2012, 06:13 AM
#27
Registered
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Howard City, MI
Posts: 196
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
transmission fluid is designed to run hot, gear oil breaks down at about 150-160 degrees and no longer protects like it should. That is how it gets black (it burns).
03-29-2012, 07:14 AM
#28
Registered
iTrader: (2)
there is obviously a lot of opinions and very little actual knowledge of what the real solution/problem is, the only useful reply for me was Dean's that provided actual real world data.
I run drive showers hasn't affected my speed at all nor do i see much difference at oil change time, but i no longer have the chalky buildup on the drives so they must be doing something.
My opinion they can't hurt, drives are expensive so find one that doesn't slow you down and put it on.
I run drive showers hasn't affected my speed at all nor do i see much difference at oil change time, but i no longer have the chalky buildup on the drives so they must be doing something.
My opinion they can't hurt, drives are expensive so find one that doesn't slow you down and put it on.
03-29-2012, 07:34 AM
#29
Registered
Thread Starter
iTrader: (6)
Good discussion. I often cruise fast and over 4,000 rpm. I have never had my overflow bottle fill up or feel hot. I have felt the drive after a hard run but it submerges when you come off plane so, while it feels hot, it is not too hot to hold my hand on. Boat is Donzi 22 Classic with 525 and Bravo XR/Imco shorty. I was almost convinced to get a shower by the reports of oil temp drop but if speed drops then maybe the drive oil is meant to operate at higher temperatures. My oil gets changed once a year and has looked good at the end of each season. I'm going to have to look into this more. I'm also going to take off my speedo pitot and see if I pick up some speed.
03-29-2012, 07:52 AM
#30
Registered
My last boat had a VP drive so I never really thought about drive heat. Now, since I have two bravos, I have thought about getting a couple drive showers. I have checked the drives after a long WOT run and they don't feel hot. No chalking either. Still not convinced these are required for every bravo drive. I'm not running big power like most of you, so that may be the key. I'll probably eventually get them though, since prevention is worth a pound of cure!
