800hp through an xr drive
03-25-2015, 02:22 PM
#31
Registered
Frankly its pretty sad how short of a hour life these high performance engines have. Even worse that bravo based drives don't even last as long as the engines they are behind!
SERIOUSLY! These are high performance OFFSHORE Powerboats and OSO thinks it's OK to drive them like a KIA, avoid rough water, sit at the sand bar, and say a prayer every time we get on plane??
Just to squeeze another hour out of an Bravo based drive.....sad.
If anyone wants to start a beware thread about a marine manufacturer that has screwed us it should be about Mercury........
SERIOUSLY! These are high performance OFFSHORE Powerboats and OSO thinks it's OK to drive them like a KIA, avoid rough water, sit at the sand bar, and say a prayer every time we get on plane??
Just to squeeze another hour out of an Bravo based drive.....sad.
If anyone wants to start a beware thread about a marine manufacturer that has screwed us it should be about Mercury........
03-25-2015, 04:09 PM
#33
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iTrader: (4)
740 hp a side. Xr drives 130 total hours on the boat. Was cruising along last year the week of the 4th and the vertical shaft broke where it is crossed drilled for oiling, spun on itself (45 degree break) and busted all 4 corners of the top cap, also grabbed the lower steel tower and spun the threads out of the aluminum case that it is installed into.
So I invested in a few tools, had the case repaired local, learned how a bravo works, fixed myself and I was back up and running. Happened on a Sunday night, was ready by Thursday with machining of the case.
Once inside a bravo drive, you will baby your bravo boat no matter what the power. Pretty crazy to think power has to change direction twice, and is all held together by thin aluminum cases......and if just one thing gives a little, all hell will break loose.
My next boat will have #6 drives or arnesons.
So I invested in a few tools, had the case repaired local, learned how a bravo works, fixed myself and I was back up and running. Happened on a Sunday night, was ready by Thursday with machining of the case.
Once inside a bravo drive, you will baby your bravo boat no matter what the power. Pretty crazy to think power has to change direction twice, and is all held together by thin aluminum cases......and if just one thing gives a little, all hell will break loose.
My next boat will have #6 drives or arnesons.
03-25-2015, 05:11 PM
#35
VIP Member
Man I lost count of failures and $$. Still several broken parts on my desk right now. Tried Teague's- Still issues- SCX's upper and lowers. Solved.
I have Stelling boxes and I think that did Not help
[ATTACH=CONFIG]538985[/ATTACH].
Never happened doing this lol. Mostly cruising about 3500.
I have Stelling boxes and I think that did Not help
[ATTACH=CONFIG]538985[/ATTACH].
Never happened doing this lol. Mostly cruising about 3500.
03-25-2015, 06:21 PM
#36
Registered
We got a 33 Outlaw on our local 6K acre pond that is anything but rough. 500 EFI's and XZ's. Guy went thru three drives stock. Had Brad Smith modify 500's to 600 HP. Has gone thru another drive. All of the drive failures occurred cruising down this flat water lake around 45 - 50 MPH.
03-25-2015, 11:56 PM
#39
Registered
I don't know but i have been told 8 hun is too much. I run about 675 or so per side. They get metal in the oil, then have to come apart for rebuilds. Just stay on top of it. The prop surfaced or under water makes a difference. It can make a vibration that can lead to every other tooth of the gears not connecting ( or something of that nature) I f i were you, I would run what merc puts behind their 850's. The drive Merc uses is usually close to what will work. But XR drives were built for under 600 hp I think. The 2001 -2004 XR has been deemed a stronger drive than the newer ones from what I have gathered
03-26-2015, 05:10 AM
#40
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My buddys 353 (Lake Effect) seems to keep them together, broke a helmet once, put on HP helmets, he inspects gears every season, builds them himsef and has been good to him, yes on limits but they can live, also making at least 800 hp, and also every weekend on Lake Erie.. lost a propshaft years ago but that was when the drives were older Imcos, totally been upgraded since about 7 years ago..
yearly inspection of gears means a ton on them, and like others have said it's cheaper to buy a different boat then swap to a better drive...
yearly inspection of gears means a ton on them, and like others have said it's cheaper to buy a different boat then swap to a better drive...
Last edited by Full Force; 03-26-2015 at 05:14 AM.
