1" shorty Lower
 

What is involved in putting on a 1" lower on a Bravo1 drive. Can it be done?

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

very easy

IMCO has the ones I like. Just unbolt your lower and bolt theirs on. They seel just the housing and shaft, where you use your internals, or the whole complete lower.

I'm rebuilding to spare drives now and plan to buy a couple of housings.

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

Hey Doc,

I am toying with putting 2" shorter drive on my center drive of my 442. I had an overheating problem (sucked up some trash) on my center drive so I ran home on the two outside drives. I was surprised at how easy it got on plane on two. With the small build #'s on the 442's it is hard to get real world info. Do you know someone I could contact at Baja that I might be able to get some advice before I tackle the change. The center drive hangs so low that I thought it would reduce drag and help on top end.

Thanks,
Keith

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

Do you have to use a smaller diameter prop?

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

No, same props.

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

Keith, it does make a difference, but in the case of a big boat like your 442 you will not see much is any difference in performance. I have a friend with a 39 OuterLimits with triple Blower Motors and he runs B-Max drives. He changed out the center drive for an IMCO extreme with a shortie and picked up 4 MPH.

Let me make a suggestion. Are you running dual water pick ups? Both lower and on the side of your drive. If not that is where I would be spending my money. I switched from low water to dual water and have not had a problem in sandy coastal areas since. Actually a friend with a 35 Fountain clogged up both engines parked right beside me in Destin two years ago and I did not have a single probllem. He changed his lowers and we ran together this year at Destin and he was VERY happy. There were a lot of boats again at the Tiki Hut injesting sand.

So if you don't have dual water pickups, change the center lower for sure.

Good Luck

Dock

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

Where do you lose the 1" it looks like the prop would hit the cavatation plate. I am just trying to unerstand the difference. Thanks Doc

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

That is a good question that I do not have the answer to?

I do know that I loaned a set of stock props to a buddy two weeks ago to try that has IMCO 1 inch shorties and we never even thought about this and he ran them fine.

Now you have me wondering!

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

All I know is that my Hydromotive 4 blade is less then a inch from the plate now. Maybe I need to call IMCO or Fred

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

I am running dual water pickups but the center drive is so low. It must be close to a foot below the hull. I have not actually measured it but it seems to be really low. My thought is that it would reduce some drag and give me some additional clearance.

I had two unfortunate situations that I got into and really sucked it up. I usually do not allow myself to for something like this to occur but sh*t happens.

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

I just spoke with Fred at IMCO in California and he says no problem using standard Bravo 1 4-blades or the Maximus 5 blades with the 1 inch and the 2 inch shorties.

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

Did he say were they take the 1" out at?

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

The distance from the top of the lower gearcase
to the propshaft centerline is shorter than on a standard
unit.
If you were comparing the two, the strut area is where
you would see the difference ( the area in between
the cavitation plate and the area just above the propshaft
centerline)

I know on the 2" shorty, the cavitation plate area
above the prop is removed, I would imaging on a 1" it's
modifed somewhat also.

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

Thanks for the info JaayTeee.

Now what kind of performance can I expect from a 1" lower on my 252

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

That's hard to say....If your drive is real deep, it
may help, if it's up, it may hurt.

I was able to borrow a set of 2" shorties, my
drives are high, they didn't work.

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

my drive height is very low. I would think it would help But would like to find someone who has tried it on a similar boat.

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

Your boat may like the plus 1" but plan on a 4 blade or even a 5 blade prop in your future. I know this isn't a perfect comparison but on my 272 with big power I had prop c/l to hull measurement of 7 1/2 to 7 3/4 with stock length drive,everyone told me that it was waaaay deep. Boat ran 89.7 w/30 pitch and fairly heavy load,ran 92.8 with light load and 32 pitch. Bought a stellings box and raised prop c/l 1" up,boat had no problem getting on plane but blows prop out at 2800-3200 rpm's when accelerating easy,porpoised like crazy,cavitayed and slipped like crazy,went 4-5mph slower for most part on top end. Added a 1"drive spacer (returned depth to stock) to get rid of most these awful charateristics but box is still slowing it down a few mph. I would buy the best labbed prop I could find if I were you and save your money for other mods. These Bajas like bow lift to go fast and shorties kill it. If you do buy one as long as your willing to buy a 350 to 500$ 1/2 " or 1" spacer to get your ride back if needed its the worst that could happen. If your boat has stock power and runs in the mid 60's now the nose cone built in the imco could create some wandering with stock cable steering and its extra surface area as it puts more stress on your gimble,just a heads up,Smitty

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

Thanks for the info Smitty, Did you every try the lower without the box?
I do have a 25p 4 blade Hydomotive prop QIV. It is not labbed. My motor has had a little work done on it but very little. The prop that I damaged was Labbed and Julie at Throttle Up figured it was running with only 3% slip. So something is definitley not right. Tach may be off. I am going to check it this weekend to see.

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

My box raised the stock length drive 1". A guy who works for CMI in r&d told me he tried a 2" shortie on a 96 272 w 850hp blower motor and that it wouldn't carry the bow,blew out,porpoised and cavitated. Your boat is 2 ft shorter though and your only wanting to go 1" so it may or may not work. I saw a 2000 272 for sale where the owner claimed the dealer ship (which turned out to be the same place I bought mine from) ordered all their 272's with a 3/4 " higher x-dimension from Baja but I have never seen or heard of this from any other source and I don't know if mine is the same as the one he was selling,Smitty

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

Thanks for the info Smitty. I am going to try to call Baja and see if they will give me any insight on this.

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

Dock,
I noticed in Texas that Darrell (Twice as naughty) was very fast and supposedly it was due to the higher X dimension from the dealer. Would 2" shorties acheive the same result in my boat?

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

Glad to see you on here Jason.

To answer your question "NO".

The 30 and the new 35 are a different construction, they are lighter, especially in the bow and they have a pad bottom similiar to Velocity.

As mentioned earlier in this thread, the 2 inch shoties did not work on the 33. I have not seen them work on any Baja. The 1 inch shorter may work, but oyu would only see a slight increase.

If you really have the need for speed, put the blowers on.

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

Blowers it is! Ed will be very happy to hear that. Its good to be here and I am looking forward to wearing you out with all my questions again.

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

I will tell you that I emailed blane today with questions about the sale and/or availability of "Poker Face". :D :D

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

Maybe I can find another place to hide! :evilb:

What was it you called me that Sunday we were fixing your trailer hubs?

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

Now you're talking.

That is one "HOT" ride.

I mean "HOT".

Did I say that boat was "HOT"

HOT HOT HOT HOT

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

YODA! you are definately the Baja Yoda and I think just about everyone on here would agree. :drink:

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

It sure is. Blane sent me an Email that said it was listed for $242,000.00. The only problem is that I would want the CXT to pull it with. :eek: That adds another $125,000.00. Maybe a little out of my league right now. :(

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

Not to hijack the thread, but how would the 1 or 2" shortie perform on a smaller baja? Such as a 1995 240 sport. Has anybody tried this or know of anyone who has? Any kind of results would be nice. Right now my prop shaft is about 8" below the bottom of my boat.

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

Let me know what they tell you,Smitty

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

well I put on the 2'' shortie I get on plane fine, pick up more speed, my boat always chine walked I have the cable steering set to hyd steering but I have a new carb .also under my pics of my boat THREAD I ALWAYS post how thinks are going. so went from 74gps with low fuel to 78 gps 100gals and a bunch of tools, I like it, may go to a 5 blade with bow lift, going to check motor out this week had a lot of blow by I thought but my beathers are low and cover are also. THERE WAS A BAJA 240 SPORT WITH 1300HP THAT DID A 113MPH ON HERE WITH A 1'' SHORTIE, AND NICKERSONS GO'S ABOUT A 100MPH BIG BLOWER MOTOR.

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

Baja has still not responed to my email. You would think that they would at least send me some kind of reply. :mad:

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

I really don't think that Baja wants to make recommenditions on this. They set the boat up to perform the best and safest when it left the factory. It opens up a can of worms for them.

You may want to call Dave Leonhardt in engineering and ask him. If he knows he will sure be up front with you. He has been a lot of help to me on different issues.

On another note, I'm building up two awesome "XR" drives with 1 inch shorties for the 36. Dick Tryce AKA "Mr. Gadgets" is completely going through two XZ uppers and converting to XR's. We are adding the awesome Max Machine Worx billet top caps and drive showers. Then I will be bolting on new Teague lowers. Teague uses the IMCO housing which really looks sharp and has a very good reputation on setting up the internals. It will be a satin finish. I'll post some pictures when these are done, they will look GREAT and should perform very well. I have two friends that have run the 1 inch shorties with good results on their 36's, so I do not see any problems. Hopefully I will not have to add spacers.

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

Thanks for the info Doc. I understand them not wanting to make a recommendition but a simple reply to a loyal customer would be nice.

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

Your boat is a outlaw? If you look at very center of hull is there a pad (flat area) or does v go right to the middle,Smitty

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

YES I have a smaller pad than the 25ol, I will try to take pics on sat to see how it looks at the water line WFO, I was using a lot of trim but not over where you lose speed, I don't want to put in the new hyd helm becauce the boat will be getting new bulkheads and floor this winter and I will only be going out maybe two more times this season, getting that knee done in 4 weeks :eek: so I want get it stripped before drive off,motor out seats out. JUST READ 5 BLADES MAY NOT BE THE HOT SET UP :( ART

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

I went 3 years/200 hours plus on my drive without breaking any components other than chewing up lower gears slooowly. The lower gears I think I have figured out now though.Tried a 5 blade prop and sheared off max worx prop shaft within 10 passes,big power/big tq,I'm sticking to my 4 blades,Smitty

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

so if I am triming the drive up alittle more with my lab 26 b1 , and can they rework it to give me more bow lift I wonder,and I WILL SEE HOW HIGH I tach this weekend if I hit 5600 maybe get a b1 28p with some cup for more bow lift?

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

Okay Boss252,

I have your answer for you now. Just received my shorties today and it finally makes sense.

The lower no longer has a cavatation plate. It is GONE.

You get an extension that you bolt on to the cav plate on the upper to extend it behind the drive.

Here are some pictures. Hope this makes it easier to understand.

Dock

Re: 1" shorty Lower
 

Thanks Doc that does clear it up. Nice looking lowers. Can't wait to hear how they perform. Make sure you give us an update.