xz?
01-24-2009 | 09:43 AM
#1
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 330
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From: Louisiana
xz?
When I bought my 382, I was told that the drives were bravo xz. I had them serviced, and have been runing with no probs as of yet.
Mechanic told me that the drives have spiral cut gears, and if I start having problems, that he could upgrade them to xr's by changing the gears. I guess installing xr gears in the existing drive case.
Anyone tried this? Boat is stock 382 with 500 efi's.
Mechanic told me that the drives have spiral cut gears, and if I start having problems, that he could upgrade them to xr's by changing the gears. I guess installing xr gears in the existing drive case.
Anyone tried this? Boat is stock 382 with 500 efi's.
01-24-2009 | 10:30 AM
#2
21 and 42 footers
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 8,207
Likes: 146
From: Richmond VA
If you start having problems then you can worry about it.......but you shouldn't have any problem with those for quite some time. My boat came with XZ but the owner put Prochargers on the 500's.....blew the drives then istalled XR's. I'm looking for replacement gears in those XR's now but only because the HP and TQ I make is significanty more than yours.
01-25-2009 | 11:05 AM
#3
Charter Member #601
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 3,276
Likes: 5
From: Holland, Mi USA.
Mac,
The XZ drive is basically an XR with helical cut gears. And yes you can swap the XR gears into the upper case without modifications. But, (in my opinion) you are better off to stay with the XZ gears, unless you have enough power to knock the teeth off them. Reason being that he XR gears are made of different material and they wear out. Under the best conditions (lower power, medium sized boat, etc) the life expectancy is 250-300hrs. Then they start to give off chunks of the surface of the gear. And lately I have seen a lot of XR driven gears that just break off a tooth. Doesnt matter if it has 4hrs or 100hrs. Breaks off right at the root.
Where as the helical cut gears can last for 600-900hrs, so long as the drive is rebuild every now and then to keep it tight.
The Bravo drive creates a lot of metal. In other words they grind themselves apart. This causes them to loosen up, also puts metal thru the preloaded, tapered bearings, wearing them out and loosening it up more. Just the nature of the beast. So with your combo.. driven with respect, it should last a long time. You do want to have it reset up at reasonable intervals.. I would say.. 250-300hrs.. Depending on how much boating you do.. Also change the lube before it shows signs of failure. Make sure the drives dont run hot (drive showers) and any metal in the magnets is a sign of wear or loosening or damage..
Hope this helps.
Dick
The XZ drive is basically an XR with helical cut gears. And yes you can swap the XR gears into the upper case without modifications. But, (in my opinion) you are better off to stay with the XZ gears, unless you have enough power to knock the teeth off them. Reason being that he XR gears are made of different material and they wear out. Under the best conditions (lower power, medium sized boat, etc) the life expectancy is 250-300hrs. Then they start to give off chunks of the surface of the gear. And lately I have seen a lot of XR driven gears that just break off a tooth. Doesnt matter if it has 4hrs or 100hrs. Breaks off right at the root.
Where as the helical cut gears can last for 600-900hrs, so long as the drive is rebuild every now and then to keep it tight.
The Bravo drive creates a lot of metal. In other words they grind themselves apart. This causes them to loosen up, also puts metal thru the preloaded, tapered bearings, wearing them out and loosening it up more. Just the nature of the beast. So with your combo.. driven with respect, it should last a long time. You do want to have it reset up at reasonable intervals.. I would say.. 250-300hrs.. Depending on how much boating you do.. Also change the lube before it shows signs of failure. Make sure the drives dont run hot (drive showers) and any metal in the magnets is a sign of wear or loosening or damage..
Hope this helps.
Dick
