Bravo 1 vs Bravo XR
 

Just wondering what the difference is and can you beef up the 1 to match the XR?

Anyone, Anyone?

The XR has a steel bearing tower in the case,
the std bravo doesnt

I have the same question? I need to go from Bravo I to Bravo XR. Any sugestions?

I could be wrong but I think you can swap out the reg Bravo internals for the XR gears and shatst but you can't install the steel tower from the XR. It's built right into it and not removeable. The XR gears have a different cut on them making them stronger and a little noisier. I could be wrong about this?

XR gears are net forged and Bravo 1 is not .

XR and B1 have a lot of differences.. The upper gears are helical in the b1 and straight cut in the XR (net forged). The input shafts are differnt sizes. The XR case has a steel tower in it and the ribbed XR top cap also has a steel tower in it. The lowers have different propshafts, B1 =-1"; XR = 1 1/4". The gears are a little different to accomodate the larger shaft, but same construction.
The B1 can be upgraded to XR innerards, but is cost prohibited. The steel tower can be installed in the B1 case, but you cant get a tower from Merc. Only after market. I install towers in cases when I upgrade the thin floored gears to X gears.
I have done several of these upgrades and on a lighter boat they hold up well to power.
As of late, the XR upper gears have been failing at a high rate, with a driven gear tooth just snapping off at that root of the tooth.
I recommend using the X gears if you have a light boat and not max hp.

Hope this helps.
Dick

is there a difference in the yoke size? Will a XR ITS shaft fit a bravo 1 so that I can move the motor foward? and does anyone know if the bravo sporstmaster lower fit to a Imco extreme advantage upper like to one for sale in classifieds?

No the XR yoke has larger splines and larger ujoints. Imco makes a yoke that you can fit a B1 ujoint on a XR yoke spline, but I dont think they go the other way. If you have an XZ pinion gear it would work.. But you cant buy them seperate. You could go to a replacement gear set for the XZ and then the XR ITS shaft would fit.
Not sure what one is for sale in the classifieds, but the Extreme Advantage is just a Bravo case, so it should fit. Depends on how old the Extreme is.. there are some oil hole differences in the really old bravos..
Hope this helps.
Dick

Thanks Dick