bravo or alpha
03-30-2012 | 09:33 PM
#11
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 3,066
Likes: 8
From: Ocala, Fl
I have 2 bravo drives with complete transom assemblies, Halo MAX drive showers, steering and trim cylinders, 2 sets of props and tie bar that I just had taken off my boat. I am getting an Arneson Conversion and I have no use for the drives anymore. I know someone at the shop is interested in buying one of the drives, but they have not bought it yet. I would like to sell the whole package instead of one drive at a time. I am waiting to see if one of my drives get sold. If not, I am going to list the whole package for sale on OSO at a extremely cheap price to get rid of them. They take up too much space in my garage. Nothing is wrong with the drives. They are the bravos with the 1 inch prop shaft, which can be upgraded if you really wanted to do it.
I figure I have spent about $5500 A~Z, including pumps and hardware, bell housings, couplers, steering ram, transom assemblies, trim pumps, rams, cables and hoses to convert Twin No. I Mercruisers to Twin Bravo I's ....DIY labor. My original estimate/goal was $6K so I feel like I shopped it well.
Last edited by sprink58; 03-30-2012 at 09:45 PM.
04-01-2012 | 03:35 PM
#13
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Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,031
Likes: 10
From: westville, NJ
whadda you mean not right ratio? you have the most common 1.5. you don't want 1.36. the lower ratio loads the drive up worse. that velocity is a light boat. the Alpha is not as much risk as when pushing a 260 Baja Force, or a Sundancer. what are you running, 23 or 25 pitch prop?
04-01-2012 | 06:00 PM
#15
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,989
Likes: 213
From: Rochester, NY
Remember that the Alpha actually does have one advantage over the Bravo - it has a better hydrodynamic profile. Translation: less drag. So if you do a straight Apha to Bravo swap with all other things being equal, you'll go slower with the Bravo.
That said, the 1987 454 / Alpha combination is pretty much a hand grenade waiting for a place to go off. If you have a relatively light boat - which you do - the combination will actually last longer because of the lower stress. There's a guy just down the lake from me wth an original 1987 Sea Ray Pachanga 22 with that cobo and it's never been apart. Of course he drives it like a little old lady.
That said, the 1987 454 / Alpha combination is pretty much a hand grenade waiting for a place to go off. If you have a relatively light boat - which you do - the combination will actually last longer because of the lower stress. There's a guy just down the lake from me wth an original 1987 Sea Ray Pachanga 22 with that cobo and it's never been apart. Of course he drives it like a little old lady.
04-01-2012 | 06:06 PM
#16
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 2,417
Likes: 11
From: W.Spfld,Ma
When I bought my Formula242 it had the alpha and still does ,I have put over 300hrs on it with know problems just dont rip it out of the hole on you will be fine. Or just spend the 4k plus to convert to a bravo.
04-02-2012 | 06:08 AM
#19
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Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,031
Likes: 10
From: westville, NJ
if you are planning on upgrading to bravo eventually, find 1 or 2 craigslist 2-300 buck used alphas or alpha lowers. at least one. seems stuff doesn't break when you already have a spare. of course, your drive will run for years now. and your buddy will blow his alpha up. and he'll beg you for your spare and you'll think "heck, it's just sitting there anyway!" then your drive will pop the next time out...
