Has anyone taken an XR prop shaft and machined it to fit a standard gear set. The shoulder is about a 1/2'' long and .125 larger. My thinking is the shaft is still no stronger than the spline diameter, which is the same on both.
Top shaft is the XR.

http://s448.photobucket.com/user/dod...t%202.jpg.html

You get upgraded bearings and retainer with xr shaft . And they dont twist.
You are prob wanting the imco retrofit unit that mates with std lower gearset.

I think he's just asking if anyone has machined an XR shaft to fit the standard gear set and if it was successful. Inquiring minds. :-)

I had one of the conversion shafts , i want to say it took a different bearing carrier because it was designed for retrofit into a std bravo lower. I would check into that more before i started cutting on a good xr propshaft. Otherwise someone at imco could prob get you more info on what works and dimensions

Panther said exactly what I'm was trying to ask. What merc did to the Xr shaft is just a gimmick to charge more money for the gear set. Just don't see any more strength in it. The two gear sets are the same except for a larger counter bore in the prop gear. So u could say that gear is weaker. Pinion a are the same. That shaft still is no stronger that the diameter of the spline. More than likely it would twist off at the spline if it gave way. I'm sure merc would say you can't do it, but they're in the business to sell parts.

I had my XR prop shaft machined down last winter. I only put about 15 hours on it but so far so good. I gave my machinist a regular bravo gear so he could fit it.

In the past 8 or 10 years I've done exactly what your asking about turning the gear end down to fit older gears. I've done it at least 30 times with no problems. Key is have the machinist leave a radius at the shoulder but any machinist should know that.