aquaforce

I was pondering what drive to run if I do a stroke up 540's and the sportmaster series do not appear in the current drive listings on the Merc site. The current drive list shows from XR drives next is the #6 and all the drives that used to be in between those are not showing up. Has Merc gotten rid or discontinued all the drives between XR and #6?

If this is how the current drive line up and availability runs then a #6 is the only thing I would feel comfortable running 700hp hard with. Is that my only or best option? I know I can get into all kinds of other drives or even run surface drives but I don't want to get into a major project changing or cutting on the transom.

compedgemarine

pretty much your only Mercury option. they got rid of the TRS and all the other speedmasters. there are still 3A, 4 and 5 drives around. all require a transmission so make sure you have enough room to move the engine forward.

JaayTeee

Don't
waste the money on XR's....go to a IMCO SCX or BMAX....no worries with transmissions or transom mods

JRider

iTrader: (1)

You have to really love your boat to spend $ on upgrading power and drives. There are boats out there with #6s and bigger power already. You may have to ask yourself if it is really worth all the $, work and installation downtime when you can most likely find something that has bigger power and beefier drives already in it.

Black Baja

iTrader: (2)

Funny thing is the #6 is discontinued also...

Back4More

Drive Guardian will help your Bravo "tween" that gap.

Crude Intentions

iTrader: (1)

I've read of people using scx uppers and sc lowers. All you need is a helmet change to imco. It's supposedly a great combo for strength and to keep speed.

offshorexcursion

iTrader: (5)

The only drive that has bridged the gap between the XR and #6 was the NXT

The Mercury Racing website used to list multiple drives but they were just variations with fancy "speedmaster" names.

You can still order an XR with a "speedmaster" lower but it's not really any stronger then an XR, just better suited for higher X dimensions and H gher speeds due to the lower case.

When the NXT was still available they offered it with a NXT transom Assembly, NXT transmission, etc. OR

NXT could be ordered with a #6 style transom Assembly and transmission

I forget the fancy names but basically the same NXT drive just a stronger transmission which also required the engines further forward

Then there was the #6

So yes there were 3 "options" listed between the XR and the #6 but nothing you would really want anyways.

Stick with

Arneson
#6
SCX

bigwater

I was in the same situation with my Apache. I had stock 500s on bravo I. I am repowering up to Sterling 850's and needed more ass in my drives. We had the
room to redo transom and go with speedies and trannys but the cost was huge. We are changing helmets and going with the SCX Imco upper and sportmaster lowers. (If you run stock lowers from IMCO from the research Ive done is that they run you slower about 2-4mph depending on dimensions.) This SCX combo proved to be a cost saver and these drives can put up with the higher HPs....

I love running Lk. Michigan and it can get real lumpy at times and didnt' want weak drives to break coming in and out of the water all of the time. Just tried to cut out the XR middle man and pay for the Imco's once!! Good luck and be looking for some updates on your decision.

Unlimited jd

iTrader: (5)

Xr's are available with "sport" masters. Little different from the speed masters as I'm sure you're aware. On a fastech save all the bravo parts to put back on later and upgrade to the imco's