Bravo Drive Sagging. Pump or Rams?
 

So came.by the trailer the other day and noticed the drive had completely lowered itself after being in the trailer for several days. Goes up and down without an issue. No fluid leaks anywhere.

I'm guessing it's either a valve in the pump or a seal in the Rams on the drive. With no leaks, is there any way to tell which it is? The trim pump looks like it was replaced (albeit with a used one) according to the paperwork I have in fall of 2020. The drive rams are the original 88 drive rams it looks like.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...c4d1fa5614.jpg

You can rig up fittings and a pressure gauges and run those lines from pump to the fittings. This will test pump, should build high pressure, I think 1000ish and hold it. You will quickly notice the pressure drop if a pump problem.

But to be frank, I’d put money on the pump. Just replace the pump and reservoir together.

ive also seen the reservoir just have a mere crack in it such that the pump drew in some air with the fluid and caused drive to drop.

Go2marine is the website and pickup at API unit. Think it’s under 200. Should be good to go.

I'm leaning the pump side myself since it was a rebuilt unit to start with apparently.

Would this be what your talking about? I thought you had to replace the whole unit.

https://www.go2marine.com/Hydraulic-...-Flow-Gear-Set

Current unit:
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...3f60d5b5ef.jpg

Yup. What you had in the link is it. The motor will bolt up to the pump.

Chris

Awesome, thanks! Will post back with results after I get into it.

I got a stainless bracket for mine when I replaced them. no more rust

https://www.ebay.com/itm/153689650906

Saw it on another thread here, but wouldn't an easy way to test the rams be to trim the drive all the way up and then pull the hoses off the pump and cap them off? If the drive doesn't drop, it'll be obvious it was on the pump end? Just a thought.

Also found the right side cap one and a less expensive price in case anyone else stumbles across this.


https://www.dbelectrical.com/product...B&gclsrc=aw.ds

Check this out for testing rams

https://www.go-fast.com/Knowledge-ba...trim-cylinders

Charley,

Had this problem with a B1 on our last boat. The root cause ended up being the reversing piston in the pump housing, that had been scored by some debris. It was allowing bleed-by and the drive would drop while cruising down the lake or on the trailer. The boat came with a couple of ram locks that would keep the drive up on the trailer, but obviously didn't solve the issue while running. We ended up having the pump repaired while the gimbal assembly was being rebuilt. The guy replaced the reversing piston with one he cannibalized from a scrapped pump he had laying around, and the problem went away.

Something to look into.

Thanks. Brad.
(937)545-8991

This is great, thanks!

Swapped out the pump today... Definitely glad I have a single and not twins. 🤣. Was able to stand in the bilge and work on it. Out with the old and in with the new.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...6ca359678a.jpg

Cycled the drive a few times to make sure it all worked. Now it's just a waiting game to see if the drive still sags.

I got rams from SEI marine a few years back. much cheaper than OEM, and seem to work fine.

Update?