Lost forward/reverse help!!!!
 

Well just got home. Talk about a long night. Went over to Canada to have dinner with the g/f and ran into problems. I left the harbor to head back home, just about had the boat up on plane and suddenly heard a loud bang and the boat went into neutral. I backed off the throttle, let the engine idle down and tried to shift it into forward and reverse...... Nothing. Got towed across end the river by a Canadian and then had to have a friend come pick us up and drive us 20 miles back to my truck and trailer. I don't believe it I'd the shift cable but how do I disconnect it off of the shift lever to make sure? Is it possible I blew my upper drive? There is about 385 hrs on the original drive. Any help is appreciated. Bravo 1 drive

Yes sir. Sounds like uppers

Either the drive coupler or the upper gear set.

Is there a way I can see if it is the coupler or the drive? I looked in the engine compartment and didn't see or smell anything near the transom.

Put it in gear and see if the driveshaft is turning. If it is your coupler is good. (Best done in the water as it might turn with no load on the prop even if it's stripped)

You could remove the top cap on the drive and look at the top gears and see if they are missing all their teeth. If so, you have your answer.

Good luck man.

Had a 2001 29 with a 575SCi.Heard that loud bang and no gear forward or rev. Blew 3 bravo drives. First was a vertical shaft and the other two times it was the upper gears.
Sounds like you got some hours out of that drive. Guessing it is a upper gear set. I went with a Bmax and no issues after that.

Actually I've had the boat back for 2 weeks now and everything has been great. I also found out that my drive is an xr instead of a bravo1. I didn't think they were pairing 500's with xr's that early. Anyways it happened to be my lower instead of my upper. Brand new lower and I was back on the water in about 5 days. Now I realize I have an upper with 400 hours on it so I might need to put some attention to it this winter. What do you guys suggest, buying brand new, which I know is going to be 4grand or more, or could I get away with buying rebuilt? Or just say the heck with it a d fix it when it breaks? I know I've been told that the upper is the weakest link.

I wouldn't buy a brand new drive if this one doesn't come apart. Have a REPUTABLE Bravo shop go through it. Check shafts for true and splines for straightness. Examine bearings etc. More than likely the gears will be flaking heavily and I'm sure time for replacement, but no need to throw the entire drive out.