Re: Volvo Penta Drive
 

What model drive? If its a DP-S, there is a huge range of "F" series stainless props and gear ratios. The gearcase shape is quite good as well. Don't know about external steering, though....

Re: Volvo Penta Drive
 

Russ seach the thread archives... there used to be a build your own hydraulic steering thread..... also you might want to talk to fred and trick and get a standard setup.... then have the drive wings machined to fit or something....

Ernie

Re: Volvo Penta Drive
 

I agree but the problem is if you're already running F9s and you add power(at the same rpm) then you have to re-gear. And that stinks when you could have just used a bigger prop(s) if they made one.

I haven't found anything for external steering. I already had a helm and I picked up a ram, transom mount and wing plate bolt for mine. I'm just gonna do some measuring and have my local fab shop make my wingplate.

Re: Volvo Penta Drive
 

Yep - F9's is as far as they go out of the box (and carry a lot of pitch). I had Chad Hill re-work a set of E4's for me a few years ago. They weren't particularly pretty (or consistent from blade to blade), but they DID have more pitch. Since then, I've heard that General Propellor in Sarasota has done some good Volvo tweaking. What gear ratio do you have right now? I have some Volvo connections, and might be able to help you out with parts.

Powerwise, I'd consider the DP-S to be as strong as most Bravos, but more sensitive to mistakes when re-entering the water. With all that blade area (and bite) you can't be too far off.

Re: Volvo Penta Drive
 

C-spray I am running an SX drive but a friend has the same boat I do with the DPS and running F9s.

I think the both the SX and the DPS are stronger than the Bravo.

And I agree about the blade area biting hard but man do they seem to be tough. My friend beat the piss out of his DPS in Lake Michigan for years and it never gave him a bit of problems.

Re: Volvo Penta Drive
 

You don't WANT to know what I've done to DP-X's.... :eek:

Re: Volvo Penta Drive
 

My Sutphen's had a Volvo 290 for 15 years. Dead-reliable and shifts like butter! I bought an AQ311 Volvo/Penta package from Dipietro-Kay in CT, featuring a small block 350 Chevy with about 330 horsepwer with riser exhuasts. Slapped on a Bob's nose cone and a custom Hill prop for speed near 70mph. Only problem is props are hard to find, but someone mentioned there may be adapaters for Merc style props? Good luck!

Re: Volvo Penta Drive
 

C Spray- Could you give me some more info on the E4's you ran? Drive ratio, speed, etc. Thanks- Toolz

Re: Volvo Penta Drive
 

No adaptors that I know of for the 17-spline Volvo shaft. Probably because the Volvo AQ shaft is too fat; however, Solas has recently come out with a line of three-blade high-performance props specifically designed for the older Aquamatic (AQ250 - AQ290) drive. These props are not yet shown on their website, but they are available. Testing on an 18 Donzi with a built 351C / Volvo-Penta AQ290 with a Hydromotive nose cone (a must) showed that the Solas outperformed both the Hill and the NLA Volvo Ultra prop.

Go to http://www.donzi.net and search on Solas for more info.

Toolz - I run DPX-A drives (E2 and 1.59:1 gears, 72mph) in my Magnum 27 Sport with small blocks and have a couple of sets of brand new E4 props for cheap if you need them.

Re: Volvo Penta Drive
 

Toolz - I had 2" of pitch added to the E4's, which brought them up to about 31.5". With 600 hp and a 1.59:1 DPX-R drive, I saw 92 mph at 5300 rpm, which works out to about 8% slip. I have since switched to a 1.47:1 DPX-A drive, and use stock E4's now. I still have the props after General Propellor cleaned them up if you're interested in them. I keep the tweaked E4's as spares, but also have a set of stock E4 spares as well, so I'll make you a good deal. Somewhere, I even have the specification sheets that came with them from General.