Most Reliable Drive

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02-18-2006 | 12:06 PM

#21

Smarty

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Joined: Oct 2000

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Re: Most Reliable Drive

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomcat

Tough not to be skeptical in this business, isn't it? We hear about better mousetraps all the time and usually there's a glitch. Sometimes even when "millions have been sold" the product is still junk.

The Konrad is the real deal, because people that were busting TRS regularly are beating the crap out of the Konrad and having no failures. That includes some heavy old boats with big power and no prop slip to save the drive. I'm sure Kurt will give you specific examples but these back to back conversions prove more about the durability than the number of drives sold. You know that the guys running them did everything they could to make the TRS drives live before they bit the bullet and paid for the Konrads.

We put them on a 1986 Excalibur that weighs 8500 lbs, has supercharged 502 engines, and five blade props. We don't even think about breaking drives anymore. BAM transmissions with HD flexplates.

Good testimonial, what you said makes complete sense and I agree. Here's the flip side. My father had a 27' Magnum with the original TRS drives, in his 18 years of ownership there was only one drive failure, I happened to be driving, ithe right drive broke the prop shaft. The boat was powered with big blocks, 450-475 hp, which to me 18+ years of boating every weekend (he owned it for 18 out of the 30 years) without a drive failure, and racing everyone who would give you a shot is pretty dam reliable.

I do know of the instances that you are talking about, the boats such as a 40' Fountain, or 38" Cigarette with the 600+ hp motors that are prone to failure. From what I have read the Konrad is a great product for the conversion to eliminate that issue. If I wanted to replace/upgrade a Bravo drive, to handle to 650hp to 800hp range,then to add a transmission and then add the Konrad(s) seems expensive and cumbersome, not to mention will anyone want to but a used boat with a Konrad drive, other than the Offshore Only Konrad fan club? When the drive is installed on boats direct from the factory as OEM, then some of my skepticism will subside. The question still stands, in the 750+ hp range on twin engine boat applications, how many are out there, and how has the reliability been?

PS - L do think it is a great product for the audience that they are targeting, TRS replacement, but what about the Bravo replacement? What is the best cost effective-solution?

02-18-2006 | 02:43 PM

#22

LostinBoston

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Joined: Mar 2004

Posts: 1,554

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From: NY

Re: Most Reliable Drive

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smarty

When the drive is installed on boats direct from the factory as OEM, then some of my skepticism will subside. The question still stands, in the 750+ hp range on twin engine boat applications, how many are out there, and how has the reliability been?

Velocity is putting The Konrad "ACE" package in their boats. 815 hp engine and Konrad 540 drive w/ 1 year warranty. they also sell the package seperatly. I was checking it out at the show and is now a serious contender for my new power package.

02-18-2006 | 02:50 PM

#23

CMG

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Joined: Jun 2004

Posts: 4,502

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From: Windham, NH

Re: Most Reliable Drive

Konrad "ACE"? Did Merc borrow the Ace name?

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Chris G.

02-18-2006 | 03:55 PM

#24

glassdave

Neno the mind boggler

Joined: Sep 2001

Posts: 13,080

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From: toledo oh

Re: Most Reliable Drive

Quote:

Originally Posted by CMG

Konrad "ACE"? Did Merc borrow the Ace name?

no . . merc borrowed the Konrad concept

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