How Long Will Bravos Last Under Performance Use?
03-09-2012 | 10:13 AM
#21
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From: Rochester, NY
03-09-2012 | 03:59 PM
#22
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From: Denmark and hopefully some place nice
Bravos suck.
03-09-2012 | 05:46 PM
#24
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From: Fairless Hills Pa
+1, also depends on weight. If its pushing a 38 top gun, not going to last as long as a 28 or 32ft boat. My drives are original, pretty sure they've never been rebuilt.
Cost seemed like it was around 3500 for rebuild and 5-6000 for new.
He also needs to be looking at the gimbal ring. If its subject to a lot of rough water use the gimbal rings can go at 150-200 hours even on a stock 502 28ft boat. Previous owner had to replace the transom assemblies at around 200 hours on my boat.
Cost seemed like it was around 3500 for rebuild and 5-6000 for new.
He also needs to be looking at the gimbal ring. If its subject to a lot of rough water use the gimbal rings can go at 150-200 hours even on a stock 502 28ft boat. Previous owner had to replace the transom assemblies at around 200 hours on my boat.
Last edited by Allicat38; 03-09-2012 at 05:55 PM.
03-09-2012 | 09:25 PM
#25
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From: Coastal North Carolina
Bear in mind that Fred Kiekhafer himself was quoted a few years back as saying that the Bravo was never intended to handle more than 300 hp. Given that statement, the drive's performance in performance applications is easy to understand... 
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03-09-2012 | 10:03 PM
#26
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Heres my experience.....
An Ilmor 710 in a 5 thousand pound boat can wreck one pretty quick in the ocean.
10-50 hours on the ocean with moderate stick bursting to high speed occasionally.
If I keep my arm out of it and boat on lakes 50% of the time 100-150 hours.
Its fragile enough to where if you sending it over 500 HP consistently you should think of sonething else.
I had an old Bravo 1's gear last 10 years with 500HP against it in a 2300LB boat.
Uncle Dave
An Ilmor 710 in a 5 thousand pound boat can wreck one pretty quick in the ocean.
10-50 hours on the ocean with moderate stick bursting to high speed occasionally.
If I keep my arm out of it and boat on lakes 50% of the time 100-150 hours.
Its fragile enough to where if you sending it over 500 HP consistently you should think of sonething else.
I had an old Bravo 1's gear last 10 years with 500HP against it in a 2300LB boat.
Uncle Dave
03-10-2012 | 03:11 AM
#27
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From: Milton, Fla!
Yikes!
Great thread by the way. Being an O/B guy my I/O owning buddies all lie to me until I get them drunk. Once intoxicated they state exactly as posted.
500 HP's seems to be the magic # where everything else gets more important.
Hole shots and being good on the sticks in the rough seems to be key from what I hear.
