IMCO SCX Drive Replacement?
 

Need Advice & Real Results if someone has done this:

I bought a 2005 Cigarette 39 TopGun Unlimited w/ Staggered Twin 525EFI's ITS Bravo 1XR Shorty Sport Master Drive's with a one inch spacer with Bravo 1 Props 32 pitch props two weeks ago… the first 48 hours of ownership the Yard I had it at they cut the fence and stole the outdrives, tie bar and props, now that I need to buy everything new I want to upgrade drives to stay away from Bravo failures and have been looking at the IMCO SCX drives for reliability. Has anybody done this with a 39 staggered TopGun with 525's it does have a Generator and A/C so may be a few pounds heavier than a typical 39?

Some scenarios I was thinking of to replace my stolen drives are:

• Complete SCX drive with new Maximus or 5 blade prop?
• SCX Upper and SC lower with Maximus or 5 blade Prop?
( I know about the helmet, drive resorvoir and ITS kit to make the above scenarios work)

* I’m worried about the original drive height compared to the options above?

* Also I read i will loose a few MPH with the SCX, can this be made up with the newer style 5 blade props over the original I was using?

I would like some real world data or somebody that has already done this with what set up will work the best, and only want to buy the correct parts once as I’m still having a hard time believing this happened to me?

Thanks in advance,
Patrick

I know the prop's are $$$$ but, what about a SCX-4 set up to run SSM props ?

That would be along the lines of how a NXT 39 is set up

Then, you dodge all the regular SCX lower speed problems

I'm being told that that is more of a surface drive and the X dim would be to high with this set up? The SCX-4 is 4" higher then a stock bravo, with the 2"shorty and a 1" spacer that would be a 3" difference.

that seems like alot to me?

Like I said i just want to buy this set up once, and KNOW it's going to work!!

I did the SCX upper conversion and ran last season with no problems. This summer I had to do the lowers after breaking a propshaft but the lowers had 5 years on them so i can't complain too much.

I left the height of mine (38 Donzi ZrC) the same as the Xr's that came off. I may have lost a couple of mph off the top end but don't know for sure as I really only wrang it out once and I got 109 on a hot humid day and really couldn't expect much more.

Overall I am very happy with them and highly recommend them.

If you are thinking about putting Whipples on those 525's then the SC lower would but a weak link in the SCX/SC combo but they should handle stock 525's with no problem. I've heard of several who are running that set up without issue on somewhat higher HP applications.

With IMCO selling the SC lowers in std, -1, -2, and -3 inch models duplicating your current X would be a snap.

Spicy,
The SCX uppers are the same length as a bravo. The SCX uppers will not cost you speed (use the Torco oil recommended). The SC lower will be fine. The SCX lower will cost you speed from what I have saw.
6000 Miles ago I put SCX uppers with sc lowers on my boat. At about 5500 miles I did replace one set of lower gears,They had pitted and where going to fail, the other set still looked good. If they lasts this long behind 1000 horsepower they should last behind your 525 for a long time.
Allen

I can vouch for 29Scarab10 above... He runs his hard and has had basically trouble free boating with BIG power in front of his drives for years!

it has 525's in it now, but will be rebuilding next year most likely..

there is a SCX to SC coupler needed but its cheaper then spacers and can get the drives to where they need to be...

thanks good info.

miles?

Yes, I keep up with miles put on my boat each year. GPS does it for me. Write it down and reset it first time out each year.
Allen