dont know all the facts but i thought Flexi-tab built them along with their own rudders.

maybe someone could give the history of the 3 main surfaces drives, atleast the ones i know of :

1 arneson
2 bpm
3 ZF

The BPM is a licensed copy of the Arneson ASD8. Every BPM uses our stock ASD8 parts that we supply. Buy either, we make the parts for them. We also make a rudder, fixed trim cylinder, and drive unit that is like the BPM units. Steerable or fixed either way. Latham, MTI and others make a rudder also.

Trimax (and Ring) drives are a collaboration between Buzzi and ZF.

The Trimax is non-trimable bare shaft with water-lubed cutlass bearings (there are ways to make it auto-trim a ½" or so), designed to be installed under a bustle, and includes a blow-tube and tiller-per-wheel.

All of Buzzi's installs have a raw-water pickup on the trailing edge of the rudder, but that is special order from ZF.

rik are you saying that the bpm is a copy of the arneson ?

isn't the bpm an italian company ?

does the arneson still use a chain drive in the drop bos on the oneside ?

Exactly, and yes BPM is Italian. We are a global company and do business virtually everywhere. Dave you have seen a BPM right. It's not a far stretch to see that it's an Arneson. The drop box looks 80% like an original 1600 drive unit even.

Some drop box Arnesons use chain, some use gears, some have neither. All work within the parameters of their ratings.

I would imagine that any patents on sleeved shafts and associated bits have long expired, and are replaced by licensing and manufacturing agreements.

I have no idea if you can get an ASD8 non-gimbaled, but I'd wager you can ... shazam ... it's a BPM or a Metamarine.

i've seen both up close and NO i don't see how it's an arneson or copy of ? other than it
has a shaft.

just wondering how this played out, are you saying bpm never had their own drive and was always under arneson global company ?

as for the bpm it seems to me to be a more race version of the arneson, developed for rudder only and vertically trimable. and for the drop boxes, i was under the impression that the bpm's are all gear driven and the next step in evolution was SCS's quick change gear box that alot of the class one guys use.

i'm only referring to race applications or high performance here.

Pretty informative summary of ZF offerings, incl the Trimax, ZF's "arnesons" (incl BEEG ones) and their fly-by wire.

http://www.zf.com/media/media/docume...ad_2008_03.pdf

Dave, have you ever seen an Arneson Surface Drive then? You say it doesn't look like a copy then you say they are a more of a race version of an Arneson.. ?? Take a look at the photos.

The majority, 90%, of the Class 1 guys use the Victory drop box.

Rik, what is a "Victory Drop Box?" site?