I've been hearing more and more failure stories of scx drives. I also know John at the bravo shop is constantly striving to improve the bmax drive, but there's limited info on them

if you had to buy one today what and why. Cost is pretty similar for both brand new units with the bmax being about 1k cheaper per upper and no helmet or resivoir swap.

I plan to run one of them with standard SC lowers

Whichever one you go with, make sure to run the bravo shop neo oil at the very least. We also run this oil in our superchargers.

Another vote for the Neo oil. I run 800ft lbs thru my XR's and I know it works as it comes out the same color as it goes in. I have burned up all of the "other brands".

Well if your going to use the Bmax oil you mite as well run a B,max drive

Broke SCX's?? Guess I missed that. I have Abused mine NO issues

Yeah some SCX have broken
Some are just wearing out after hundreds of hours
Some are greatly over powered
Some have the much weaker SC lower
and don't forget the SCX-4 and SCX running HUGE #6 props

Still wouldn't want a Bmax with JUNK XR lower gears.................

I'd change out the reservoir for sure with the b max. Stock bravo holds 2.5 quarts, bmax almost doubles it holding a gallon.

Also the old bmax you needed to drain riughly half the oil to take it off the boat. Don't know if new ones are that way or how the scx is but that sucked, buy stock in your oil company.

I love my SCX drives. I run 700+ HP and Torque through them and in 7 years only had one cone clutch stick. Before installing them I popped 3 Xr drives in 2 years.
I have heard some issues with the SCX-4 when running too high and with 1000 hp+ trying to be run through them but that's really it. Like others have said, usually just an age / time to rebuild issue.

I am w you Tom I run 700+ and after 4 summers of Hard boating and lots of Air-- I sent them back to Imco and Fred himself talked me thru two options-
1- rotate sides and run for 2 or 3 more yrs w little worry
2- Have them replace some things since they are already there- I picked door 2. I think $1500.00 or so shipped back to me. Great customer service Thanks Fred.
Now I will rotate each year and probably be good for quite some time.

I was spending Several thousand a yr fixing XR's. I had two sets. One on boat One in Shop. SUCKED.
Lost some speed YES- Boating all year YES!! And I will be again as soon as my Motors are back together.

Very satisfied customer.

4 years on my scx4,800+hp no problems.Drive works real well on my application.