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Konrad 540 HP drive. A better idea!!!

Old 12-12-2004, 09:47 AM
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Default Re: Konrad 540 HP drive. A better idea!!!

With all the pm's I've recieved about the Konrad drives, I thought I'd bring this thread to the top.
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Old 12-15-2004, 01:48 PM
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Default Re: Konrad 540 HP drive. A better idea!!!

Biggus, I can imagine how your boating experience must have changed this summer! It musta felt great!!

Unfortunately I still feel like I'm wortking with "sales pitches" and fuzzy facts, but that's understandable.

I'm curious about the actual performance difference in your swap. I realize the main reason for your swap was strength and reliability, but do I understand you correctly when you said that the apples to apples comparison was 1mph ?? If this is true, then I would assume the additional 3-4mph increase was obtained through the raised x-dimension and prop selection. Did you guys single these two variables out, and what were the results?

For your type boat, the Konrads sure seem like the answer!!

My concern is that if my boat is already dialed in and cannot handle a higher x-demension or different pitch prop, then my performance improvement would be negligible, if any at all. I realize that not loosing performance while going to a beefier unit is a win, but at my current power level (@600hp) with a single drive that is not as easily unloaded/loaded as a twin setup (I've noticed that when driving a twin in the rouph it is much harder to be "easy" on the drives), plus relatively light weight(4,200 lbs), I still feel I need more comparative information to help rule out the other options. Anybody know the wieght diff's of TRS, Bravo, Konrad.

The problem is, I have to watch a friend of mine blow by me in a (ex-F1) 29 warlock with a 695hp 540 and standard XR drive. While I could never run as well as his stepped bottom, he has about 100hp more and is 500lbs heavier, but is not having drive issues! - I never see him just cruising, he's always running hard, and the Chesapeake Bay is no pond. I'm sure it's just a matter of time for him, but it makes me wonder how mine would run with the motor set way back, less weight, less parasitic driveline drag, and less trim angle needed to lift bow because of better CG, ie Bravo setup.

For example, I have heard that the 24 firefox handles and runs much better with a bravo setup than with the #3 because of the weight. The konrad has pretty much eliminated the #3 solution for me, but it still has the same weight issue.

My TRS will definitley come off. Now, with the Konrad I could increase power($$$$) later no doubt, but if I get no speed increase after spending 8k, then spending that same amount on an XR swap (yes, for me that's possible) could make more sense if I pick up 5mph or more without spending $$ on my motor, and the drive holds. Reglassing the transom is also not an issue for me. Thoughts anybody??
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Old 12-16-2004, 08:12 AM
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Default Re: Konrad 540 HP drive. A better idea!!!

Hang Time 27,

To answer your questions, yes, during 'apples to apples' comparison testing we gained 1 mph over the TRS set up. This was with the same props and spacers installed to create the same propshaft hight as the TRS installation. As I mentioned before, I was extremley surprised to see an increase because of the increased drag of much larger gears. bearings, shafts and close to a third more gear lube capacity. (7 quarts) That's quite a bit of viscous drag in its own. This increase can be attributed to the superior hydrodynamics of the Konrad lower.

The speeds really came alive when we removed the spacers. I've owned quite a few TRS boats over the years and one thing that we can agree on is the fact that back then they were installed at very conservative X-dimentions. With the props that are available today, the propshaft does not need to be so deep. My old Top Gun really liked the higher propshaft hight of the Konrad (1.6")

Now that we had installed stronger drives, we were able to run a more agressive 4 blade prop without fear of tearing up the lower pinoin gears from too much prop bite. We tested many props and found that with the higher propshaft hight, we could now run more pitch. In the end, we went up 2 sizes in pitch. The combination of all the above is where wer found the additional 5 mph over the Merc TRS drives.

I understand where you are coming from if your boat is set up to its best potential. Is your TRS mounted at a higher than normal X-dimention? If not I'm sure you would also see a gain from the higher propshaft hight and the the benefit of being able to run a more agressive prop.

The real benefit of the Konrad conversion is the tremendous increase in reliability over time. These things were designed for the military to run 24/7 under war conditions. As for the Merc XR drive, most of them are all done at 100 hrs. They just are not designed to be able to withstand high HP for long periods because the upper gears are intentionally soft to obsorb the load. (similar to an impact socket)

We put 110 hrs on our boat last season and just can't afford to be replacing a pair of XR drives every year. I'm confident with the Konrad drives, we're done with drive problems for a very long time.

Kurt

Last edited by Biggus; 12-16-2004 at 08:59 AM.
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Old 12-16-2004, 08:48 AM
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Default Re: Konrad 540 HP drive. A better idea!!!

Biggus - what 4 blade prop did you end up with?
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Old 12-16-2004, 01:54 PM
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Default Re: Konrad 540 HP drive. A better idea!!!

After trying six sets of props, we ended up with a pair of 26 PowerTech 4 blades at 5600 rpm.

I'd never heard of PowerTech but they sure work incredibly well. They are solid 2.5 mph faster than Bravo 1's but the B1's are more efficient at cruise.

We had 27 Mirage Plus's and they cavitated badly. Just plain unusable.

Kurt
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Old 12-16-2004, 02:06 PM
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Default Re: Konrad 540 HP drive. A better idea!!!

Originally Posted by Biggus
After trying six sets of props, we ended up with a pair of 26 PowerTech 4 blades at 5600 rpm.

I'd never heard of PowerTech but they sure work incredibly well. They are solid 2.5 mph faster than Bravo 1's but the B1's are more efficient at cruise.

We had 27 Mirage Plus's and they cavitated badly. Just plain unusable.

Kurt
Never heard of them either. Would have thought Hydromotive Quad IV would have worked. How did you get turned on to them?
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Old 12-16-2004, 02:14 PM
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Default Re: Konrad 540 HP drive. A better idea!!!

Originally Posted by jaybird
Never heard of them either. Would have thought Hydromotive Quad IV would have worked. How did you get turned on to them?

Konrad Marine uses them quite a bit. They are supposed to be the most efficient stock prop out there. They do a real nice job, all the blades are perfect.
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Old 12-28-2004, 08:08 AM
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Default Re: Konrad 540 HP drive. A better idea!!!

TTT for those interested in the best sterndrives IN THE WORLD

www.konradmarine.com

Kurt
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Old 12-28-2004, 08:11 AM
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Default Re: Konrad 540 HP drive. A better idea!!!

biggus is that your red cig that has sunrise, mo on the back...? you got a place down here?
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Old 02-13-2005, 12:33 PM
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Default Re: Konrad 540 HP drive. A better idea!!!

ttt
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