TRS question...
 

Was doing my daily scan of the classifieds and it just struck me that this 1993 has TRS drives...

I thought they quit making TRS drives around 1989...

By the way .. awesome looking Apache... :drink:

Re: TRS question...
 

They stopped making them in I believe 92? But people still used them because the Bravos were grenades

Jon

Re: TRS question...
 

93 was the last year

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I think Cig bought a lot of them. I've seen mid 90s Top Guns with 525SCs and TRSs.

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Fountains had a few later on with them as well.
Cigs were big with that through 95 you can dig up some boats with the TRS drives on them.
My wife is pushing me on this apache, my turn off is those drives or I would be jumping up and down like a little girl over it.
I do like the lines on this particular 36, has the right rake angle on the fairing.
J

Re: TRS question...
 

From what I've been told by Craig and Phil and a few others the early Bravos were worse than they are even now!! They did not like power at all so people stayed with what they new...The TRS.

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Id still take a trs over a bravo. worse case you up to Konrads down the road . :D

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I agree with you. The fact that it's already rigged with TRS drives would make the boat more appealing to me. If you experience drive problems down the road, all you have to do is unbolt the TRS drives and mount up a pair of Konrad 540's and be done with drive failures altogether.

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I like the fact people are scared of the trs's .. You can get more boat for the buck. :D

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I have been running TRS drives in 2 different boats for 6 years.....no problems and I like the "no klunk" shifting into gear part too.....Fred

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Love the smooth shift instead of the GRRRRRbang :D

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I'm with you guys' on the TRS's. They are a much stronger drive than the Bravo. Just like Biggus says, you can bolt a set of Konrads on anytime and keep that velvety smooth tranny! There are some killer deals on TRS boats too. I know I stole mine becuase nobody wanted a clunky old TRS boat. Joke was on them, I finnished more poker runs than most of the Bravo guys.

Re: TRS question...
 

Just went and looked at the ad for that boat. Looks intersting. Looks like it has gen 6 motors? Should rip, I wouldn't give those drives a second thought if you like the boat. Just my .02

Re: TRS question...
 

Got some other boats in the works at the moment trying to find the perfect one.
Personally I like DS6 drives myself but hey, cant have everything all the time right?
do the 3 or 3a drive bolt up to the TRS gimal assembly or is this a different animal all together?
Have Konrads come down in price over the last year or so?
Hey biggus, whats up my friend!
Jason

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Sorry, III and IIIa's are totally different. Very big job to change TRS to III, trust me!

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I wish my wife would push me towards a boat. :D
And you are right about that fairing... the steep raked fairings don't like right.

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I don't think the Konrads have come down in price... Has anything over the past few years? They have got better though, now that they have the speedy lower.

Jayl13, make your wife happy and go buy that boat boy!!! you won't regret getting the TRS's.

Re: TRS question...
 

TRS's were offered by Mercruiser as a "service part" for years after they were discontinued as part of a Mercruiser "engine package", at both the OEM and Dealer level. Ed

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I've never owned a TRS boat but it would SERIOUSLY scare me to own a boat and have drives that parts are getting more scarce everyday and someday (probably sooner than later) will be completely gone.

I know you can bolt on the Konrads and everyone talks like it's no biggie and everything but they're forgetting one little part...Konrads are like 8-10k a side plus labor. Not really what I want to do after plopping down 75k on a boat.

From what I'm told from every mechanic I talk with is they were great drives. Key word WERE. But hey, the boat is priced well and looks to be SUPER clean and I like that paint too. If you have the cash to be able to throw some Konrads on in future than go for it. Just my .02.

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If you look at the fact that a trs boat vs a bravo boat may be 25% cheaper initial purchase price and youll be replacin bravos/parts pretty often.. Id think you could buy a better boat do Konrads right away and still be ahead.
TRS parts will be around for a looooong time :drink:

Re: TRS question...
 

Yea, there is that. Or you can just do what I did and buy a 3A boat and not worry about it! :drink: :drink:

You really think they'll be around a long time? No one's making any parts anymore right? Not even aftermarket stuff?

Re: TRS question...
 

As with any mechanical device, if you exceed the design capabilities of the TRS you will be buying parts for it.
As for parts shortages, call the reputable drive shops and talk with them about it. I think Mr Cig just got two rebuilt and he didn't mention anything about "parts shortages". In fact, I think he might have four of them for sale, as I've heard he's installing Konrads.
I wouldn't be afraid of any boat with healthy TRS drives. In fact, I was looking for a 38 Cigarette WITH TRS drives and couldn't find one at that time so I found one with SSM IIIA's. If you want to have serious cash outlay just have one of those rebuilt.
Jay13, if you and the wife like the boat and the deal is good for you, Get a buy-sell agreement with theseller leaving you the three standard "outs", which are survey, sea-trial and personal inspection.

Re: TRS question...
 

Buying a boat with TRS there is nothing wrong with that.
1st you get a more reliable drive and smoother shifting then the Bravo.
2nd the props are way cheaper then a boat with 3A's and the cost to rebuid a 3A is not cheap.
3rd. If you want to keep a spare set of TRS drives in case you need one I have 4 for sale. 2 just rebuilt 2 used. for cheaper then a bravo drive.
I am converting mine to Konrads, they should be here next weeks. I plan on keeping my boat for a long while so the investment is my choice.
I ran the boat for 4 years and never had a drive failure and the drives were on the boat long before that so who knows how long they lasted with out failure before that.
Just my .02

Mark

p.s. Great looking boat, I'd buy it.

Re: TRS question...
 

well my thing is I want a 41 not a 36.
But I have to say that is one sexy looking rig for a 36.
I dont know what they were doing with the extra fairing on the 36's and the 41's back in the day but I like the more streamline look not the abrupt almost vertical fairing part at the top of the lower fairing.
the 36 apache that was taken on trade for Kageman had this fairing, problem is I dont think you can remove it for all the gauges were installed in it.
Not sure though, then again everything can be taken apart im sure to a point.
Im talking to 2 apache people at the moment for their boats.
If I get disgusted and turned off by both of these deals then I might look more closely at this 36 if it is still on the market at that time.
Really want a 41 though, then I wont get 3 foot itis later on.

Wife said to me when I was looking at 42 fountains she said I like the lines and the look of the apache's better.
I said well you cant compare the 2, one is built for extreme rough water the other one is just all about speed.
She said go look for apache's, so I did, and that 36 caught her eye both in looks and in price.
I also agree with tank on this one, 20-25 grand to drop on 2 drives and then props ect is an awful large sum of money and in my opinion, the Konrads have not been around long enough to prove themselves to be a 10-15 year drive.
I see you guys bashing the bravo's
I have bravos on the baja and 400 HP in front of each one and I have never ever skipped a beat with either one of them.
I see boats with upwards to 750 HP in front of bravos and they handle that.
In my opinion its all how hard you drive your boat and the physical characteristics of it that have alot to do with the bravo's either living a long time or an early demise.
I run offshore once in a while in the atlantic but im forgiving on my drives and engines, Im not out there from WOT to idle and WOT for 200 hours.
I like to cruise around 55 or there abouts and just run
Thats me though
J

Re: TRS question...
 

What are they asking for that boat? Would the bank "over loan" you so you could swap to Konrads from the get go? Biggus has been beating the crap out of a set of Konrads with some good hp in front of them and has had NO issues in I think over 200 hours.

For that matter, how much hp does that boat have? If it's 500hp or less per side I wouldn't be afraid of the TRS one bit. It's a beautiful boat and if I were in any position to be buying a boat of that caliber, I'd be looking at that one seriously.

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As far as the cost of Konrads being high, I couldn't disagree more! I'll be happy to sell anyone a complete pair with gimbals and install them for $22K. Try doing a Bravo conversion for that price out the door! I almost forgot, it'll be done in 2 days.

Re: TRS question...
 

I just put a set on my own boat, Fountain 8.8 with a pair of 675 hp motors up front. The drive conversion took me an afternoon. Granted the motors are out but it doesn't take much longer with them in.

MrCig, give me a call if you need any help with the install. It's an easy job. You'll spend more time cleaning your transom than actually working on the drives.

Fionn (Finn)
510.541.8124
[email protected]

Re: TRS question...
 

Thanks Fionn
My motors are out also so it should be pretty easy. I hope to do them in 2 weeks. I have some clean up to do in the bilge this weekend and get the trans's put back on the motors. I'll call if I need anything. Got any more pictures
I'll be taking pics of my conversion also.

Thanks
Mark

Re: TRS question...
 

Re: TRS question...
 

Mark,
It won't take too long if the motors are out. Just clean everything up really good first and it'll go smooth. Konrad does a great job of kitting these things up so you can just bolt them on as advertised. Like I said before, call if you need anything.

Fionn

Re: TRS question...
 

I would not buy a 90 to 95 boat that had bravos, they = junk
i fixed to many of them in that year range. especialy ones that have not been apart aka. time bomb
As for Trs
Just check the Lower pinion for pitting and case hardening wear every two years and enjoy reliability!

Re: TRS question...
 

Come on you guys, TRS is yesterday's news. Any more than 525 HP and you're on borrowed time. Put on a pair of 4 blade Bravo 1 props and you'll wear out the TRS gears in short order.

That smooth shift comes with too high a price. A very heavy hydraulic transmission that steals 25 HP from the prop AND pushes the two heaviest things in the boat forward 18 inches! Even a Top Gun with TRS is a MF to work on. Where do you stand? Ever change a bilge pump or float switch?

The Bravo drive has much better hydro dynamics and is lighter in weight. If you have one that shifts too hard, you probably need a shift cable adjustment. If you MUST have a sissy shift, then install the Power Shifters available.

Of course the early Bravos were worse than they are now. Testing them for five years in Lake X was a waste of time. Test those puppies out in the ocean where they belong. I can make an Alpha live forever in Lake X!!

Re: TRS question...
 

"Of course the early Bravos were worse than they are now. Testing them for five years in Lake X was a waste of time. Test those puppies out in the ocean where they belong. I can make an Alpha live forever in Lake X!!"

TOTALY AGREE WITH U, THATS THE BEST WAY IT WAS EVER PUT

if i was buying a new boat with hp up to 525hp, i would definately go with bravos. Otherwise speedmasters.
I do agree bravos = faster and lighter but, on lake erie a heavier boat = into smoother ride in the rough. Thats more important to us than top speed. Second, i have passed many new boats with hp 500 w/ bravos on the lake in the rough. our old mistress takes the rough like a tank. Infact the rougher ther better. I atrribute this to the weight of the boat plus the trs and transmission since it moves the CG forward wich keeps the bow down. if i was looking for a early 90's boat i wouldnt rule out going with trs's.

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I see your point, but you can give it a little tab and still keep your running attitude so that your ride is better.

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I say get the boat before the wife changes her mind !!! As for the TRS drive, do not run more than a 3 blade prop and they will out last the Bravo x 5 !!! I have seen as many as 600 Hrs. with 550 Hp. a side on my 30 Velocity in the 18 years I have owned it !!!! The boat will be better balanced than a Bravo boat as well !!!

Re: TRS question...
 

I would buy another TRS Boat. I owned two of them. Seas off the Jersey shore can get really rough. I too have a Mistress and I never really have to run a lot of Tab which is nice. I like the comfortable ride.