After hitting some boat shows, I noticed that the newer Bravo is sporting a new top cap with fins on it. My question is: Will this new Bravo finned top cap retro fit to the old style Bravo flat top cap? What about my old hydraulic steering fitting on top of these new caps? Would you be able to use the old hydraulic steering top bracket or is the hole pattern & clearance totally different???

I figured someone on here has already dealt with this,
any info you have would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks
WT

So far I have checked with two people in the industry and neither think the caps are interchangeable, but are not positive, as they have not had occasion to try. The new Bravo has a slope that may make the cap look wrong on the old style drive.
I will keep asking around for you. One source said there would be nothing to be gained in his opinion if it was feasible.

NO THEY WILL NOT INTERCHANGE

The new bravos are a redesign including the way that they are shimmed

Thanks Guys!
If I were to get a drive with the newer top cap would the bolt patterns and spacers from my current hydraulic system still work?

yes>>>


expensive just for a top cap though drive shower alot cheaper!!!!

<<<<<< smart ass sorry

Thanks Goodt.
I was thinking of upgrading from my old Bravo x to an xr and the newer drivers have the new top cap....hence my question.
Thanks for your help

Wild Thing,
the new style XR top caps will fit on an older drive, but the bearing race shoulder is at a different depth. It also has a short steel tower, so and upgrade to the new X style gears is required. If you have the OM drive (ser# starts with) then you have the X gears already. I use that cap when ever I can to strengthen the unit. But measuring it and shimming accordingly is part of the normal process I use to set up drives.
The steering issue, if you are using a wing plate, it will still bolt on, but depending on what style wing plate you have, interference may be a problem. Just have to check it. I have an old style Bravo with XR gear, WPM steering and use the ITS cap and Halo type drive shower.. It all fits...

Hope this helps.
Dick

this new cap is great if you happen to crack alot of top caps, to take mr gadgets statement a little further the new shimmable gearsets do backfit the old housings in fact the old gearset part numbers are now superceeding to shimable gearsets. internally the new bravos measure out the same as the old ones as far as the housing goes the changes are cosmetic. last year i saw a cap at mercury in fon du lac that they actually integrated the drive shower into the housing and top cap so everything was internal i dont know if it will ever make it to the market but it was neat.