xr drive ex box and a drive saver.
 

i am runnig my blower engine aprox 680 hp with sterling ex box as of today never use a drive saver aprox 150 hr i have just a conversetion with BOB teuge and he advise me to instal attach to the F WHEEL to save the drive does any one use one of this, and if not how many hr with out

fast 252,

I have! I also have the Stelling's extension boxes. I have 50hrs on my drives and driveline withOUT the drive savers. Your driveshafts will need to be about 1/2" shorter or so (I can't remember the exact measurement), so you may have to have your driveshafts shortend, but that will depend on how much clearance you already have with them the way they are now. I have just installed the drive savers, but had to have the drive shafts shortend to make the fit.

kamaa i set my box as high as i can aprox 2 inc and the shaft as some kind of an angel i belive 6% is yours the same and how much clerence have you got.

My extension boxes have been mounted as high as I can get them for my particular make of boat which is just underneath the rub rail. I suppose it could be mounted above the rub rail level, but I didn't want to interfere with the rub rail so I may have to have some IMCO 2" shorty lowers installed. I think my driveshaft is at about 6%. I guess the most you can safely go is 6-7%. I'm not sure what clearance you're talking about.

kaama-I had the same problem as you. The rub rail would not allow the extension box to go high enough-even with a 2" shortie. I had my brother in-law machine a piece of 1-1/2" aluminum plate to form a spacer. This pushed the box further away from the transom and a notch allowed it to fit nicly over the rubrail. Eventhough the plate is aluminum, it still weighs a pretty penny and wasn't cheap to buy-but it got the job done. The best thing is that I didn't have to extend the drive shaft.

What is a drive saver?

I forget exactly how it works, but it's along the same lines as a whirl-a-way. :D

Marty, A draw back of using a Stellings extension box is that you can NOT use the stock Bravo drive coupler, and because of this, there wasn't anything available from Stellings to absorb the shock/vibration/dampening effects from shifting, drive re-entry, etc. So there is a company that makes what is actually called a "Drive Saver" that is donut shaped and is made out of some sort of heavy-duty, super strong plastic/nylon material. Stellings does send there own coupler when you buy their extension box, but it is made out of metal---but you'll need to still use this in conjunction with the Drive Saver. Thing is, is that you will need to take the driveshaft to a business that shortens driveshafts.

mark
 

Did you buy your drive saver from Teague Marine $225.
do you know of any other mfg`s and how well do they work...?

So do I need one for my stelling box? Do all the skaters, formulas, etc from the factory with stellings box have one? Is this a real fear/concern? to need one? Where do I get one?

hey guys here is my concern. i did not change the hight of the engine it as left as stock. i raised the box as high as i can 2 inc. so the bering in the box is higher by 2 inc then the F WHEEL. the shaft that conected between the F WHEEL and the box is not strait it conected in sort of an angel. my concern is ,when i will conect the drive saver it will shorten the shaft and it will increse the angel that the shaft is conected. is it safe to run like that or should i lower the box and go with a shorty 2".

454ho, yes I got mine from Teague Marine for about $225 each.

Marty, I can't say for sure that you'll need a Drive Saver, but it seems to me that if Merc uses a drive coupler on all their engines/drivelines that it is probably for a pretty good reason. The Stellings box DOES come with a coupler, but it is a metal coupler that is roughly the same size as the Drive Saver. You will still need to utilize the metal coupler in conjunction with the Drive Saver---at least that is the way I was told because if I remember correctly it doesn't say so in the instructions that come with the Drive Saver. Why Stellings doesn't include a Drive Saver or a better shock absorbing coupler of some sort when purchasing one of their extension boxes I don't know, but I sure think they should! Anyway, the Bravo One drive needs all the support it can get so I figured with the power that I am running and all the other factors, that I should have some sort of shock aborbing and dampening effect within my drive line.

fast 252, Good question! I don't really know enough about the question you're asking to answer it acurately or with any degree of intellengence. Cord usually has a pretty good handle on the kind of stuff you're asking about.

252-"technically" you are currently exceeding the drive shaft angle limits. The harm will show up as a vibration that may or may not be felt. This vibration is from the joint binding everytime it rotates 180 degrees. The damage will proably show up as excellerated wear. That's the technical explanation that Stellings will give you. My gut says that you are proably OK. Just keep an eye on the joints for fatigue and wear. Sure hate to have one of those let go as it could result in your boat sinking!

Anyways, yes by adding the spacer the angles will become more acute. However, it will only be a fraction of a degree. Miniscule. I think that the advantage of the drive saver would be worth the minor change in angle.

BTW-I don't think the drive saver functions like the stock rubber coupler. Admittedly, I'm not real familiar with it, so I could be wrong. I thought that it was more like a shear coupler that would fail if the drive struck a immovable object. Kinda like spinning your coupler. It's a one time deal.

As to why it wasn't added when the box was designed...well, I don't think it occured to him. He was obviously faced with the task of connecting the driveshaft to the engine and there is no way the stock coupler could be made to work. It took another brain with no preconceived requirements to come up with the idea.

i have a a very informative conversetion with one of teuge technition we looked at all the aspects of this angel and it looks ok . cord sure i will take your advice and i will be very carefull with the joints and by the way i think i have to look for a good deal on a imco shorty.