Bravo 1 broke
 

On my last run of the season, I lost forward on my port side Bravo 1. Reverse works fine. In forward at idle it seems to be slipping because it feels like the prop spins for a second then it doesn't, then it spins, then it doesn't. And as soon as I give it any throttle, the engine just revs up with out the prop spinning.

On the trailer the prop spins freely backwards but when you spin it forward, I can feel something grinding.

Does it sound like the forward gear or the cone clutch?
Is it cheaper to have rebuilt or buy a different bravo upper?

At least it was my last run not my first run of the season.

THanks, I appreciate any input.

Prolly broke the floor out of the gear, or partially broke the top cap boss. Don't run it any more.

Pull the back plate off and take a look. Then pull the top cap off. If the lube isn't full of junk and the parts are not missing a bunch of little pieces, you can just replace the parts yourself. Use new upper bearings and upgrade to a billet top cap.

I pulled the top cap off and found metal shavings and a couple of pieces that look like a washer about an inch in diameter. The top gear is very sloppy and moves side to side until it hits the housing. Is this what you mean when the floor of the gear is broke?

Is the prop on the port drive
L/H rotation ?
If so, the top gear is the forward
gear.
The floor of the gear is just below the
female portion of the cone on the gear.

If you have a R/H rotation prop on
that drive, you need to look at the
bottom gear.

jt

jt29olhp500s

Its is a R/H prop. so it would be the bottom gear. Is the top cap the only thing that keeps the top gear centered? It just doesn't seem right being so sloppy. How do inspect the bottom gear. Can I take off the bracket for my steering and tie bar or do I take the top gear out. If I have to take gear out how does it come out.
Bear with me I have never taken a drive apart before.

You need to pull the drive and remove the
input (pinion) gear assy. to get to the lower gear.

jt

Top cap is the only thing that keeps the top gear centered. Thats why it is important to upgrade to a stronger top cap with increased power.

You can pull the rear cover and see the bottom gear okay. Drive has to come off of the boat to get the pinion assy out.

Shavings mean you will need to flush the entire drive until it is clean. Easier to do this in pieces (remove the lower and flush separately).

Go grab a service manual (Merc, Clymer, etc..).

mcollinstn,
By removing the the top cap and back cap can you remove the upper gear and cone clutch assy without removing the pinion gear assy?

Are any special tools needed to take it down to this point?

Looking at the Merc parts breakdown it appears there is a 2 piece keeper that is located above a "collar". Anything special needed here to remove.

Thanks,
Rick

I pulled the drive today and pulled the pinion gear pinion gear out and the gear set and found that the floor of the forward gear did break as well as the clutch cone.

what do I use to flush out the drive to make sure all of the metal fragments and shavings are cleaned out?

Kerosene or diesel fuel.

over and over and over again...

(hint: strain the kerosene thru a towel and you can keep using it over and over instead of goin thru 15 gallons of it)