which bravo for 700 hp
 

i've been looking at several different style bravo drives. bmax , imco, teague and max machine, anyone with any info good bad or otherwise post here. i'm running twin 700hp engines in a 9500 lb boat.

YOU DON'T HAVE A CHANCE WITH ANYTHING OTHER THAN A B-MAX.UNLESS YOU NEVER GO IN RUFF WATER,NEVER LAUNCH OUT,NEVER OVER ACCELERATE ,ECT.ECT.ECT.. I DONT SAY THIS BECAUSE I SELL & USE THEM. IT'S A FACT!!! YOUR BOAT WEIGHS TO MUCH FOR ANYTHING ELSE.

i have two 1.50 xr drives in excellant condition,low hours,$8000 for the pair delivered

I have Max machine on my PQ 700HP 1 season, about 80 hours. No problems. But I am carefull too.

I have a 750 +HP twin Max Machine's in a 30' boat. With 50 gal. gas and two man crew, I weigh 9500 lbs. Six races, many test hours plus pleasure use. I run my equipment hard...never a drive issue. Just sent them back to Max to check out. They replaced a few bearings and Merc's shaft coupler . Jason said everything else looked like new and shipped them back.

I'd love to upgrade to a Bmax drive myself; but, that's quite a chunck of change. I'm running a XR drive at about 800 HP; I have to be very careful with it.

What's the weak link in these drives; the XR? In the interim to upgrading to a Bmax or the likes, what can I do to beef up my current drive?

Mike

Max Machine can upgrade your XR and use many of your existing parts.

The top cap is definitely a weak link on the XR. I broke one a couple of weeks ago, and I am replacing both with Teague Billet caps now.

Max Machine works, Full upgrade including top cap, propshaft the whole works. I think 6,500 Maybe 6,800 for full upgrade - Talk to Jason! he's the man.

http://www.maxmachineworx.com/

thanks for the info so far, but i would really like to hear from people who have the teague or imco also.

the new MERC version i think they call it a speedmaster..... :D

(sorry i can never resists a wiseass remark)

If your boat was a bit lighter say 7500lbs. I would say the XR's or IMCO SC's would work for you.
But your in Bmax territory at 9500lbs.
I've been there myself.

The solution...

I tried sending emails to the addresses listed on their website; but neither worked. Jason, you around where I can get you?

Mike

SUPERSTAR THEIRS ONE THING TO REMEMBER.ALL DRIVE APPLICATION'S IN TODAYS WORLD DEPEND ON THE BOAT THAT THEY ARE GOING ON.ALL DRIVE MANUFACTURES MAKE A VERY GOOD PRODUCT IF YOU USE IT FOR WHAT IT IS INTENDED FOR,AND NOTHING MORE!! I HAVE MET JASON AT MAX MARINE & THEY MAKE OUTSTANDING BRAVO UP GRADES. BUT WHEN YOU START GETTING 700 HP AND UP, HEAVY BOATS,& MORE TORQUE. YOU ARE LOOKING AT A B-MAX. TO UPGRADE A BRAVO THE COST OF THE DRIVE+THE COST OF THE UPGRADE IS EXPENSIVE,WHEN YOU CAN BUY A B-MAX FOR A LITTLE MORE AND HAVE A DRIVE THAT WILL TAKE THE HORSEPOWER YOU PUT TO IT.YOU DO THE MATH!!BELIEVE ME TODAYS ENGINE & DRIVE PACKAGES THAT ARE PUT INTO BOATS DONT HAVE ANY ROOM FOR MORE HORSEPOWER. EVERYONE WANTS TO GO A LITTLE FASTER(EVERYONE).IF YOU DONT SET IT UP RIGHT IT COULD COST YOU A BUNCH.

Wildthing Taz:

I see you are a dealer for Bmax. What are you letting them go for these days? Do you offer a credit on a used XR?

Feel free to drop me an email ([email protected])

Mike

HEY MIKE IT'S NO SECRETE B-MAX COST IS $12,200.00. AND AS FAR AS TAKING A TRADE IN,YOU WOULD DO BETTER LISTING THEM FOR SALE ON OSO or E-BAY. I WOULD NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THEM. WE ARE TRYING TO GET A BOOTH AT CINCI BOAT SHOW. IF WE DO STOP IN. WE WILL HAVE A B-MAX ON DISPLAY,SECTIONED OUT SO YOU CAN SEE THE INSIDE & WHAT YOU GET FOR THE COST. I WILL KNOW IF A BOOTH IS AVAILABLE IN A DAY OR SO. RON

Wildthing Taz:

You talking about the Cincy boat show? When is that?

Mike

CINCINNATI BOAT SHOW FRIDAY JANUARY 9th TO SUNDAY JANUARY 18th. SHOW IS CLOSED MONDAY THE 12th. RON

I'm pertty sure Rod would take the trades...he's up in Oshkosh.

backformore are you telling me that the only drive that will work is the bmax? i see you have a fountain did you have imco's on them and how did they work for you?
what size is your boat? what king of horse power?

I'm not saying it is the only drive for you...the others "might" work, 1,2,3 seasons but the Bmaxs "will" work...and one pop of the others will cover the cost difference between the Bmaxs and the others.
I have a friend running 8-71s on Bulldogs in a 42 Cig with XR's and only broke a vertical shaft on one so far...but he babys it to where its not worth the blower upgrade.
Im runnig 800HP/557ci Blowermotors on a 1993 nonstep 42 Fountain...whats your setup?Broke the IMCO's and then went with the Bmax's.
Heres a pic of the upper gears next to each other....XR, XZ, and Bmax.
Which set you think will hold some real power.
BTW,
XR...no warranty
IMCO...no warranty
Bmax...warranty
I have a set of fully rebuilt IMCO SC uppers for sale if your interested...$4000 each.

is the b max the straight cut or the upper right?

The straight cut is the XR, the heilical cut small one is the XZ and the big one is a Bmax gear.

i would have though they used a large starigt cut instead of a large helical. Regaurdless there is still alot of meat on that gear.

i have a 2000 37 foot outerlimits with 700 blower motors &xr drives

HEY SUPERSTAR I THAT WE KNOW WHAT BOAT YOU HAVE,YOUR ONLY OPTION IS B-MAX! I OWN WILD THING A 37 OL WITH TAZ ON THE SIDES & BOW.NO ONE KNOWS BETTER THAN I DO. I BLEW 7 BRAVO'S OFF TILL I LEARNED THE LESSON. IV HAD MY OL GOING ON THE 4th SEASON. THE DRIVE EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN A VERY COSTLY & UPSETTING EXPERIENCE. CALL ME 216-390-1330. RON

What ci are the motors? TQ is the drive killer.
Then if you go with the max's you can up the boost and never worry.

HEY SUPERSTAR SORRY I MISSED YOUR CALL. GIVE ME CALL BACK WHEN YOU GET TIME. RON

hh