Biggus-I'd like to ask you more questions, if you don't mind. I sent you a private message with my conact info.

Thanks,
Matt

I also have had great success with the Konrads

Commander, I'm just catching up on threads after a WIN this past weekend in Grand Haven, MI with my Konrad drives. As Downtown42 mentioned, early this year I've completed a retrofit of my 10-Meter to Konrad 540's, and have had zero problems within running them in race conditions. One correction - I replaced TRS's with the 540's, not Bravo's. I broke 4 TRS's along with 3 tranny's this season before I got fed up and asked the guys at Konrad for help.

The 520 drive is more for commercial and military applications, and can spin (i believe) up to an 18" diameter prop. The lower housing is much larger, longer, and doesn't lend itself well to performance applications. The 540 on the other hand is the Performance Stern Drive. It uses 1 1/4" propshafts (like the Bravo XR) and carries the 1 1/4" shaft size all the way thru the drive. Real beefy stuff.

Some things to consider: the current (and I stress current) 540 setup requires a transmission, so this is why it lends itself well to a TRS replacement package. There are still ways to retrofit Bravo-equipped boats. As you have already found out, they have an application where a tranny is installed in an extension box, leaving your motors in the stock Bravo locations. That's today's Bravo replacement program.

They offer a complete outer transom assy, which allows for a massive yoke/u-joint. These also include trim pistions that are a good 50% larger (and somehow, even faster to operate) than Merc stuff.

Konrad has a shiftable "Bravo killer" (my words, not theirs) that is in prototype right now. Uses the same proven lower that I'm beating up on my 540's, but they add a shifting mechanism in the upper. No tranny. These have already seen their test cell, as well as the water, so make your own deductions on release timing. I'll put in a call to Fred Sparling, Konrad's Application Engineer and see if he can offer more to this thread. That's all I'm allowed to tell.

Bottom line, Konrad Marine offers alternatives to us performance boaters who are tired of breaking Merc drives. They are a first-class outfit, with years of commercial and military experience, and are downright easy to work with.

Let me know if you need any more details.

Thanks,
Brian

Brian-Thank you for all the information. It would be great to talk to you more at length. If you don't mind, could you e-mail or PM me your phone number.

Zero Patience-It would also be great to get more input from you. Can you also e-mail/PM your number.

Biggus-I plan on calling you this evening to get your info.....The more info the merrier!

Looks like Fred is enroute to London. I'll see who else from Konrad can add details.

Commander, you've got mail.

Thanks,
Brian

can't wait to see this bravo killer,, this should get merc to design a new drive.
nothing like a little healthy competition.

As history as shown, if the drive is good enouph, Merc won't try to top it, they'll just buy the drive (company) ---- As in the #6 drive..............This is obviously their plan/stratagy for saving themselves $$$. They have no reason to improve if no-one is challenging them -- they just get to make money on replacement parts out the wazzoo......

Is the length of the drive[Konrad] the same length as a Bravo?

If memeory serves it is 2" shorter then a TRS drive?

Jon

As a TRS replacement, using the same gimbal holes, the 540's come out to be 1.68" shorter than a TRS.