Speedmaster 4
 

Have a pair of #4 and wondering what boat types that used them? Are they special design for any particular hull type?

Need to know more....

Re: Speedmaster 4
 

A buddy has them on an 1989 38 Fountain. Boat was powered by 850's but now has 500efi's. Drives were left in instead of tearing apart the transom. Don't know much more though.

Re: Speedmaster 4
 

there not for a specific hull type. whats your plan buy a boat to match a pair of drives? sounds like a looong project. buy something thats complete and save a lot of time and headaches, buy something rigged less power or turnkey. good luck

Re: Speedmaster 4
 

t500hps, post more pics of the wife, i mean there is an uncensored forum...ratman

Re: Speedmaster 4
 

Have a Cigarette 38 with Bravos. Got these when I bought a pair of engines and I dont know if I should sell them or put them on my boat.

Re: Speedmaster 4
 

SELL THEM. I'm sure there is someone out there with #4's that would like them for parts. You don't want to go through all the trouble of installing an obsolete product that you can't find parts for in the future.

Re: Speedmaster 4
 

Yes, it's always much better to be using a product that isn't obsolete and you know will need many replacement parts in the future. :D

:rolleyes:

Re: Speedmaster 4
 

So you would rather do transom work and go through thousands of $$$$$ worth of labor to install drives you can't get parts for :rolleyes: . There are plenty of guys running bravos on guns without problems. They aren't running 750 HP through them but they will last in the right applications.

It all depends on what horsepower you are running. If you are 500 or less I would stick with the Bravos for now. If you are more than 600 I would go with SSM's but either 3A's or 6's.

Re: Speedmaster 4
 

I was just being sarcastic about the reputation of bravos.

Re: Speedmaster 4
 

I'm a little slow this evening...my bad...Loooooong day :D . They definitely aren't the best on a boat as heavy as a T/G. Kinda on that line between choices with a conventional gun:

1) Bravos and a couple mice under the hatch
2) Or big money drives and big money engines

:D :D

Re: Speedmaster 4
 

My engines are 600hp each and I figure I will need new drives in a year or two, Bravo1 do not last forever...! The #4s have max 100 hours on them with Mercruiser 575s and I have them complete with everything from bellhouse to drive. I am able to do all the work my self but still...?? After listening to the advice in this thread I think I will go for new Bravos, Konrad or #6 and sell the #4s that I have in my garage.

Thanks!

Re: Speedmaster 4
 

I would call some people like Doller offshore, Martin Marine, & Lipship and ask them if they have any parts availability for #4's. That should help you decide what decision is best for you. I would hate to see someone spend all the time and money and then need parts that are unavailable. Good luck!!

Re: Speedmaster 4
 

I have been running 4's with 900 hp and no problems. Bravos never would have lived. In a surfacing application the Bravo gimbals won't make it. There are certain #4 parts no longer available, as the #5 and also some #6 series. I have a pair of drives at a shop being gone thru. So far I have been very impressed with the #4's. Initially I thought they would be the weak link to the package. I have ran side by side with friends in Black Thunders, Cigs and Scarabs with Bravos and watch them fail while we were on weekend runs. The 4's have been great to me :rolleyes:

Re: Speedmaster 4
 

You haven't run up against any Active Thunders have ya? :D Hey Bob. Are you back in the frozen north?

Re: Speedmaster 4
 

Thanks for your input Bob! I think I will try to sell them first , as everyone says its a lot of work involved.....

Re: Speedmaster 4
 

Send me pics and a price. I may be interested.

Re: Speedmaster 4
 

If you stay with the Bravo One drives, I would at least have some better aftermarket parts installed in them or buy some spares and them available while on your boating excursions in case one breaks. Max Machine Worx seems to make some good products for the Bravo one drive. You can either buy the parts from them and have a drive tech who you trust do it or you can send the entire drive out to Max Machine and have them install them for you. As for myself, I bought the Max Machine parts for my Bravo XR's, and will have Mr. Gadgets install them for me as blue print, micrometer, fit and assembly are paramount----and I trust him. They can still break, but I think stronger, better designed parts, and highly accurate/precise assembly techniques can make for a longer lasting Bravo drive.

Re: Speedmaster 4
 

Expresscat 39, my emails to you are rejected.

Re: Speedmaster 4
 

I would like to see them, send some pics an asking price.

Re: Speedmaster 4
 

Its funny how everyone says the #4s are no good and to stick with the bravos.A38 CIG is heavy and if you ever want to go with more power the bravos are what you should dump.The conversion is cake.The speedy gimble is large and fits over the bravo hole.No real glass work and the motor moves foward about a foot.I just converted my superboat from a bravo to speedmaster.I think the only down fall is the price of props.Last if there so bad Y are so many people interested in them.

Re: Speedmaster 4
 

What else is kinda crazy is I know of some folks who spend tens of thousands on their motors, won't step up to a Speedy but will shell out tons of $ trying to get the Bravo to work....drive after drive after drive. :rolleyes:

Re: Speedmaster 4
 

Call me, I need #4's or #5's and drive line trany's for my personal Top Gun

Re: Speedmaster 4
 

seabeach,

As you can see you are going to get several opinions and some good input here. To some it's an easy decision and to others it is not. It's not always a "no brainer"---- There are too many variables i.e. boat weight, HP, driver's habits, airtime, etc. I guess I don't know if I would want to go and install an obsolete drive (SSM#4) that parts are either unavailable for or rapidly moving in that direction as time goes on. On the other hand you already have an outdrive (Bravo) that cannot take as much power as the #4 without breaking, and are prone to failure, but parts are plentiful and available---it's almost like an unfair, no win situation. The durability and availability seems to be one of the biggest issues with outdrives these days.

My boat is smaller (32' A/T) and therefore lighter than yours. I bought my boat used with TRS drives, but modified it to take the Bravo XR drives. Whether you do it yourself or pay the large amount of $$$ to have it done...to me it was no cake walk-----but then perhaps I don't have as mush money or am not as skilled as you either. I guess it's a matter of perspective and much of it depends on how much $$$ you can afford and how much you are willing to spend-----and it sounds like either way you are going to pay if you want to play. Welcome to offshore performance boating. I wish you the best.

Re: Speedmaster 4
 

As I read the thread I see that the #4 drives are used on Fountain, Top Gun, ie single hulls and several of you are telling me to use them so I think my question about that #4 is a design for V-bottom or cat hull is answered and that they will fit my hull. The next question is if it is worth both the money and work involved doing the change? I think that I have some thinking to do and some decisions to make..... What I noticed this summer was that things around the drives (Bravo) are beginning to give up, trim cylinder bushings and steering lever for example but the drives them self seem ok so far.. I am easy on the throttles :mad: and I almost never fly :mad: