As is typical late in the season, one of my Bravo 2s is getting hard to shift. I can shift it by hand 100%, but it seems harder than it should be. The cables are new this season. What else would make these drives get harder to shift?

Also, I'm underpropped with a 19x21p, and I blow drives with a 23p. I was thinking of trying a 21p stainless prop. I've always stayed away from stainless because they seemed to be hard on drives. Anyone agree? I do like the idea of having a tougher prop and maybe gaining back a knot or two.

Both cables? The drive cable and control cable?

You say you've blown the drive? Upper gear failure? Lower? Stainless props are not hard on a drive unless you whack them against something equally hard. Then again - whacking the drives against rocks and reefs are going to tear anything to hell.....

I've never hit anything harder than sticks and kelp. I think that I was right on the edge of drive failure with the 23ps and the stainless's took them over the top.

With the 23ps I blew 2 lowers, an upper and 3 ujoints. Engines are Yanmar 6lps.

With the 21s I have 2000 hrs with only a chipped upper tooth and an oil leak into the gimbal. I'm happy, but I like the durability and the knot or so stainless would give.