I blew a bravo today , feels like it droped the bottom out of the forward gear, does not move in reverse either, so i want to rebuild it myself i do my own motor rebuilds but have never done a drive , how hard is it to do and is there any special tools needed.

thanks

It's not that hard to do but you need a TON of special tools.

Reading the manual you would hard pressed to find a step that doesn't call for some 'special' tool.

The right tools make all the difference in the world. Some you can't do without. The right way to do it is to have all of the tools. You can get away without some, but you are taking a chance. Proper assembly is key to getting a Bravo to live. I have thousands off dollars of tools to build a Bravo the right way. Unless you plan on building quite a few, it is not worth it to buy them. Not only do you need special Merc. tools, but you need a big selection of other tools that the average person does not have.
Eddie

Chances are good that the case might be trashed. I would buy a used drive and then worry about working on the blown one. When the upper on my Pantera let go, it wasn't worth trying to save.

You'll need the following and experience doesn't hurt..

Carrier removal tool
Light duty carrier puller
Shim tool
Backlash Indicator with support hardware
Shift removal tool (can't remember the name little pencil sized fine thread 1/4-28 tool)
The tool for setting rolling torque on lower before assembly
Spanner that fits your style upper either the half circle with six teets or the multipoint spanner (old style).
An accurate inch pound torque wrench where 15 inch pounds is not the min or max.
The spline pedistal so it's a little easier to reassemble the gear set with the keepers

A new seal kit (upper/lower) and all broken parts. Misc thrust bearings etc... I'll have to look in my box but it's a lot of stuff. You need to know if the housings are reusable or not. You can tie up some cash in this venture especially if you don't know the status of the case.

The big expense in rebuilding these is the parts, not the labor. Find a reputable shop with performance experience in setting up drives and pay them to do the work. Have them upgrade the drive also to prevent future problems, not much more $ at rebuild time.
Their experience and set-up knowledge will get you the best return on your expensive parts investment.