Hi, Im uncertain wether to buy an older scarb with twin big blocks and trs drives or nova II with small blocks and alphas. I like big block power, but unfamiliar with trs drives and transmisions, and how they work. Is it more cost affective to stick with a smallblock setup, or consider the big blocks?

Do a search on TRS and you'll find tons of posts on pros/cons.

I know what you mean, i just bought a boat with TRS drives also, and almost backed out over it... But if you do research them you will find they are great when they are not broken, and very strong..BUT when the do break the parts are supposedly hard to find..(which in looking I have been able to locate several used units) The biggest real down fall i came up with is the added weight of the transmissions & they are lower in the water, both slowing the boat down. nd if you are looking to but BIG power in front of them i would say pass on them. The boat i bought has engines running around 500 hp each and i wouldnt even thing of holeshoting it with the TRS drives.... but I am sure there are many out there alot more educated on them than I... just my 2cents... There is no replacement for displacement.. i would rather be careful with more power than pissed with lack of power...

TRS are great drives. They just have their limits. Not even comparable to a alpha. I run 600HP supercharged engines thru them on a 40ft 13k lb boat in big water. Lost one lower gear set in 2 seasons. Also running 5 blade props. Just cant drive it like you stole it, coming out of the water, holeshots, etc.

I have a few buddies with 370HP-420HP motors in older heavy V bottoms that boat on lake michigan in rough water. One has 9 seasons on his drives, other has 14. The 420HP 454's coupled to TRS are one of my favorite combos. Somewhat mild power, good performance, and reliable as hell.

TRS drives are great- had a 30 scarab with 7 seasons on them and a 34 scarab that had 24 seasons on the drives before I sold it. Never had any problems with them. I will say that one of the reasons I sold the 34 was the fact that the parts are almost impossible to find unless you find a whole working unit or some guy thats been hoarding parts... The drives must be cared for if you want them to live... fresh lube every season and fresh paint!! They will live if you take care of them.... Dont waste your time on the others --junk and will break if you put any power behind them!!

Jim

Ran a TRS behind a 420 in a 27 footerfor years no problems. Sold boat last year. Have a lot of parts that I was saving gear sets, shafts. Let me know if anyone needs any parts

I have had three trouble free seasons on my TRS drives. I have to admit it's pretty cool docking up in party cove and being the only boat that doesn't make that god awful clunking sound when shifting gears! For what it's worth....

The tr/trs are fast becoming classic. There are availability problems with some components, and although given the fact that Mercruiser is purposely attempting to obsolese these models (nla on some parts; prices through the roof on others), there are still a huge amount of tr/trs devotees. I ship units all over the world Sweden (yesterday), Australia, Itay, Hong Kong, Germany, Brazil and virtually every state in the union. There is misinformation in the service manuals, and minor modifications need to be accomplished for longevity. The good news is that there is still a minor glut of serviceable used components on the market and MercTrans components are readily available, and on the shelf. If a Borg Warner (later models have Borg`s), it presents far less of service issue. The MercTrans must have cooling relieved thru-hull, must not be overproped and certain internal modifications prove helpful. I have customers who run 700 horsepower with no problem. The fact remains that one "must" know how to treat them. Attempting to pull logs off the beach in reverse is transmission suicide. Having said all this; Mercruiser has never produced a stronger sterndrive, and with bore and preload modification, I have a customer who pulled fifteen thousand hours out of one. This is of course probably a world record; but it has been done. The steering (swivel kit) is a problem issue, but headaches can be avoided if cautionary measures are taken. www.kcmarinetr.com

Kurt is a trs/Merctrans guru. Any questions you may have he is the man.

Hi thanks for the info, I was considering a 1980 300 scarab, twin 330, and the drives have never been abused acording to the owner, but how many owneres of this particular boat, who knows.
Is there any particular years to stay away from as far as TRS drives and engines? Are the early eighties setup beter then lets say late seventies? I here some came with a borgwarner velvet drive. Also cn somone explain what and how these transmissions work, and why they had them? I cant find to much info and pictures of the internal components of the setups. Also can the the exhaust be dumped through the prop instead of through the hull, as this particular 1980 scarab has it thru the hull?
Thanks