So the last time out with the boat, towards the end of the trip the drive got stuck in Reverse. Took it into the shop once home and apparently the "clutch" and gear set is toast. This is a '96 vintage Bravo 3, original....never molested. After schooling myself and reading up, it looks like Merc came out with an upgraded gear set/clutch for the Bravo drives somewhere around year 2000? Since the old style parts are no longer available, it will be the upgraded set after rebuild. One question I have is regarding the vertical shaft in the drive.....when the clutch/gear set go out, is it typical for that to twist the splines on the vertical shaft?

Once the drive was torn into, I got the call that I needed more parts beyond the original estimate. I was half expecting it since the drive had not been cracked open since it was new.

Is there something else that could have caused this vertical shaft to twist the splines? The shop sent me a picture of the twisted shaft.

I'm looking for suggestions, if there are any must do's, since the drive is opened up now. What is a ball park idea what rebuilding this B-3 should run me with new, updated gear/clutch set? And then also the vertical shaft?

Twisted splines on the lower vertical shaft is common. Merc started using the XR vertical shaft in later years. There is typical wear on the outer prop shaft where the seal rides, that is common. There is a shop that will repair that shaft, J-R Marine. Lower gears are fragile in my opinion, depending on what the application is.
Hope that helps.
Dick

Thanks for the info Dick. I will keep JR Marine in my mind for the future. I've lined up a new vertical shaft already to stick in my drive, just have to wait for it to show up. I looked at JR's site and I see how they re-condition worn seal areas, but I don't see how they could do anything with twisted splines.

pics please? your rebuilding the upper? whats it ment to cost? did you get a price for new and reman system to? because when I build them over here by the time you add up the parts and labour a remans bout the same and merc supply the warrenty

Time to update this thread and ask a few more questions. The rebuild is proceeding on the B-3 drive. The original quote for the repair to the drive was around $2000 including the new updated clutch/gear set that is in the upper part of the drive. Add to that the cost for a new vertical shaft at $600. Should there be additional labor charge, hours to install the new vertical shaft in addition to the clutch/gear set? How involved of a process is doing this rebuild? What is the approximate time in hours to rebuild a Bravo 3 drive that needs a new clutch/gear set & to replace the vertical shaft with new?

I see myself sliding down the slope of a few more bucks to repair, and a few more bucks, etc vs just buying a reman Bravo 3 and installing that. I'd like to avoid the "spent more on a rebuild" than a repalcement reman w/ warranty would end up costing. Thanks in advance for any and all advice.

There is a lot more to setting up the lower on the B3, than a B1. It takes 4-6 hrs on a B1 lower, so add a few more for the B3 to set it up correctly and change bearings, etc. To add just a vertical shaft could be less, but the setup needs to be checked.
The upper takes 4-6 hrs also, doing a full setup on the gears, etc. done correctly.
Hope that helps.
Dick

Ok, thanks for the info. So I should be looking between 8 & 12 hours for a B-3 rebuild between the new clutch/gear set in the top of the drive and to install the vertical shaft since my original one had twisted splines?

I would think that would be a reasonable asessment. If the new vertical shaft fell into place then setup would be less on the lower. Anytime you replace bearings or shafts the setup may change, if it is close, then you can take some short cuts. But you need to check it anyway to make sure you could have taken a shorter route.. Make sense??
I do a flat rate on setup, so if it takes me 4hrs or 10 it costs the same..

Dick

Thank you for all the info. All done and back home now. Now to take it out and run it to make sure all is good....the fun part of boat ownership