Anyone ever rig SSM5 drives on a side by side Mistress without boxes? No notch in transom of course.

I have no info on this. But you are taking off TRS? Just asking to help with your question. Thanks

SSM 3A is what is on there now, about 5" below bottom of hull

I have a Clean set of fresh water #5's if you are looking..boxes also available.

Would you sell just one drive?

EightSecv6 . I think you would be hard pressed to see any advantage of going to a 5 drive without a notch or a box . It is a different drive than the 3 or 3A . you could probably see a big improvement raising your 3A up 1.5 to 2.5 inches . The 5 drive It is a surfacing piercing style drive and does not like sitting much below the bottom of the hull . So you would be better off to stay with your 3A's and play with X dimension than put 5's on without a box or notch. Just my 2 cents coming from the guy that put a notch in an 85 Cig Flat Deck lol ( too cheap to pay for boxes and related parts ).
RG.

Just looking for different options at this point have broken several SSM3 and just broke an SSM3a, cant really raise the X any higher, hatches are already on the verge of too big!

Wow , how do you break a 3A . Do you air the boat out a lot or just bad luck . I believe a big shaft 3A should be near as strong as 5 drive . The 5 is shorter and therefore prone to be stronger but your boat is not so big and heavy as to beat up 3A's . Is there possibly a different issue . I ran 3's on my 43 Scarab and that beast weight 15k and granted I didn't beat up on them and planned her up very gingerly but never had a problem . Just thinking out loud .
Cheers RG.

I had almost 900HP on the 3A's with a super high x Dimension and 31" wheels by 17.75. Never had a drive problem. That sucks that you had a problem with yours, might have been just its time or needed to be checked out. Mine was a 1993

All the 3A are big shaft, trust me I never thought it would be a problem. Lasted about 50hrs behind 950hp, 17x30 3 blades @ 5" below the bottom. I run it hard, never really "airs out" its a Mistress LOL! I have Broken 1 upper SSM3 and 3 lower gearsets on SSM3 and now the lower gearset on my SSM3a. Always the RH drive, never have broken a LH anything!!!!!