Hey guys, There are a lot of 382's with the 525's and XR drives. I've heard the 382's have had issues with the XR drives due to the weight of the 382's. I've been told the drives are a bit undersized. Any truth to this?

Thanks.

No, they don’t care what make or the size of the boat is,
they have issues on anything over 499 hp

382's are heavy, but Bravos can and will fail on any boat based on many other factors. Bravo XR's are used on much bigger and heavier boats than a 382's.

The drives have always been undersized from Merc, really has nothing to do with it being a 382. 525's should be easier on Bravos than the bigger supercharged motors. Not sure what Formula used for a 382, but many 353's came with 5 blade props vs 4 blades - the 5 blades are harder on the drives as they have less slip.

Besides, Merc doesn't offer a better alternative to a Bravo XR in its line until you go up to the #6's and similar. Bravos can be upgraded in the aftermarket, but no guarantees

Yes, you will eventually have issues, even it you do everything right.

I always carried a spare drive in the truck. Change drive oil every engine oil change.helps.....abit

I had to carry my extra pair and Props w the Cig whenever we traveled anywhere- as 1 pair of drives was 1/36 and 1 pair was 1/50- over 750 Hp and lots of air
SCXs solved that problem.

It's a lot of money up front, but the SCX uppers with dual downshaft lowers will provide you with way more trouble free boating than the XR's.

Thanks everyone for your feedback. Much appreciated!