Does anybody have a program to custom mill a new top cap for the Bravo drive? I know that Billet Marine is cutting some water cooled aluminum ones, but I'm looking for mine to be carved out of a chunk of stainless. I believe that there is a steel race that would need to be pressed in along with a bearing.

Will do. Please post your address for me. The board doesn't allow you to attach photos to e-mails.

There are two steel surfaces on the top cap. One is a flat ring, the other is pressed onto the aluminum tower. Both have bearings that rub on them.

There is also a center bearing that is pressed into the tower.

I see 3 surfaces that are critical. Proably half a dozen others that are important. I don't know how that flat wear surface is held in. Is this too complicated to reverse engineer?

My hats off to you machinists; I have to buy mine assembled and painted, don't know a bearing from a race. I have taken apart way too many things in my life that when re-assembled work but you have a few "extra parts' left.

I have to go to work and pay you guys!

I’ve been machining water cooled Billet Bravo caps since 1995 with great success. Be careful if you have some one reverse engineer them. Not all caps are the same from Mercury. We have found some that are way out of spec.
It’s funny how more people don’t use them. They are really an advantage on the left hand drive because all the force in pushed up. We also use full length studs to save the “case” if there is problem.
Next week I am running a new batch of caps. I’ll look into the costs of doing some in stainless since the machines will already be set up. PM me with your phone # and I’ll get back to you. Our aluminum caps are $ 299.95 with the drive shower and all the bearings installed. Check out the web site at: www.getrealperformance.com or call me at: 805-968-5672

Generally stainless cost’s over aluminum is about 40% more. I’m going to make a run of 15 pcs., that’s one full bar of material. I’ll keep everyone posted as soon as their done. I’m always open to new ideas for new products.

Guys, you need to remember that stainless is a piss-poor conductor of heat. The aluminum cap will pull significantly more heat out of the drive than a stainless cap will.

If rigidity is what you're after, there are several aluminum alloys that are pretty stiff. Good ole 6061-T6 is dang hard to beat when you are looking at the whole picture. Billet 6061 is tons stronger than the cast stock caps, and in my opinion, is strong enough (not the stockers, but the billet ones). Plus you retain the heat properties of aluminum.

I just don't see real benefit from using stainless.

My .02

They can case harden aluminum also.Can be chromed if he is looking for it to sparkle.