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| Service on 10 year old Bravo 3s https://www.smwebhead.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=23465 |
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| Author: | YYZ-RC [ Thu Sep 05, 2019 3:04 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Service on 10 year old Bravo 3s |
Question for the mechanically adept (unlike myself). I'm looking at a 2009 with Bravo 3s, about 700 hours. There doesn't seem to be much done in terms of maintenance; just anodes and impellers every other year and bellows about 5 years ago. No indication if the drives have ever been pulled but I suppose at a minimum they would have been when the bellows were changed. What is the normal maintenance over 10 years for the Bravo 3s? I would have thought perhaps yokes or gimbals based on the hours/age? Thank you. |
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| Author: | firecadet613 [ Thu Sep 05, 2019 6:40 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Service on 10 year old Bravo 3s |
I'd say just the normal items. Check over the bellows, listen for the gimbal bearing, etc. Check for corrosion and intact bonding wires. Not sure what the manual recommends, but the drives should be removed and shafts lubed every few years. I had an '08 with twin Bravo 3's and never again. I have inboards right now, but if I go back to an outdrive, it'll be a Volvo. I will say personally I'm not a fan of the Bravo 3, from the sea water pump location on the engine - to a friend just burning up two Bravo 3's with less than 500 hours on the boat. |
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| Author: | YYZ-RC [ Thu Sep 05, 2019 8:13 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Service on 10 year old Bravo 3s |
firecadet613 wrote: I'd say just the normal items. Check over the bellows, listen for the gimbal bearing, etc. Check for corrosion and intact bonding wires. Not sure what the manual recommends, but the drives should be removed and shafts lubed every few years. I had an '08 with twin Bravo 3's and never again. I have inboards right now, but if I go back to an outdrive, it'll be a Volvo. I will say personally I'm not a fan of the Bravo 3, from the sea water pump location on the engine - to a friend just burning up two Bravo 3's with less than 500 hours on the boat. Thank you! I would prefer Volvos as well but alas... |
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| Author: | firecadet613 [ Thu Sep 05, 2019 8:18 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Service on 10 year old Bravo 3s |
YYZ-RC wrote: firecadet613 wrote: I'd say just the normal items. Check over the bellows, listen for the gimbal bearing, etc. Check for corrosion and intact bonding wires. Not sure what the manual recommends, but the drives should be removed and shafts lubed every few years. I had an '08 with twin Bravo 3's and never again. I have inboards right now, but if I go back to an outdrive, it'll be a Volvo. I will say personally I'm not a fan of the Bravo 3, from the sea water pump location on the engine - to a friend just burning up two Bravo 3's with less than 500 hours on the boat. Thank you! I would prefer Volvos as well but alas... What are you looking at? |
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| Author: | LouC [ Fri Sep 06, 2019 8:21 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Service on 10 year old Bravo 3s |
The drives should be pulled at the end of each season. If there is no record that this was ever done, you can have some serious potential problems....all it takes is a leaky bellows and you have water in the bellows...corroding the gimble bearing onto the drive shaft...then guess what...the drive will not come off...u joints also get corroded by a leaky bellows as well as the part of the driveshaft that rides on the input seal...which will then start to leak gear oil unbeknownst to you till you notice it (if the boat has the Merc drive lube bottle and the level is low). Boats that are stored in the water are more prone to these issues but the drive maintenance is critical to long life and minimizing problems with outdrives. This is why I myself would not have another outdrive boat here in salt water. Given that I/Os after 2008 now have the pricey to replace (think 5000-6000 bucks per engine) cat converter exhaust...they really lost their low repair cost advantage over outboards and outboards have many other advantages. I can make an outdrive last a LONG time in a tough environment but have no desire to repeat that process on my next boat. Volvo vs Merc...on the above points...there is really no difference...you don't do the maintenance each year sooner or later you will have problems...and Volvo added a few lousy points too...like on the SX drives...eliminating the grease fittings on the U joints....and making them non-replacable...so you get to replace the entire driveshaft for which there is no good reason other than for them to make more money on parts. Or...the other stupid "improvement"...the trim pump that sits in the transom mount in the water all the time...instead of inside the boat were it always was and BELONGS...(SX-A drives). PS...the gimble bearing and u joints...can last the life of the boat...if they are kept greased and water is kept out of them. The gimble on my boat has been replaced once since I've had it...and the u joints...as far as I know....are original....The bellows was replaced in 2005 and again in 2016 when small cracks started to form..but I store the boat with the drive down...which is easier on the bellows. |
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