Bravo III Question...

[iop]

Do all Bravo 3s have a sealed u joint?? ( no grease fitting )...
Or is there some way to tell by serial # or something. ( mine is 0F* 96').

 

[45Auto]

Re: Bravo III Question...

They are definitely NOT all sealed. My 2003 B3 has zerks on the factory u-joints.

If yours is 14 years old, it's possible that the u-joints have been replaced and are not original anyway. Best bet would be to pull it and look, it probably needs the alignment checked anyway!

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Bravo III Question...

Howdy,


I have a 97 model and I think mine does. It's possible that the newer ones do not.

If you haven't pulled your drive in the last few years you probably should anyway to check the bellows, gimbal bearing, lube the coupler and align it.

You could probably install the non-lube U-joints on it when you take it apart but it should come off to do the stuff I mentioned above anyway.....it's not that hard to give them a shot of grease when it's off......


regards,


Rick

 

[iop]

Re: Bravo III Question...

thanks guys!!..

yeah I'll be pulling the drive this fall. Every thing runs great now.
I got the boat on 04 and put about 250hrs on it so far. its been in storage for the last 2 years and I just got her running again.
Now that I'm south and live a half mile from the ramp it will get MUCH more use!!
So i wanna keep ahead on the keep up.

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: Bravo III Question...

i bought a new one last spring for the 230. it didn't come with zirks.

i had both drives on the 2000 310 pulled and serviced this spring and nether of them had zirks either

all are BIII's and if memory serves there arnt any zirks to grease the gimbal bearing on the out side of the transom either
the shop that did the service on the 310 said they could install after market u-joints with zirks but factory replacements wouldn't have them.

 

[whitecrystal1]

Re: Bravo III Question...

i bought a new one last spring for the 230. it didn't come with zirks.

i had both drives on the 2000 310 pulled and serviced this spring and nether of them had zirks either

all are BIII's and if memory serves there arnt any zirks to grease the gimbal bearing on the out side of the transom either
the shop that did the service on the 310 said they could install after market u-joints with zirks but factory replacements wouldn't have them.

strange, my 2001 BIII has zirks on the U-joints and one for the Gimble too

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Bravo III Question...

Do all Bravo 3s have a sealed u joint??... mine is 0F* 96').

Yours had a grease fitting when it left the factory. Much newer Bravos don't, but back in 96 your did.

And it probably has a fitting for the gimbal bearing too. Sealed gimbals are something that is just coming to be in the past couple years. But in 1996 it was a greaseable bearing.

 

[Hank496]

Re: Bravo III Question...

It is definitely based on production date. My 02 BIII came with grease fittings. However after replacing the gimbal ring, gimbal bearing, bellows, and most recently the top case seal and drive shaft assembly, there are no longer any functioning zerc fittings.

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: Bravo III Question...

whitcrystal1;
you are right. went back and checked and the transome assembles on the 310 do have zirks.
i had the shop change the gimbal bearings while it was tore down and now i cant remember if the bearings are grease-able.
i cant find a pix for the 230 T-A so now i'm going to have to jump in the water the next time i'm at the lake and see(DARN, PITS TO HAVE A POOR REMEMBERY)

i am sure all three don't have grease-able cross's because this bugged me enough to remember it bugs me

 

[iop]

Re: Bravo III Question...

Yours had a grease fitting when it left the factory. Much newer Bravos don't, but back in 96 your did.

And it probably has a fitting for the gimbal bearing too. Sealed gimbals are something that is just coming to be in the past couple years. But in 1996 it was a greaseable bearing.

I'll know for sure when I pull the drive in a few months... I'm assuming there is a zerk on the Ujoint.... but the guy that put the new engine in 04' was a freak airline mechanic. The engine and drive have been running smooth for the last 300 hours. I just change the drive lube and engine oil every hundred hours... plus other regular upkeep. I know he changed the bellows... and I assume he must have serviced the drive too... I dont think an all original B3 from 96 would run so smooth. But maybe it is...

The gimbal fitting I have been hitting every 10 hours or so.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Bravo III Question...

I dont think an all original B3 from 96 would run so smooth. But maybe it is...

The gimbal fitting I have been hitting every 10 hours or so.

My all original 1997 was perfectly smooth at 800 hours in 2008. U-joints were still fairly tight too. When people actually perform the annual maintenance on boats, they will last a long time.

Every 10 hours is a waste on the gimbal. Once at the beginning of spring, once in the middle of summer would be enough. But hey, if it makes you feel good, go for it.