Bravo upper gears bye-bye

[dcg9381]

98 Glastron Carlson, 454 Mag MPI. Bravo-I drive.

Out on the lake this weekend, I thought I heard a very light ticking. Shut the boat down, restarted, no tick. Rev'd it, no tick. In gear: very light tick.
Immediately turned the boat around and headed for home.

Of course, I got about 1/4 of the way down a 15 mile trip. Something sounded like it popped. Prop still turned, I limped it into a private dock in neutral, mostly drifting.

I suspected a U-joint or an issue with the gimble. Neither had been inspected this year, but I did change the drive fluid.

I took it to the local shop as I'm already neck deep in non-marine projects.

Per the shop today, I wasted a gear in the upper drive. I asked if there was any water in the drive and the answer was no. I haven't read about many upper gear failures on a Bravo - so I'm wondering what I'm looking at.

They're telling me that they're tearing it down for evaluation of cost. I'm somewhat concerned on a "rebuilt" drive vs buying a complete unit that will be somewhat warrantied. No ideas on how much skill is required in those assemblies or how common this type of failure is....

 

[Loren Warner]

Re: Bravo upper gears bye-bye

For your information. Lost my upper gears a couple years ago and State Farm covered the cost as mechanic said damage was indicative of having hit something at some point in time. Installed new upper unit and rebuilt the lower end.

 

[Don S]

Re: Bravo upper gears bye-bye

They're telling me that they're tearing it down for evaluation of cost. I'm somewhat concerned on a "rebuilt" drive vs buying a complete unit that will be somewhat warrantied. No ideas on how much skill is required in those assemblies or how common this type of failure is....

If your shop is a certified Mercruiser dealer, and they have the special tools and trained techs, a rebuilt will last just as long as a new one.

I have seen gears fail for no apparent reason other than metal fatigue.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Bravo upper gears bye-bye

For your information. Lost my upper gears a couple years ago and State Farm covered the cost as mechanic said damage was indicative of having hit something at some point in time. Installed new upper unit and rebuilt the lower end.

OMG, State Farm truly will fall for anything!

 

[dcg9381]

Re: Bravo upper gears bye-bye

Interesting story. A buddy had insurance cover water damage on a drive last year that had water in the case. It froze and cracked.

I haven't hit anything as long as I've owned the boat, except for the top a truck - at idle - no prop damage, just the nose of the drive.

I don't know that I want to even attempt to claim it - I just say the insurance CLUE report, which is like a credit report, but for insurance claims. Any claim is likely to impact rates for everything. Besides, I don't think it's an impact related failure.


Bummer of a failure.. Still waiting on estimate of cost. I fear that it won't be pretty.... Anyone got ballpark on a reman'd unit, just for reference?

 

[zvolv]

Re: Bravo upper gears bye-bye

I see remans on ebay for about $3000. New for $4000-5000

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Bravo upper gears bye-bye

Interesting story. A buddy had insurance cover water damage on a drive last year that had water in the case. It froze and cracked.

Can I have the name of that carrier? That way, maybe I can get all my excluded damages covered!

 

[Loren Warner]

Re: Bravo upper gears bye-bye

Actually, I've hit lots of small drift and sometimes hard enough to really cause the boat to shudder and kick the outdrive up. Maybe the damage was initially caused by one of these impacts. Anyway, this was the first and only claim I've ever made and my rate never changed.

 

[dcg9381]

Re: Bravo upper gears bye-bye

Still waiting on the "rebuild" estimate.
I've found a vendor off of this website that warranties the uppper for 1 year (no labor) - $2175 + core + shipping:

http://www.boatmotors.com/motorparts/index.cgi?pid=6175&flag=2&cyl=8&year=1998&state=tx

They're indicating "Vendor 1" so I'm sure there is a little middle man mark up on that.

We'll see how that comes in comparitively.

 

[dcg9381]

Re: Bravo upper gears bye-bye

Estimate is coming back at $4200+ labor - case is cracked internally. IE - toast.
Shop is "encouraging" and insurance claim as they say a Bravo doesn't fall apart like this unless I hit something.

The shop does not recommend "aftermarket" drive units - they do recommend reman'd and new Mercruiser units, although I'm having a hard time getting a clear price on one (from this shop).

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Bravo upper gears bye-bye

Gotta love those shops.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Bravo upper gears bye-bye

Does this shop have you now?

Are you tied to them for diagnostic costs? If not, might get a pretty good new drive on Ebay from several shops for about $4000-5000 and rebuilt for $3000-4000 Some require a core, some do not.

You should at least give a call to some of the Ebay sellers. Many of them are reputable dealers. Some cannot sell in all areas (to protect local dealers) but it's worth calling them.


Cheers,

Rick

 

[dcg9381]

Re: Bravo upper gears bye-bye

No, not tied to this shop. I'm not going to accept a retail priced new mercruiser outdrive. Simply too expensive. I would accept a reman'd upper Bravo, with a warranty, which I'm finding off of this website in the $2400 range + $400 core.

If anyone has opinions on the vendors doing the "reman" I'm open to suggestion.

Shop is quoting me new $4200 - no core.

The shop will work with me either way. I haven't authorized repairs other than replacing the gimble and doing typical pull-the-drive maintenance on cables and bellows.

The shop says no aftermarket gear sets on big block motors, I can buy that - but haven't really done full research yet.. That's part of what I'm soliciting on this forum. I see non-"Bravo" uppers being marketed under different names.

 

[tommays]

Re: Bravo upper gears bye-bye

Generaly and metal from and upper OR lower failure spreads to the compleat drive as the failure takes time to happen


So not rebuilding the compleat drive is a pretty BIG risk

 

[dcg9381]

Re: Bravo upper gears bye-bye

Generaly and metal from and upper OR lower failure spreads to the compleat drive as the failure takes time to happen


So not rebuilding the compleat drive is a pretty BIG risk

I changed the drive oil this winter, no indications of any significant metal content that I could see. Since then, I've probably put about 8 hours on the boat.

I literally heard a tooth on the drive go. The corresponding "tick" was very small. Hindsight is that I should have shut it down right then and there (in the middle of the lake) and had it towed. I think that single tooth lead to a much larger internal failure.

The upper is separated from the lower, certainly a good flush is in order - you're suggesting that I replace the gearset on the lower also?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Bravo upper gears bye-bye

you're suggesting that I replace the gearset on the lower also?

Ayuh,......

With all the Trash floating around in it,...
It Needs a tear-down, cleaning, Inspection,+ Reseal/ Rebuild.......

 

[dcg9381]

Re: Bravo upper gears bye-bye

Thanks, Bond-o. Makes sense to me to tear it down and inspect/flush/ rebuild if necessary.

 

[dcg9381]

Re: Bravo upper gears bye-bye

Just for reference, a take-off Bravo-I (2008): $3750 (delivered)
Tear down, inspection of old upper and lower, new gimble bearing, reinstall: $975

 

[jayrodoh]

Re: Bravo upper gears bye-bye

My wife works at the local Formula dealer and their shop stocks and installs Sterndrive engineering outdrives all the time. Might want to check them out.

They just put a pair on an SR1 with modded 454's a few weeks ago.

http://www.sterndrive.cc/

 

[dcg9381]

Re: Bravo upper gears bye-bye

My wife works at the local Formula dealer and their shop stocks and installs Sterndrive engineering outdrives all the time. Might want to check them out.

They just put a pair on an SR1 with modded 454's a few weeks ago.

http://www.sterndrive.cc/

The SE121, which is their Bravo replacment, seems to come in lower-unit only. My upper unit is what failed. Local shops had also indicated their dissatisfaction level with aftermarket non-mercruiser replacements. I think this might be due to a larger mark-up on the Mercruiser units, which they get to pocket. I was told if I had a 3.0 or 4.3L motor, they'd be willing to do an aftermarket drive, but not on a Mag 454.


I should note that the aftermarket "sterndrive engineering" replacements come with a one-year, no-fault, "parts only" warranty, so they believe in what they sell. Per other feedback I've read:
"warranty covers repair at no cost, not exchange replacement or shipping".
I think you can extend to a 3-year warranty at cost.
They also have a user forum...

Reman Mercruiser units carry the same 1-yr warranty, but will cover parts and labor if installed by an authorized Mercruiser dealer.

New Mercruiser units carry a two year warranty, same deal as above.