Question for Don S

[norowing]

Hello Don,
You have been a great help in the past and was wondering if you mind giving me a reccomendation.
!987 5.7 OMC Cobra
What is your prefered brand of lower gear set? If you could also provide the numbers it would be a great help. It's kinda confusing trying to cross from OEM, Thanks, Mike

 

[Bondo]

Re: Question for Don S

What is your prefered brand of lower gear set? If you could also provide the numbers it would be a great help. It's kinda confusing trying to cross from OEM,

Ayuh,... Just how many Brands are there,..??
Do you have the OEM Part #s,..??
What's so Confusing about it,..??

 

[norowing]

Re: Question for Don S

So far I have seen Sierra, GLM and Gear Pro. My diagram give me an OEM # but no one is real clear on what there set includes, ie some are just forward and reverse, some are forward and pinion, some are forward and clutch dog.
There is nothing wrong with the "gear part on the forward gear or pinion, however the edges of the clutch dog and forward gear are slightly rounded off. I'm not entirely sure they are bad. I'll post pics when I get back from the dock tommorrow.

 

[Don S]

Re: Question for Don S

Not sure why you are asking me, I don't rebuild them.

 

[norowing]

Re: Question for Don S

Sorry wasn't aware of that, you've helped me on other issues before, thought you might have tinkered with them before. Thanks anyway

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Question for Don S

Howdy,

A complete Cobra rebuild won't really be "cheap" (probably never was)

There may be an alternative soon though. If you do not want to remove the gimbal and drive and just replace it with a used Mercruiser Alpha, SEI is either going to have or already has a modification to put one of their drives on a Cobra gimbal.

Cheers,


Rick

 

[norowing]

Re: Question for Don S

Hey Rick,
really wasn't looking for cheapest, just bestest. If I do this I really don't wan't to do it again, I rejust didn't want to get caught with an aftermarket "softer" set of gears. Do you thing the Merc leg is better than my grey boat anchor? Thanks, Mike











'

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Question for Don S

Well, that issue has been argued a lot on this and other boards!

It's not really worthwhile to argue whether the Cobra is good or bad, better or worse......

They did have their problems but with the right "care and feeding" they're just fine.


The real problem is parts availability for a drive that is not only not well supported by a pool of trained mechanics but it eventually going to be abandoned by the after-market parts suppliers as well!

And along those lines, When SEI DOES get their drive adaptation perfected and on the market it will probably accelerate the aftermarket abandoning the Cobra once and for all! Then after the "New old Stock" parts are exhausted, the parts supply will only be the wrecking yards!

I cannot say for sure when this will happen, but it's slowly happening now.


I could have kept my Cobra and ran it for several more years (as long as didn't have a manifold or coupler problem) but I took the plunge because I like this boat and wanted to keep it for many years.

If you cannot part with your boat, you like it, the engine is in good shape etc, it might be worth it to collect enough parts to switch it to Merc and run it for years without having to worry about scrounging new and used parts to keep it going....


Regards,


Rick