kennyo

On twin bravo outdrives is one drive always pushing up against the top cap?? If you you change prop rotation wouldn't that switch which drive is being "driven" in reverse?? I've heard of people switching drives to even out wear....

CrownHawg

Wouldn't switching props be alot easier than switching drives? I have swapped my props from in to out just to see which one performs better. I settled on out, but slow speed idling suffers a little.

kennyo

I'm talking about which side of the upper gears are engaged. Since the engines turn the same direction one drive needs to running opposite or reverse of the other, Right??

offshorexcursion

Yes swapping props and shift cables allows you to run on the other side of the upper gears.

Its debatable if its better or not.

JaayTeee

The upper gears are always running the same direction....the wear is always on one side of the tooth, whichever gear is reverse will generally have less wear than the gear used for forward.

the lower gears do reverse

4bus

Actually that is the opposite in the bravo drive, the shifting is in the upper. However, you are half correct There is one gear in the upper that will only wear on one side, unless you reverse the engine rotation.

The upper will push on the top cap on one rotation, and not the other.

Reversing the drives is the best way if you are trying to rotate your gear wear, however some will argue that it doesn't offer extended life on the gears.

Reversing the props and cables is another method, however now your props will spin differently and it can effect the handling of the boat. Some like them in, some like them out. Props spinning in are less responsive around the docks, but offer more top speed and a looser ride in some hulls.

Sac Solutions

Dont mean to thread jack but I have a single with a stepped hull. Most stepped hull boats are running lefty prop rotation to offset the weight of the driver I think. I have a bravo 1 1994 with that has been spinning right hand rotation for its life.( once again I think) I would like to spin it left. Will this hurt the drive? I only have 640 tq and 600+ hp and the drive is a 1.36R. Max RPM is 5400. Sorry to thread jack just sounds like you guys know this kinda stuff. Thanks in advance.

Main thing will it hurt the drive? Is there a better chance of killing the drive?

4bus

Only 600 hp and 600 ft lbs to a bravo drive, only?

Some will say switching now is bad for the gears, because they are wore one way. Others will say rotate them and you will be fine. Truth is no one really knows, drive failures are common. I would say the way you are going don't change a thing

Running it right, the way you have it puts less stress on the top cap. Fountain ran them left on singles, which he believed offset the rotational torque of the engine and let the boat ride more level

If you are going to run it left, you may consider a before top cap

JaayTeee

Yes, the shifting is in the upper, but all 3 gears only contact 1 side of the gear tooth...you flip the top and the bottom gear and the pinion contacts the
same side of the gear as it was in it's former position.

Reversing the engine rotation would put the contact surface on the opposite of all 3 gears, but unless someone makes a clutch shaft where the
direction of spiral of the splines is reversed, a reverse rotation engine wont work on a std bravo

Dave M

I switched to a LH prop on my single after 200 hrs of running a RH prop. 10 hrs later my upper self destructed. Coincidence? Maybe?

The boat did run good with the LH prop. I am going to get the drive rebuilt when I have the $$ and use it exclusively for LH props.