Driving Hard vs Driving Easy...Drive Life

[Dirtbag]

So i am a little concerned with the Merc 600sci and Bravo XR combo. Ive been reading a lot on drive life from old threads here and on offshore only. Ive read the life of the drive is anywhere from 150-200 hrs before a complete rebuild. Thats a scary proposition considering the amount of hrs we expect to put on this boat.

Everything seems to come down to maintainence and driving style. The maint part is easy for us. Change the drive oil every 20 hrs no problem. The driving style is obviously up in the air. We are cruisers but im sure the hammer will be dropped here and there. Cruising at 60-65 seems nice for us. Im sure we will pump it up to 70+ because we can. Do i want to see how fast this thing will go? Probably. Why the hell else would you put a 600 in right?

So what is Driving Hard? What is Driving easy? my opinion is getting the drive out of the water at a high rate of speed cant be very good on a drive and its gears.....I dont see us ever doing that unless completely on accident. Im just looking for thoughts from you vets on how to get the most life out of a drive. The Bravo XR obviously isnt bulletproof.

 

[HALLETT BOY]

If it's not too late , order an SCX drive and never have to worry about breaking it , even if you modify the 600 . Rebuilding XR's adds up not only in money but a lost weekend out on the lake , and if you're on Lake Powell or Mead , good luck !

 

[JDKRXW]

I'm not a marine drive expert, but I know a little about gearboxes.

Generally, speed (rpm) is not the biggest factor in determining the life of a properly designed gearbox.... IE. one that has properly sized, quality bearings and quality gears that are properly sized and finished. The amount of operating time at the highest torque is generally what determines gearbox life. There are other factors (like operating temp) that come into play also, but assuming your drive is well cooled, running your boat at full throttle is not necessarily the that hard on your drive.
A big load in a boat with big mid-range torque can be harder on the drive when cruising than top speed runs with a light load.

 

[RiverDave]

Roll into the throttle instead of slamming it.. When coming on plane just be gentle with it and ease it up on plane. If the waters rough and you surface the drive you better be quick on the sticks before re entry. If the rpms spike and the drive re enters the water that is what takes most of them out.

 

[purrfecttremor]

Wow DB this is a scary thread as it seems every boater has their own interpretation of the right way to baby a drive. I have always ran it like they weren't stolen and always serviced early! I think for your situation the most important thing is your hole shot. Quick or easy out of the hole!

 

[Bigbore500r]

Hammering the boat quickly to jump on plane, especially with a load of people is very hard on the drive (it will jump on plane quick with all that blower torque....but don't do it!). "Flying" the boat (prop leaving the water and re-entering under load) is another no-no...unless you like to live dangerously and have a quick hand to pull that throttle back!. Some will also say to prop-down if your carrying alot of people, it takes some load off the drive getting on plane and pushing the weight around. There seems to be a consensus that 5 blade props are harder on drives as well. In general, running the boat for top speed @ max load is obviously gonna take its toll compared to cruising, so being prudent in that area and not doing it all the time helps.

 

[Dirtbag]

Hammering the boat quickly to jump on plane, especially with a load of people is very hard on the drive (it will jump on plane quick with all that blower torque....but don't do it!). "Flying" the boat (prop leaving the water and re-entering under load) is another no-no...unless you like to live dangerously and have a quick hand to pull that throttle back!. Some will also say to prop-down if your carrying alot of people, it takes some load off the drive getting on plane and pushing the weight around. There seems to be a consensus that 5 blade props are harder on drives as well. In general, running the boat for top speed @ max load is obviously gonna take its toll compared to cruising, so being prudent in that area and not doing it all the time helps.

i was talking with bob yesterday about this and asked him what size and type prop we were going with and he said 5 blade is harder on the drive as well. I said sweet so no 5 blades haha

 

[Cole Trickle]

People with 496's have blown Bravos and guys with 600's have gone hundreds of hours without issues. It 100% will depend on how you drive and service the boat.

I try and be very easy on my boat out of the hole (650hp with a slightly upgraded bravo1) and I don't fly the boat off big wakes.

Stick with a 4 blade prob and resist the urge to load the boat down with 1000lbs of extra junk....add it for each trip

 

[Dirtbag]

If it's not too late , order an SCX drive and never have to worry about breaking it , even if you modify the 600 . Rebuilding XR's adds up not only in money but a lost weekend out on the lake , and if you're on Lake Powell or Mead , good luck !

too late boat will be getting wet next week xr drive probably on today

 

[Dirtbag]

Hammering the boat quickly to jump on plane, especially with a load of people is very hard on the drive (it will jump on plane quick with all that blower torque....but don't do it!). "Flying" the boat (prop leaving the water and re-entering under load) is another no-no...unless you like to live dangerously and have a quick hand to pull that throttle back!. Some will also say to prop-down if your carrying alot of people, it takes some load off the drive getting on plane and pushing the weight around. There seems to be a consensus that 5 blade props are harder on drives as well. In general, running the boat for top speed @ max load is obviously gonna take its toll compared to cruising, so being prudent in that area and not doing it all the time helps.

so here is my question and what i would consider what is easy driving? Not hammering it to get on plane....im assuming that means putting the pedal to the floorboard...And im sure it will be about getting used to how our boat drives and gets on plane....so will take some testing and driving hours....its like how i drive my car...sure my mercedes can jump off the line and get to 40 mph real quick only to have to stop at the next light. im the kind of driver who rolls offf the line slow and never has to use the brakes to stop at the next light as it turns green and i keep on rollin......with cats its all about getting it on plane so i guess just cruising it from 10-20-30 till whenever it planes is the way to go....You guys are gonna love this....Ive never driven a shockwave to even know when it planes. Throw triple digits at a new boat build and never even driven one hahahahaha

 

[Cole Trickle]

so here is my question and what i would consider what is easy driving? Not hammering it to get on plane....im assuming that means putting the pedal to the floorboard...And im sure it will be about getting used to how our boat drives and gets on plane....so will take some testing and driving hours....its like how i drive my car...sure my mercedes can jump off the line and get to 40 mph real quick only to have to stop at the next light. im the kind of driver who rolls offf the line slow and never has to use the brakes to stop at the next light as it turns green and i keep on rollin......with cats its all about getting it on plane so i guess just cruising it from 10-20-30 till whenever it planes is the way to go....You guys are gonna love this....Ive never driven a shockwave to even know when it planes. Throw triple digits at a new boat build and never even driven one hahahahaha

Guys with heavy deck boats can give you a better idea than me about getting on plane but I like to keep my rpm's under 3K and I typically make a small slight swooping turn when planning and it seems to make the boat roll over a little faster.

Sounds like you will be fine....go easy with the offshore controls and make small throttle movements...don't just slam the throttle all the way forward roll into it.

 

[Dirtbag]

Guys with heavy deck boats can give you a better idea than me about getting on plane but I like to keep my rpm's under 3K and I typically make a small slight swooping turn when planning and it seems to make the boat roll over a little faster.

Sounds like you will be fine....go easy with the offshore controls and make small throttle movements...don't just slam the throttle all the way forward roll into it.

bob is gonna come to havasu with us next week and show us everything...hopefully he has some good driving tips!

 

[DMF]

Guys with heavy deck boats can give you a better idea than me about getting on plane but I like to keep my rpm's under 3K and I typically make a small slight swooping turn when planning and it seems to make the boat roll over a little faster.

Sounds like you will be fine....go easy with the offshore controls and make small throttle movements...don't just slam the throttle all the way forward roll into it.

I have the same boat as Dirtbag is building, but with a different motor and drive package. I use the same technique as Cole Trickle, I roll on throttle slow and steady and turn the wheel slightly to make the boat pop out and plane faster.

 

[steak&lobster]

I have a 600 with stage 3 now and XR/ITS. Just like the other guys said, roll it over nice and easy and don't jump it and you will be ok.

 

[GRADS]

Like everyone has stated a lot of it has to do with driving out of the hole on to plane. But I definitely think the XR is the weak link in the 600SCi package and definitely played into why I got rid of mine.

And here's my .02 cents on five blades.... A buddy and I had essentially the same boats with same motor and drive packages (525's/XR's). I ran 5 blade maximus' and he ran 4 blade Bravos. My boat would get up on plane with no prop blow out where he at times would get the rpm's up fairly high and then the 4 blades would bite. We both ended up putting around 300 hours on the boats and in that time I never even saw as much as a shaving in my drive oil. He on the other hand broke a prop shaft and grenaded a drive. Top speed was about the same as well. All I'm saying is 5 blades are not always bad. A lot also depends on your X-dimension.

 

[25Elmn8r]

Make sure the throttle is ALL the way back before shifting. Roll into it getting on plane, and on-time maintenance your drive should last a long time. The occasional blasts without the family aren't drive killers if you're not launching it in and out of the water.

 

[cicchetti_24]

I've got 900 hp on my XR and it's only a matter of time before I'm going to have to make some decisions. However in the meantime I roll into the throttle getting on plane and when cruising. I never slam it. If I see a wake and there is potential to come out of the water I pull back on the throttle. I'm also running a 30 pitch 4-blade so it's less wear on the drive, even though I'm sacrificing some speed. Lastly I run the Lucas M8 oil in my drive.

 

[twocents]

Generally good advice here so far. A gentle throttle hand when getting on plane is always best, but be aware prop ventilation is not your friend. If the prop begins to routinely unload as you?re planing watch the rpms and you perhaps need to find a prop (either four or five blade) with a little more bite (cup). I doubt that will be a problem with your new Shockwave deckboat, however, since there?s no reason to have an elevated X-dimension which encourages acceleration ventilation. And when you begin to accelerate from an idle speed to get on plane, make it a habit to trim down (under) before you advance the throttle, then once you?re on-plane (22-28 mph) hit the trim button up to at least a neutral (propshaft even or level with the bottom of the hull) position (this will take a little of the load off the drive). Obviously, flying the boat out of the water at high speeds is rough on drive components ? it might be fun but will shorten drive life. One more no-no, when making a turn at moderate speeds, avoid the temptation of applying more throttle while you?re still in the turn (this is especially hard on the gimbal). Nice even turn speeds will extend the longevity of internal parts. As for propeller selection, generally speaking, four blades are more forgiving on drives than fives. And if you want to do your drive a favor, picking a slightly under pitched prop as opposed to something that is slightly over-pitched helps too.

 

[Dkahnjob]

I just purchased at 35' Formula 353 Fastech with twin 600 SCi's. The drives have just 100 hours on them, I don't know much history on them. Don't know if the oil has ever been changed and no drive showers (I did just add them). The drain plugs had a lot of metal on them and so we ended up having to go through both drives:eek
I am hoping that by using the gentle approach that has been described by others and regular oil changes that I will get better drive life. This has been an expensive experience.

 

[throttle]

go easy on throttle, I am getting tired.

 

[relaxalot]

I have the same setup. When I go on plane I watch the tach. It is easy to overpower with the 600. I don't go over 3500 rpm when getting on plane. But.. don't just drag the hull through the water for longer than necessary. You will need to learn your hull combination. I keep the drive tucked all the way in when planing. Most cat hulls are similar. Right after the boat levels out there is a very brief time you will need to pull back on the throttle.. let the boat settle.. then roll on more power and trim up. Most cats like "POSITIVE TRIM" ....

Everything depends on water conditions and your load. If you haven't had a lot of experience with the hull just go with someone who has for an hour or so and it will help alot. As far as the drive... it is the weak link. I run Allison gear oil and I have installed a heat exchanger/gear oil cooler that Max machine made up for me. I studied it for a while and determined that excessive heat will kill a drive fast. So really long speed runs at full throttle probably are not a great idea. I don't think that my reaction time is good enough to control prop re-entry after the prop airs out after hitting rough water. It happens in milleseconds. The most torque that a 600 makes is right around 4000 to 4200 rpm. I try to cruise at 3500 to 3800 when running slow and 4500 when going faster. I run a five blade Hydromotive. On my hull the five blades work better.. I guess that is a matter of opinion. I run a Hydromotive p5x which seems to have less "bite" than a Maximus prop. I would recommend testing a few to see what works. I am sure that Shockwave can lead you the right direction. It seems logical that the four blades have less torque load on the drive and are easier on the prop... they are just not as fun for me. I do know someone who has over 400 hours on their Howard with the 600 and runs a Maximus and the drive is still good. Weight is a factor. Don't load to much baggage on your boat. Change your oil often. Pray often.. have fun and keep a spare drive ready to go... Beautiful boat... looking forward to seeing you on the water..

 

[Trash]

There is often talk of "don't cruise at max torq rpm etc." to save the drive and other parts. Just because the motor happens to be turning at max torq rpm (4200 rpm for example), does not mean it is making max torq. This would only occur during WOT at that rpm. As long as the throttle body isn't pinned open you aren't making max torq or HP.

 

[rrrr]

The Merc website says an XR is a good pairing with a 600 SCi. I ran an XR and a pump gas 540 CI EFI engine that dynoed at 682 HP for two seasons and never had a hiccup.

If you fly the boat and let it reenter without any throttling it'll break sooner rather than later. If you drive the boat reasonably and watch RPMs while under extreme maneuvering it'll be fine for years.

Since you purchased a deck boat, I imagine balls out performance isn't your goal, or at least it shouldn't be.

Change the drive oil at least every 50 hours. ISooner if you run at speed a lot. Get a drive shower. Roll it onto plane. Avoid the airshows.

It'll be fine.

Run the shit out of it, find wakes to jump, jam it full up when you get out of the no wake zone, ignore the oil changes, and you'll be rewarded with a smoking mess that will cost a lot to fix.

It's your choice.

 

[Gelcoater]

Only a few posters touched on it but if you didn't check that box when you ordered the boat, tell Anderson you want a drive shower.
It's no cure all, you'll still need to take care driving/getting in plane.
Be seen boats come in for their first service that don't have the drive shower, you can see the obvious signs of heat building up on the top of the drives gear case. That can't be good on the oil. Oil lubes the gears and bearings. Heat breaks down oil,yada yada, you get the idea.

The showers are not all that expensive and you could do the job yourself if you choose,it's not an overly involved process.

 

[BHC Vic]

Only a few posters touched on it but if you didn't check that box when you ordered the boat, tell Anderson you want a drive shower.
It's no cure all, you'll still need to take care driving/getting in plane.
Be seen boats come in for their first service that don't have the drive shower, you can see the obvious signs of heat building up on the top of the drives gear case. That can't be good on the oil. Oil lubes the gears and bearings. Heat breaks down oil,yada yada, you get the idea.

The showers are not all that expensive and you could do the job yourself if you choose,it's not an overly involved process.

I want to say the shower was like 80 bucks? I just got one because they recommended it but I'm glad I did after reading this. Even bought in not running big power I run the boat like I stole it 50% of the time.

 

[Dirtbag]

Only a few posters touched on it but if you didn't check that box when you ordered the boat, tell Anderson you want a drive shower.
It's no cure all, you'll still need to take care driving/getting in plane.
Be seen boats come in for their first service that don't have the drive shower, you can see the obvious signs of heat building up on the top of the drives gear case. That can't be good on the oil. Oil lubes the gears and bearings. Heat breaks down oil,yada yada, you get the idea.

The showers are not all that expensive and you could do the job yourself if you choose,it's not an overly involved process.

Gel we DID put a drive shower on it and a sea strainer if that helps at all

 

[GRADS]

If the top of your drive is turning white constantly that's a sign.

 

[JD D05]

I blew up a XR with a stock 600 with 50 hours on my boat. I had a 28SS, my biggest mistake was to big of a prop with unexpected people on my boat. I suggest using a prop that gets you up quickly, cats are harder on drives I have heard due to pushing all that water. I have 2 modified 600's with XR in my current boat with 250 hours and no issues.

 

[Dkahnjob]

I blew up a XR with a stock 600 with 50 hours on my boat. I had a 28SS, my biggest mistake was to big of a prop with unexpected people on my boat. I suggest using a prop that gets you up quickly, cats are harder on drives I have heard due to pushing all that water. I have 2 modified 600's with XR in my current boat with 250 hours and no issues.

How often are you changing drive oil and which oil are you using. I assume you are doing all of the suggestions on going easy on them. No Airing the boat out, etc.
Thanks
Dave

 

[HALLETT BOY]

Next thread by Dirtbag : How come you guys didn't warn me about 600 horsepower and XR drives ?

 

[JD D05]

How often are you changine drive oil and which oil are you using. I assume you are doing all of the suggestions on going easy on them. No Airing the boat out, etc.
Thanks
Dave

I change / changed the oil once a year on both boats. I take them to my buddies shop not sure what oil. No I have never aired it out I usually stay below 75mph and roll into it. A few times on the river I have smacked the throttles, when I have the 30's on in Havasu the mid range is pretty cool.

 

[Dirtbag]

Next thread by Dirtbag : How come you guys didn't warn me about 600 horsepower and XR drives ?

im hoping for the i got 600 hrs out of the xr 600 combo before rebuild thread

 

[bocco]

So is there a better oil to use than the Mercruiser stuff. Riverking mentioned Lucas. I've always liked the Mobil one stuff. I ran a V-drive for a long time and I'm sort of new to an IO with horsepower.

What are the opinions on gear lube. Lucas? Redline? Royal Purple? stick with Mercuiser?

 

[gmnhra]

With any XR Drive / Motor combo......
Get to know Aaron and Jason at Max Marine Worx in havasu...

just sayin......

 

[Deano]

A new boat with that kind of power deserves nothing less than an SCX drive on the back. Put one on and have fun.