'93 Bravo One shifting and removal question

BAYLINER185

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Jul 30, 2007
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474
pretty basic questions that I thought I already new the answer to but seem to have soem contridicting issues while performing the procedures.



Well from what I read and remember your supposed to put the drive in Forward gear before you remove the drive. Ok, But it also says NEVER to shiftng a bravo without the engine running.

So I get the drive off for inspection wich was very easy as its supposed to be easy. Everythng looks great 2 year old gymbal bearing is perfect still shiney and not a single drop of water in the bellows.

Ok so I go to remount the drive. Shift handel is still in Forward but its near impossible to put the shift cable in the "latch" as the drive in Forward the shifter slides inside the drive and it seems like there is too much cable stickign out in the bell houseing. So I try it and all I wind up doing is bending the cable end and the shifter wont budge... SO I try a few tings and not getting anywhere fast. So I then put the shift in reverse as it pulls the cable IN in the bell housing and I can then shift my drive to reverse and have enough room to put the cable in the shift slide and all is good.

So was the the correct thing to do? Shifting into reverse is a bit stiff on boat, its always been like that. We replaced the lower shif cable 2 years ago and it made it better but its still not how I invision Id like it to be. I know bravo drives dont shift as smooth and easy as Alpha drives and there is a clutch modification for older bravo's to make them shift smoother. I may eventually have that done....

But does this sound like Im Ok as far as how I put my drive back on with the shifter in reverse not forward.
I assume as long as the drive is in one gear and you have your shifter set to that same gear it wont matter if its forward or reverse. My gear shifts are nice and solid and secure into forward and revers and neutral so I know its shifting properly.
 

Don S

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Re: '93 Bravo One shifting and removal question

Well from what I read and remember your supposed to put the drive in Forward gear before you remove the drive. Ok, But it also says NEVER to shiftng a bravo without the engine running.

You read forums too much, and the OEM service manual too little.
Here is the first thing the manual says about removeing and installing the outdrive. All this forward stuff is for the Alpha drives.


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TilliamWe

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Dec 21, 2004
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Re: '93 Bravo One shifting and removal question

Other than doing it all wrong, it sounds like you got it back together okay. Glad you figured out the whole "cable pushes it into forward, pulls it into reverse" thing. I reinstalled mine once where the little clip jaws were closed. Drive went on great, shifted into forward great, but it wouldn't come out of gear! Had to take it off, pull the lower cable out, open the jaws, reinstall drive! Just watch that the next time you re-install it. And yes, leave the shifter handle alone on a Bravo!

Bravos should shift smoother than Alphas, don't know why yours doesn't. In 2005 the Bravo was updated to shift even smoother, yes.
 

gadget73

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Jun 20, 2009
Messages
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Re: '93 Bravo One shifting and removal question

The drive in forward thing is for Alpha drives. Bravos you can do in neutral, or whatever gear pulls the shift lever outward. On my boat, I do one in forward, one in reverse.


As for shift feel, personally I hate the way alpha drives shift. I've always found them to be clunky and rough. My Bravos shift smooth as glass, though I will admit it took a bit of fiddling with the shift cable and tweaking of the idle to get it that way. High idle makes them shift rough, and an improper cable setting really makes them not shift nicely. Could also be your forward shift cable is bad, I've been to that movie before too.
 
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