Bravo 3 Outdrive

[victoryinerie]

I purchased a boat last year with a bravo 3 outdrive and I removed the lower unit for winter storage, I wanted to make sure everything looked ok and it did. I am now getting ready to put it back and on and I was wondering if there is anything I need to to with the forward/reverse cable. When I took it off last year I had it in forward and it pull right out however I am not sure if I really had to do that, I know I had to have it in forward with older outdrives.

Any inputs or anything to watch out for would be appreciated. How do I make sure the cable is connected correctly before tighetn everything down?

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Bravo 3 Outdrive

Manual says neutral Section 2 http://www.boatfix.com/merc/Servmanl/11/11a2r5x.pdf

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Bravo 3 Outdrive

Well, you messed up by putting it in forward, that's for sure. But you might not have too much trouble. The "jaws" at the end of the cable in the outdrive are the "only" tricky thing. They need to be open, so the end of the cable from the transom goes into them. Normally they are out where you can see them, but yours are pushed into the drive. ( the shifter cable "pushes" a Bravo into to forward, and it "pulls" it into reverse.) DO NOT pull the cable out. Put the shifter in forward. Then VERY CAREFULLY, as you put the drive on, make sure the little nubby on the end of the transom cable engages into and is closed up in the "jaws" of the cable in the drive. That'll get the drive on for you. But you are not supposed to shift a Bravo without the engine on. But you'll have to pull it into neutral just to start it. Not sure if it will actually go into neutral, though.

What say the pros? Can it be done this way?

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Bravo 3 Outdrive

That'll get the drive on for you. But you are not supposed to shift a Bravo without the engine on. But you'll have to pull it into neutral just to start it. Not sure if it will actually go into neutral, though.

I am not a "pro" but it will work. You can also carefully "shift" the drive if you turn the input shaft whilst moving the shifter.


Since you have the drive off, you should also check the alignment before putting it back on. (lube the u-joints too if they have "zerks")