Drive Shower

Michael T

I used the models that blew water down on "top" of the drive.  I had one on a 383HP bravo 1 setup that ran a GPS  verified and Gaffrig Tattletale" Speedo verified 70 mph. Without that shower hot and limey/crusty - with that shower cool and clean.

Hadn't had the 502s long enough to install them but those brutes never did get lime/crust on them. Maybe stronger/cooler running design?

Michael T

Should work for anything. Google some of the suppliers. Simrek, Gil Offshore or just Marine Drive Showers or Marine I/O Showers.

Michael T

Of course that is a good point. On at least 5 that I purchased they had adjustable clips. I have not installed a drive shower in over 5 years and designs may have changed so IMO your concern is valid. That said, any manufacturer should be able to provide a table of products that fit or at least tell you.

deereguy140

I just got a new to me 2002 Captiva 232 with 290 hours on it.  It has a Mercrusier 5.7L with a B3, without the extended swim platform.  I would like to add a drive shower.  Would anyone know if the Hardin Marine Sport Tech Model #130-1043 smooth cap or the Cross Fire Dual Port Model # 130-1001 will fit?  Thank you.

randy56

Deere guy, there website say's it will. Smart move on installing one. And welcome to the Rinker forum. Had not seen one like that.  

Stodge

My mechanic had me add drive showers after our long trip because he noted some of the oil in the drive had a burnt smell to it.  No damage to the gears though.  

Michael T

Another sign of need is a chalky substance on the drive top cap - that indicates mineral deposits from the water getting baked onto the drive tower cap.

bry1429

I installed these the 1st year I took posession of MT's 360, the water runs much warmer on the southern tip of lake Michigan compared to where Michael was in Canada. My opinion is you should have them on where I boat if at least for a piece of mind if anything. SIMREK brand, existing bolts used, no holes drilled.

Watch "DRIVE SHOWERS" on YouTube

https://youtu.be/BD0_TOyHPKM

LaRea

Drive showers have been a topic of much discussion over the years.  Yes, showers will cool the top of the drive.  Does it matter?  If you have huge horsepower and do a lot of high-speed runs, it most definitely does matter.  For normal cruising boats in normal use, probably not.  But if used where not needed, they cause no harm other than wasted money.  

rinker270nb

Mine broke!  I do about 2-3 tanks of fuel a year, never more than a 15 min run on plane.  This was from a group buy from the old Rinker Forum hosting site, 2009?

mattie

How the heck did that happen? Get tangled in a line?

Michael T

Drive showers are also helpful to dissipate the heat from loads being placed on drives = lots of gear/people on board, running through waves with loading and off loading of drives etc. IMO cheap insurance. Super easy to install. I have personally put these kits on at least a dozen boats and I'm no Roger Penske.

rinker270nb

I think there's a weld there.  Not sure, I have an extended platform, doubt it was stopped on or hit.

Michael T

Shouldn't be a weld there - they are usually fashioned from a single piece of "pipe". 

Black_Diamond

That broke at one of the drilled holes. Probably fatigued out. Those holes have blued colored burrs in them and that heat affected area is a weak point. 

I have the Simrek drive showers. Want to try something fun?  Take those drive showers and run water to them thru tubing attached to the bottom inlet openings. You will be shocked!  You’ll find most of the drilled holes have little coming out of them. Others the water sprays out at useless angles. Reason?  Those drilled holes have significant burrs inside them that deflect the water flow, some cases preventing water from coming out.  My first set I spent considerable time trying to debur those holes, extremely difficult to do and in the end was pointless.  I contacted Simrek, they sent me a new pair at a discount if I returned mine. The replacements have the same issue. 

I can get pics of the scale/lime deposits on my drives. Personally, not convinced they do poo.  They also crud up internally with algae and zebra mussels. Degrading performance even more. 

What would work is pumping water to a better designed shower that got the top and sides with more of a flood than spray. 

J3ff

Like this? https://www.cpperformance.com/p-11567-sport-tech-outdrive-cooling-shower.aspx 

Michael T

Don't know if I still have the video I took while underway of  the drive showers from the Bravo 1 drive I had that was connected to a 390HP 383. The drive shower did an amazing job "instantly" it ended lime deposits and crud on the upper 1/3 of the drive. yes i did get some zebra mussel and crud inside. I pulled a wire through coated in vaseline and hot chili powder. It took the crud out and left a residue that the zebra mussels didn't seem to like.

aero3113

@Michael T , I’ve heard of guys putting some cayenne pepper powder in bottom paint and mix it in before they brush or roll it on. Supposedly it works really well to keep growth off.

Black_Diamond

If you took that cap type shower but supplied the raw water from a pump, that would be the trick. Controlling the water flow is key to heat removal. 

I can only say from my experience, running a wire thru the drive shower is near impossible.  The burrs are that bad. I tried that for cleaning them out. 

They should EDM those holes. Probably far too slow and thus expensive.