Bravo III alignment - every year?

mattie

Dealer said don’t really need to pull the outdrives if the boat is rack stored. Thoughts? Changed out the outdrive oil regardless.

Also with twin drives do they require alignment to each other? Like toe in toe out on a vehicle?

Liberty44140

They would be aligned independently of each other. If it was done last year or the year before your probanly ok. Mine was checked and aligned last winter so I don’t plan to pull the drives this winter. Probably next...

dropout

I have service done every other year just as preventative maintenance. I'm more concerned with engine/drive alignment.

Michael T

I believe in checking alignment every year (takes about 5 minutes per drive if you pull the drives (I did) as a part of yearly maintenance. I must say that Rinker did an excellent factory install of the twin 350 mags on my 2013 EC 310 and the twin 502 Mags on my 2014 EC 360.  Both times at the first year inspection the tool just slid in - easy. A friend was visiting a boat factory a few years back (major brand) and saw a mechanic whacking a Mercury alignment tool with a mallet to insert it into the drive. He brought this up with the person conducting the tour who said it was "common practice" - maybe at that factory but that is B.S. The tool should slide in easily.

reneechris14

I also wondered about having drives aligned to each other. Could measure the steering pins inside and center of the drives outside.

McGarnicle

Any thoughts on a tie bar? Buddy said I should put one on with twins

mattie

McGarnicle said:

Any thoughts on a tie bar? Buddy said I should put one on with twins

I've seen those bars. Might look into that. But at the same time it might put some undue torque on the transom if everything ain't just so.

LaRea

Watching this conversation with interest ... what are the consequences of not doing the alignment?  It's not at all common around here.  

Michael T

Along with that tie bar throw a couple of IMCO drive showers on too! :-)

mattie

Good info Alswagg, Never thought of the tie bar. Sounds like tie bars & drive showers are generally for hi perf applications. But they certainly can’t hurt. Keep seeing ‘useful in excess of 50mph’. Our boat will for sure exceed 50, but not our avg speed by far. 27-32mph is the norm.