PDA

View Full Version : TRS to Konrad 540 drive swap



MR MAGOO
04-20-2004, 11:51 AM
Well guys, now there is an alternative to running the TRS drives. If you are not aware about the future of the TRS, Mercury is going to dicontinue all parts for the TRS by the end of the year. I have been a fan of the TRS for years but my current boat seems to eat them up qute regularly.

At the Miami boat show I had spoke with the guys in the Konrad Marine booth about their 540 HP drive. This is a direct bolt-on to the Merc TRS transom assembly. This drive is as close to unbreakable as you can get. You probably have not heard about the Konrad product as the majority of their business comes from the US Navy. The Navy SEAL boats have been running this drive for the past few years and its the only drive on the market that has been able to stand up the the abuse that a Navy SEAL can dish out!

After talking with the folks at Konrad, I decided to tow my 38 Top Gun Cigarette out to the Konrad facility, have a pair of these drives installed and be done with drive failure altogether.

The swap went very smooth and the test results were incredible. Usually when you go to bigger, heavier drives you will lose speed but the trade off is accepted to gain reliability. (the Konrad unit has much larger gears and bearings, lube capacity is 7 quarts instead of 3 qts)

After a day of rigorous testing on the St Croix river, we were very surprised to see close to 5 mph faster at top end and now I can run an agressive 4 blad prop without worry of overlaoding the drive.

For those of you who are running the TRS, I highly recommend checking out the Konrad drive unit. It is the best outdrive made in the world.

www.konradmarine.com

MR MAGOO
04-20-2004, 11:57 AM
Here are a few pics

MR MAGOO
04-20-2004, 12:09 PM
Hey Big Jim,

You NEED one of these on that Criterion of yours!

As I said above. They bolt right onto the TRS transom assembly. The only part that needs to be swapped out is the drive bell. I opted to go with their entire drive/transom package as mine were somewhat tired.

Kurt

Rodger
04-20-2004, 12:17 PM
What is the price for a Konrad drive with the bell?

Forrest
04-20-2004, 04:14 PM
Sound great! Doesn't the Konrad 540 have about an inch or better higher X-dimension than the TRS? If so, that may help explain the speed increase over the TRS setup. Also what did it all cost to do the conversion?

MR MAGOO
04-20-2004, 04:47 PM
Yes, the 540 drive is 1.6" shorter than a TRS. The drive including bellhousing retails for just under 9k

The drive and transom assembly is under 12k for a TRS swap ( I did not have to pull my motors and retained my TRS inner transom plate and trim pumps)

MR MAGOO
10-09-2004, 05:49 PM
thought I'd bring this back to the top

gcarter
10-09-2004, 07:08 PM
So if you want to make the complete swap, what do you do for a tranny?
I don't think Zed-Eff has a short 1/1 box that will handle 500+ HP.
:wavey:

MOP
10-09-2004, 08:21 PM
MR. MAGOO now that you have dug this up again and glad you did what can the average Joe do the swap for $$$, is the Konrad reasonably close to going to a late larger Merc unit? From the little I have found out since you initial post the military use is primarily diesel, the fellow I spoke with said they will take a pretty big under water hit with no damage. I told him that one of our members hooked a pair to big gas engines, his comment was try and break it!

Phil

MR MAGOO
10-10-2004, 05:07 AM
At retail prices, a Konrad drive and transom assembly is @11k. Drive only is a bit less than 9k

I believe an XR Bravo/transom assy retails for 14k ???

What makes them so attractive to the TRS crowd is the fact that they bolt right up to a TRS transom assy. Just swap the drive bell.

The 540 drive works very well behind diesel or gas. The Navy SEAL boats are running 540 ci Innovation motors. The Hong Kong police boats are now all Konrad 540's with Innovation 540's too. They are triple engine 47' go-fast rigs. They were initially rigged with Bravo's and 500 Bulldogs and drive life was less than 50 hrs!

I'm extremely happy with the Konrads. I was tearing down the TRS lowers every 30 hrs to replace the lower pinion/drive gears. If I waited too long they would lose a tooth and send it through the case.

We've logged 110+ hrs on them since the install and they sure are rugged! :shocking: :biggrin:

Kurt

MR MAGOO
10-10-2004, 05:15 AM
So if you want to make the complete swap, what do you do for a tranny?
I don't think Zed-Eff has a short 1/1 box that will handle 500+ HP.
:wavey:

I'm running Huber 925 trannys.(same as the 900sc Merc) It is a modified Borg Warner 72C. If you are going from a Bravo system to the Konrad, they offer a Bravo conversion that houses the tranny inside a stand-off box. (motor stays in same location)

Here's a pic of the bravo conversion

MOP
10-10-2004, 10:08 AM
If I could afford to play that game no way would I hang Black of the back, that stand off package and hyrodynamic drive is sweet sure can get one dreaming. Please drop in and give us a report now and then on that pretty setup.

Phil

MR MAGOO
02-15-2005, 05:46 AM
TTT for the TRS questions