SSM #5 drive questions

SSM #5 drives Questions
Are these any good? I read parts are hard to find? I really don't know a thing about these type drives


I only know about my bravo XR ITS on my 26 Daytona. I'm looking to go to a 35-37 foot offshore, here in the pacific, and a couple of the boats I'm interested in have these #5's. I assume they take a transmission.

Good drives. I still service a hand full of them and parts are available if you know where to look. Yes they require a transmission.

do you service all of the merc older high performance drives? like the ssmIIIA

3a’s, 4’s and 5’s are basically baby #6’s. They will take up to 1,000 no problem but rates at 800 HP I believe. I Had SSM3A’s on my cigarette and loved them. No worry if you air it out and miss coming off the throttle. Way cheaper than 6’s but are way more expensive parts wise than basic drives. Parts are available no problem, just not cheap.

Any performance shop should be able to service speed master 3a’s, 4’s, 5’s or 6’s.


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I just bought a complete SSM#3A package for my Silverwing, tried to find a #5 without any luck and didn’t want a salt water unit.
After gettin my hands on it I can say it’s way better than any bravo I’ve seen! Just by the looks alone it’s definitely built to run hard, with a lot of hp. I’ll be putting 800/900hp to mine!

UAV.Pilot said:

I just bought a complete SSM#3A package for my Silverwing, tried to find a #5 without any luck and didn’t want a salt water unit.
After gettin my hands on it I can say it’s way better than any bravo I’ve seen! Just by the looks alone it’s definitely built to run hard, with a lot of hp. I’ll be putting 800/900hp to mine!

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You’ll have no problems. 3A’s are the ish. Loved mine. Never a problem one. Hammer the throttle and sit back. No worries about blowing drives. Prop shafts and innards are the basically size of #6 drives. Totally underrated and under appreciated drive.


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Now after getting my hands on this one I can say that I would never have a I/O Performance Boat won’t one...too bad they stopped making them really a shame.

I’ve got the SCS Air Shift Crash box and crowed clutch to boot, pretty trick setup I think.

Crash boxes are a PITA. Be careful if you run those. They’re pure racing design. There’s no neutral (thus CRASH box).

What boat are you putting these on?


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Moviemoney said:

do you service all of the merc older high performance drives? like the ssmIIIA

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Yes I do the 3-4--5-6's. A couple guys I know repowered recently but their fives went overseas like much of the race hipo stuff is these days. Fives are rareish, there is a lot of 3 stuff around.

HST4ME said:

Yes I do the 3-4--5-6's. A couple guys I know repowered recently but their fives went overseas like much of the race hipo stuff is these days. Fives are rareish, there is a lot of 3 stuff around.

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Can you get into the specific differences of the drives.

6’s are the same design just super beefed?

Wasn’t the 4 the same thing as a 3 just shorter and the 5 is a shortened 3A.

The 3a and the 5’s have the beefed up parts from the 3 and the 4 as I understand.

5’s and 4’s have shorter lower end and were primarily used for cats or the center drive if a triple powered boat.


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The III-A Super Speed Master (SSM) drive is a veteran of Mercury Racing drive stable. An updated version of the Mercury Racing III SSM drive, the III-A SSM drive features larger vertical bearings in the upper housing. The larger bearings provide increased rigidity for the driven gear, resulting in increased bearing capacity and longer life. Larger driveshaft splines provide greater strength, while larger pinion bearings hold lower bevel gears more rigidly, resulting in increased bearing life. A larger propeller shaft increases drive strength and is rear loading for improved shaft contact with the propeller. An extended “nose” on the gearcase improves water flow and boat handling.

• Large driveshaft splines provide greater torsional strength.
• Large vertical bearing in the upper housing provide increased rigidity for the driven gear and longer life.
• Large pinion bearings hold lower level gears more rigidly resulting in increased bearing life.
• Large propeller shaft is rear loading for improved shaft contact with the propeller.
• Input ratings are 750 HP and up to 750 foot pounds of torque.
• Extended nose on the gearcase improves water flow and boat handling.
• Drive-line and plug-in models available.
• Transmission required.
• Counter rotation models available for multiple engine applications.
• Gear ratios: (RH or LH) 1:1, 1.18:1, 1.33:1, 1.48:1 or 1.62:1.

The V SSM drive uses the same transom assembly as the III-A SSM drive and contains all the qualities and features as the III-A including larger vertical bearings in the upper housing, larger driveshaft splines, larger pinion bearings, and a larger prop shaft with rear loading for increased strength. The V SSM’s overall installation height is 6” (152.4 mm) shorter than the III-A drive. This allows the engine to be mounted lower in the boat, improving the boat’s center of gravity. The gearcase is mounted higher on the transom, resulting in better performance. Spacers are available to lower the drive unit up to 3” (76.2 mm) in 1” (25.4 mm) increments.

• Contains all the qualities and features as the III-A SSM Drive.
• Larger vertical bearings in the upper housing.
• Larger driveshaft splines and pinion bearings.
• Larger propshaft with rear loading, for increased strength.
• Uses same transom assembly as the III-A SSM drive.
• Input ratings are 750 HP and up to 750 foot pounds of torque.
• Overall installation height is 6" shorter than the III-A SSM Drive. This allows the engine to be mounted lower in the boat resulting in a better center of gravity. The gearcase is mounted higher on the transom resulting in better performance.
• Drive-line and plug-in models available.
• Spacers are available to lower drive unit up to 3" in 1" increments.
• Gear ratios: (RH or LH) 1:1, 1.18:1, 1.33:1, 1.48:1 or 1.62:1.

You service regular 3s. I have a pair on my cafe racer with slight seal leaks on prop shafts.

Blackmagic94 said:

You service regular 3s. I have a pair on my cafe racer with slight seal leaks on prop shafts.

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Can of worms right there. The 3’s and 3a’s were notorious for holding water in the prop hub against the drive shaft this causing major corrosion issues on the prop shaft. No biggie if you took your props off but for those that left props on after running in the ocean (especially if left on a lift) it would just destroy the prop shafts. Specifically the splines and the area near the prop shaft seal. You pull those seals off and they put new ones on and can’t get them to seal because of corrosion you’ll be looking at new prop shafts (3-5k).

This happened on my 3a’s. I made it for a long time by putting a shit ton of silicone at the seal but it kept leaking, would get water in the drive oil and then overflow into the puke tank, putting oil into the bilge. Eventually had to be rebuilt.

Just saying you may want to look really close at the area and be prepared for the can of worms. [emoji6]


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Blackmagic94 said:

You service regular 3s. I have a pair on my cafe racer with slight seal leaks on prop shafts.

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If the shafts aren't corroded badly there are ways around repairing slightly damaged sealing surfaces. Not sure where your located, im in Michigan and the only way I ship/recieve these drives is by frieght.

Depending where your at I probably can refer you to someone closer.

Tucson az


Props always come off so issues there. I’ve heard of the speed sleeve but I also was told that machining down and hard chroming was a better fix.

HST4ME said:

Good drives. I still service a hand full of them and parts are available if you know where to look. Yes they require a transmission.

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Hello there!!!Can you please tell me where to find parts for my SSM3s? They have become so difficult to find...

What do you need?

Thank you for your reply. I need A full rebuild kit because I bought a speed boat, sitting for almost for more than 15 years ,with two ivecos 2x330 hp (diesel) with transmission (1:1.50) and it has been equipped with two SSM3. So I have to rebuild them just to be sure that everything has been changed and is fully operational.

Gavriil Dimitriadis said:

Thank you for your reply. I need A full rebuild kit because I bought a speed boat, sitting for almost for more than 15 years ,with two ivecos 2x330 hp (diesel) with transmission (1:1.50) and it has been equipped with two SSM3. So I have to rebuild them just to be sure that everything has been changed and is fully operational.

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What’s you buy? Pics?