What's the difference in 95 XP800 and XP720 driveshafts?

[Ben in TN]

I'm wanting to set up the pump on my 96 XP like they came on the 95 XP800. What is the difference in a driveshaft for a 95 XP800 and the driveshaft from a 95 XP 720? I am trying to buy one from a guy and he said that he has both of them but, they are both the same length. So I was just curious if the XP800 version was made a bit stouter or what? The part # for the 95 XP800 driveshaft is 272 000 021 and the part # for the 95 XP driveshaft with 720 is 272 000 062 Is there anything else I need to make this conversion from 95 XP800 to 96 XP other than the pump spacer, steering cable, studs and the longer trim arm and the driveshaft of course? Thanks much in advance.

Ben in TN

[mikey20]

Re: What's the difference in 95 XP800 and XP720 driveshafts?

the splined section that goes into the pto end is longer on xp 800 diameter is the same ,length is different the 720 shaft won't be able to reach the pto on the engine.:)

[Bill O'Neal2]

Re: What's the difference in 95 XP800 and XP720 driveshafts?

Ben,
The 95XP 720 shaft will work in the XP800 setup, but SD made special shafts towards the end of the production run in the XP800 that increased the shaft diameter by 1mm to help take some of the flexing out of the longer shaft.
The problem has always been that the longer shafts are easy to bend, especially if you are jumping waves.

[mikey20]

Re: What's the difference in 95 XP800 and XP720 driveshafts?

i compared the shafts side by side according to the part #'s ,(that are correct) to the models the only difference was the length ,diameter tapered front to back and are the same. Again i am just comparing those two part #'s.

[Ben in TN]

Re: What's the difference in 95 XP800 and XP720 driveshafts?

So are the shafts different lengths? Bill O said they weren't and I figured that he ought to know that sort of stuff. I am getting a used driveshaft from a XP 800 but, a steering cable from a 95 XP with 720. I'll be using a pump extension from a 720 XP as well. I think the 720 xp came with an aluminum extension and the xp800 came with a plastic extension. I'm sure the aluminum piece is heftier and I like hefty ;) Hopefully, the trim rod and longer studs are interchangeable from 720 to 800 models. I don't know why but, the steering cable for the xp 720 is around $100 higher new than the one for a xp 800 model. Sheesh! Quite a price discrepancy there. Bill how much speed do you think I will pick up going to a extended pump setup like that?

Ben

[Bill O'Neal2]

Re: What's the difference in 95 XP800 and XP720 driveshafts?

Ben,
The orginal XP800 was about 1 mph faster than the 1996XP. The shafts are the same length, 20.5 inches. The orginal extensions were aluminum. The steering cables may be hard to get now. It seems the last time I tried to get one they told me they no longer stock them at SD. You will need a longer trim arm and studs.
Depending on which shaft you get ( oring groove or not) , you may need the older style bearing carrier with the two seals in it.

[Ben in TN]

Re: What's the difference in 95 XP800 and XP720 driveshafts?

A 1 mph gain is about what I was hoping for. I had already fixed my driveshaft so that it would work well with the old style carrier bearing setup. Almost sank my xp once when that carbon sucker came off ;( I've been getting conflicting reports of driveshaft length almost everywhere I've asked. I am supposedly getting a 95 XP800 driveshaft, 95 xp 720 steering cable, longer set of studs, and the longer trim rod. I already had an aluminum pump extension which has been sitting in my basement for a while. The guy who I am buying this stuff from says he has put a 95 xp 720 shaft right next to a 95 xp 800 shaft and they are the same length just like Bill O was saying. Then again, I've had other people telling me the 720 xp shaft is up to a couple inches shorter. The latest place I have found that acted like they had researched the doo driveshafts was
http://www.seadoosource.com/driveshaftid.html So as long as I've got a 95 XP 800 driveshaft I should be good. I'll let you guys know what kind of difference I get. Hmm, Bill O I just took off some stock silver 46 SBN's and replaced them with some Buckshot Magnums which are also 46's. I haven't ran the Buckshots on the water yet. Do you think the Buckshots will noticeable increase the rpm over those stock SBN's? I've started with 140 pilot jets and 100 mains. My ski was turning 7300 rpm at the end of summer using a Rossier pipe. I usually don't get more than 7200 rpm when it's hot summer time. Stock prop too through 85x88 nozzles.

[XPSteve]

Re: What's the difference in 95 XP800 and XP720 driveshafts?

I have tried to do the same thing. They are not the same length. The 720 is about 1" shorter.



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[Bill O'Neal2]

Re: What's the difference in 95 XP800 and XP720 driveshafts?

I'd measure the two shafts if I had two to measure. It has been at least 3-4 years since I did one of these conversions. I could be wrong. But if you have the XP800 shaft, it should work just fine. If I'm not mistaken, the XP 800 hulls had two positions to install the motor mounts to move the motor back or forward. Maybe that is where the driveshaft length issue is coming from? The 95XP 720 does not have two mounting positions.
Confused yet? LOL!

Ben, with properly tuned 46mm Buckshots replacing properly tuned 46mm SBN's, I doubt you would see much of a gain at all, if any, maybe 50-100 rpm?

[mikey20]

Re: What's the difference in 95 XP800 and XP720 driveshafts?

I was wondering about the posiblity of two mounting positions,Bill didn't those two ski's share the same hull but the pump was set back on the XP800,basically to extend the pump nozzel.

[Bill O'Neal2]

Re: What's the difference in 95 XP800 and XP720 driveshafts?

Yes, they both used a 3 inch extension in the water intake behind the pump support plate to move the pump back, but some models had two mounting positions using an extra set of inserts in the bottom of the hull. I believe it was on the XP800 hulls......

Sea Doo made two and three seat runabout driveshafts in lengths of 17,18 and 21 inches for different models of their runabouts.

[Ben in TN]

Re: What's the difference in 95 XP800 and XP720 driveshafts?

Ok, I've got my setup all done except for putting in the driveshaft. The second driveshaft I should say. I bought the first one from a fellow who thought it was from a 95 XP800 but, in reality it was from a 95 XP 720. So I just got one today and it's a little longer and looks right except that it has the groove made into it like the groove on my 96 XP shaft where the ring sits that holds the carbon seal in place. Anyway, I've gone to the retro seal and bearing carrier like the 95 and earlier doo's had and I would have figured that the 95 XP 800 had the seal and carrier bearing setup but, the shaft is made for the carbon seal. I can get by that but, it made me wonder if the 95 XP 800's used a carbon seal when they came out or whether this shaft that I have is one of those revised shafts that Bill was speaking of earlier? Maybe made a little stouter too?


Ben

[Bill O'Neal2]

Re: What's the difference in 95 XP800 and XP720 driveshafts?

They were the 1st SD with a carbon seal.

When not using a carbon seal and you have a shaft with a groove, Use JB Weld to fill the groove. Sand smooth with fine sandpaper. Adjust the length of the rubber bearing carrier support hose so that the seal does not ride on the filled in groove part of the driveshaft. If you don't fill the groove, it will damage the seal when you slide it through the bearing carrier.

[Ben in TN]

Re: What's the difference in 95 XP800 and XP720 driveshafts?

I'll do it Bill. Thanks

[Ben in TN]

Re: What's the difference in 95 XP800 and XP720 driveshafts?

I finally got my 96 XP retrofitted to the 95 XP 800 pump setup. Speed is about the same 65 mph @ 7300 rpm with stock prop through 85x88 nozzles. I'm thinking that I need to either get my stock prop repitched to a slightly taller pitch or buy an aftermarket prop with a slightly taller pitch than the stock prop. I've heard that 7300 rpm is not a good rpm range for the 785 so I'm wanting to drop down below that and hopefully increase the top speed a little too. Truthfully, I think that my old slow refreshing Tiny Tach was a little inaccurate since I used to get 65 mph without having to turn so many rpm's. I'm running one of the newer Commercial Tiny Tach's now which does update quickly. So I'm trying to figure out what to do next to increase my top speed a little. I was thinking about trying a MSD 4255 enhancer until I saw how much they cost and I don't want to have to start running race gas. Any suggestions?