Mercury MerCruiser OEM Bravo Lower Gearcase Seal Kit 76868A04 | Bravo I II III X | Supersedes 76868A2

Mercury MerCruiser OEM Bravo Lower Gearcase Seal Kit — Part 76868A04

• Part Number: 76868A04
• Full Catalog Number: 26-76868A04
• Brand: Mercury Marine / MerCruiser / Quicksilver (Genuine OEM)
• Official Product Type: Sterndrive Seal Kits — Bravo Lower Gearcase Seal Kit
• System: Sterndrive lower gearcase / driveshaft housing — complete lower-unit resealing
• Supersedes: 76868A2 / 26-76868A2 and 76868A1 / 26-76868A1 (earlier Bravo lower gearcase seal kits)
• GTIN / UPC: 745061842823
• Weight: approx. 0.3 kg

This is the complete Bravo lower gearcase reseal kit, not a propeller-shaft-only seal kit. It includes oil seals, O-rings, water-tube seals, and the drain-plug seal for the full lower gearcase assembly. If water has entered the drive, identify the actual leak source with a pressure/vacuum test before disassembly rather than assuming a single seal location.

What It Does

The 76868A04 is the genuine OEM lower gearcase seal kit for select Bravo I, Bravo II, Bravo III, and Bravo X MerCruiser sterndrives. It provides all the primary oil seals, O-rings, water-tube seals, and drain-plug seal needed when resealing or rebuilding the Bravo lower gear housing. Mercury identifies 76868A04 as the current kit replacing earlier 76868A1 and 76868A2. Because Bravo drives have undergone running production changes, confirming the drive serial number against the gear-housing schematic is the safest way to verify kit fitment before service.

Compatible Applications

Confirm fitment by drive serial number and the specific Mercury Bravo gear-housing diagram before ordering. Bravo I, II, and III drives can use different propeller-shaft, bearing-carrier, and gearcase components depending on production range.

• Bravo I sterndrive — selected production ranges
• Bravo II sterndrive — selected production ranges
• Bravo III sterndrive — selected production ranges
• Bravo X sterndrive — selected production ranges

Not sure it fits? Send us your MerCruiser drive serial number before ordering.

Kit Contents

The 76868A04 kit includes the following genuine Mercury OEM sealing components. Each component should be identified against the applicable Mercury Bravo gear-housing service diagram before installation:

• 2 × 26-76868 / 8M0204670 — Oil seals
• 1 × 26-805344 — Water tube seal
• 1 × 26-814242 — Oil seal
• 1 × 26-821092 — Oil seal
• 1 × 26-830749 — Drain plug seal
• 1 × 26-861694 — Outer propeller-shaft seal
• 1 × 26-8M0033407 — Inner propeller-shaft seal
• 1 × 25-20826 — O-ring
• 2 × 25-29845 — O-ring (0.924 × 0.103 in.)
• 1 × 25-31534 — O-ring (3.850 × 0.210 in.)
• 1 × 25-33465 — O-ring (2.425 × 0.103 in.)
• 1 × 25-34821 — O-ring (4.600 × 0.210 in.)
• 1 × 25-35027 — O-ring (1.046 × 0.139 in.)
• 1 × 25-805331 — O-ring
• 1 × 25-805726 — O-ring
• 1 × 26-36556 — Water tube seal
• 1 × 26-455771 — Quad-ring seal

Individual component part numbers may be updated by Mercury through normal OEM supersession. The kit is the recommended service unit for Bravo lower gearcase resealing.

Part Numbers & Supersession

• 76868A04 / 26-76868A04 — Current Mercury / MerCruiser / Quicksilver OEM kit
• 76868A2 / 26-76868A2 — Earlier kit; superseded by 76868A04
• 76868A1 / 26-76868A1 — Earlier kit; superseded by 76868A04
• Sierra 18-2645-1 — Aftermarket cross-reference
• GLM 87490 — Aftermarket cross-reference

When to Use This Kit

Use the 76868A04 seal kit when:

• Gear lubricant shows water contamination (milky or discoloured oil)
• The drive fails a pressure or vacuum test
• Oil leakage is found around the propeller shaft, driveshaft, or drain plug area
• The bearing carrier or propeller shaft is removed for any reason
• The lower gear housing is being rebuilt or resealed
• Existing seals are found hardened, cracked, or torn during inspection
• Fishing line or debris has damaged the propeller-shaft seals
• Internal gearcase service requires disturbing multiple seals and O-rings

Milky gear lubricant indicates water contamination and should be investigated with a pressure/vacuum test to identify the leak source rather than corrected by simply changing the gear lube.

Service Interval

Inspect the Bravo lower gearcase seals at each annual gear-lube service. If gear lube is milky, grey, or has a water layer at the bottom of the drain pan, pull and pressure/vacuum-test the drive before the next season. Replace all seals whenever the propeller shaft, bearing carrier, or lower housing is disassembled — do not reuse disturbed O-rings or oil seals. Propeller-shaft seals should also be inspected any time significant fishing line wrapping is found, as line can groove the shaft surface and allow the seal lip to leak even after a new seal is installed.

Installation Notes

• Identify each kit component against the applicable Mercury Bravo gear-housing service diagram before installation — the kit contains seals for multiple different locations within the lower housing
• Inspect the propeller shaft for grooves, scoring, or fishing-line damage before installing new shaft seals — a damaged shaft surface will cause the new seal to leak in the same location
• Inspect bearing-carrier and driveshaft sealing surfaces and O-ring grooves for corrosion or pitting
• Replace disturbed drain/fill plug sealing washers as part of the reseal service
• Lubricate and orient seals according to the Mercury Bravo service procedure — incorrect orientation is a common cause of propeller-shaft seal failure shortly after service
• Take care not to damage seal lips during shaft installation
• Pressure- and vacuum-test the drive after reassembly to confirm integrity before returning the boat to service
• Bravo gearcase service may also involve bearing preload, shimming, and specialized Mercury tools — follow the applicable Mercury workshop procedure whenever internal gear components are disturbed

Technical FAQ

Q: Does 76868A04 replace both 76868A1 and 76868A2?
Yes. Mercury superseded both 76868A1 and 76868A2 to the current 76868A04. If your service record or parts diagram references either earlier kit number, order 76868A04.

Q: Is this kit for Bravo I, II, and III, or just one drive type?
The 76868A04 is specified for Bravo I, Bravo II, Bravo III, and Bravo X sterndrives in applicable production ranges. Because Bravo drives have undergone running production changes, always confirm the kit against the gear-housing schematic for your specific drive serial number before ordering.

Q: My gear lube is milky — can I just replace the propeller-shaft seals?
Not necessarily. Milky gear lube indicates water contamination but does not identify the specific leak location. A pressure and vacuum test of the lower housing is the correct first step to identify whether the propeller-shaft seals, water-tube seals, O-rings, or another location is the source. The 76868A04 kit provides seals for all common lower-gearcase leak points, so using the full kit during a reseal is the recommended approach.

Q: Do I need additional parts beyond this kit for a full Bravo lower gearcase reseal?
The kit covers the primary sealing components for the lower gearcase. Depending on the condition of the drive, additional parts such as bearing-carrier components, propeller-shaft bearings, or drive-gear hardware may be needed. Inspect all components during disassembly and confirm against the Mercury Bravo gear-housing service diagram for your drive serial number.

Parts Desk Insights

The most important point about 76868A04 is that it is a complete lower gearcase reseal kit, not just a propeller-shaft seal set. Customers sometimes order only the prop shaft seals when they have water in the drive, but if the lower housing is already coming apart, using the full kit to address all the common leak points at once is the correct approach — individual seals cost almost as much and leave other seals in place that may be equally old. The other common issue is propeller-shaft seal failure that comes back shortly after service: in most cases the shaft surface has been grooved by fishing line or corrosion, and the new seal is leaking at the same groove within a season. Inspect the shaft surface before installing new seals and address any damage before closing the drive.