I have a build question... Can I change the sprockets on a standard mirage drive (Like the one you showed) to kick up sprockets? I want the kick up feature but don't need the 180 or anything else. All the searched videos are converting a GT to a 180. I just want the kick up feature on my old standard mirage drive. I have a set of GT kick up fins but don't want to order the kick up sprockets if they won't fit my standard drive. Thanks in advance Manuel Z
Hi, where do you order all your 316 stainless from? I want to also replace the locking nuts for chains that attach to the drum. Size? Or link? Thank you
My local authorized Hobie Dealer added them to their bi-weekly Hobie Parts order. If you don't have a local dealer, then I would try calling West Coast Sailing, Mariner Sails, or Sun Jammers and see if they can help.
Do you know the material bearing made of? As I need to made some As it is not available in Egypt and I have no mirage dealer here and spare part does not exist
My md180 kickup v2, catastrophically failed on the weekend, teeth ripped off socket and bearings exploding. 6 months after its last catastrophic fail (got 1.5 years out of that). 10 years with no issues on my old gt. The old gt has no bearings, all bushes. These bearings not being sealed is a serious design flaw, and to add to that, the bearings that are coaxial with the hull clips have a big moment on them when they go under rapid acceleration so they should be deep groove ball bearings not rollers if they want to use bearings. Im going to replace the unservicable spine again, but my keeping the damn broken one so I can machine a more robust version.
The regular V2's (non-GT) do not have acetal/Delrin roll pin bearings. I've serviced those as well and believe it or not the plastic drums and sprockets actually do wear the stainless shafts. The next iteration from Hobie (what I believe are the best drives to date) was the re-design of the drum/sprockets to accept roller acetal/Delrin pin bearings. Hey are "hella" smooth and strong too. Just need to follow proper cleaning/caring/lubricating/adjusting the chains properly). All models north of the V2-GT's start giving up reliability for function IMHO. The MD 180's and MD 180 Kick-ups do have sprocket issues and I know why. Because of the design of the sprockets having to spin the pin bearings and their associated ride-surfaces are too small. Then you go and add chain tension to one end and you start to introduce un-even load. Look at my picture in the following link, notice the gap the yellow arrows are pointing? Care to take a guess why? This drive has been like this now for 5 years. at the 3rd year I replaced the bearings as you see in this video. I did check the OD of the old bearings vs new and the old were pretty much the same, just a wee bit less. lh3.googleusercontent.com/RZHbVxTug5Fzx5Wtqsu2tHszOvVFOGRo8Wpxq8ecwsxuJXyN1cwYVDOfCTgaurdnojJYmDD7YY5nRq7cUifUnBliCyOUyYdxMDM9RWynX3-kSqa5PTVdUjKIrd32Q-GiA7HJf9kJIf4=w2400
Experienced the exact same thing you described on my '21. I kept hearing a rubbing and squeaking sound and upon closer inspection I saw the gap you were describing. Think of it as a vertabrae, and that spine is out of alignment. When I opened it up I noticed the bearings weren't all the same size, it was a mixture of what are now the 1/4" and the prior version. Luckily mine was under warranty and I got a whole new spine, which is smooth as silk peddling now. The original spine was never as fluid as the one that got replaced.@@motleypixel
You have to drive out each (fwd/aft) spring pin which I circle here in red: lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP1GczP78u-I1R2C0wt7EJ65ZC1yV2k-ODZxjhoFZ8qI3-xqPeQp4CPe_-qXBST8iONY-yCnkh1bo5LO-dbAXrnWiIly3nKGpEytqBrUzXJ7E7wCRCLvuIdB=w2400
Thanks for the video! It's remarkably hard to find all of the information for this drive in one place, and this helps to sort out the part numbers. I really wish Hobie would just publish parts diagrams, etc. - I don't understand what is so hard about that. The other video you referenced is also helpful, and it is found here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-7XCgb8Sjbi0.html&ab_channel=CornishKayakAngler Cornish = Cornwall = England. Cheers!
