How to Repair Hobie Mirage Drive

How to repair a Hobie Mirage drive to continue its usable service life.

[@janetlong6295]

Good idea to demo some maintenance needed on commonly used equipment, giving the finer tips like counting the 15 bearings out exactly before putting them in. Coastie techs always know best!

[@Jacemang_Outdoors]

Haha, this has to be Jeffrey's comment. Thanks!

[@Eightmile_Drifter]

This video here is money buddy! It’s going to help a lot of guys and gals as time goes on. You replaced those rollers way faster than I did. Took way too long to learn how to get them to stay without falling out. Great tip with the grease! Excellent video as usual!

[@Jacemang_Outdoors]

Thanks buddy, I appreciate it. Definitely hope its able to help.

[@JimSturch]

Jake, nice meeting you on the water today at Ingelside. Too many dolphins and water was so low..Thanks for encouraging me to go out to the island. I would not have gone without your support. Jim

[@Jacemang_Outdoors]

Yessir, absolutely. Nice meeting you as well. Anytime!

[@Oscaralvarado376]

Interesting video on some key points to repair the Hobie Drive. Roller bearings wear which causes the gap. The gremel tool rounded what the old bearings wore down. Archived the video for future reference.

[@Jacemang_Outdoors]

You got it!

[@SouthwestKayakFishing]

Hi Jace, Thanks for making it look super easy! This by far is one of the best repair videos on the MD180. You did a great job teaching & explaining, showing lots of detail, and letting people know that they can save a bundle by doing it themselves. Watching this video gave me the “know how” and confidence to be able to complete this repair! I’m a long time subscriber to your channel. You make exceptional videos, always keep it interesting, & have great content. I’m a copier tech by trade for over 20 years and I have seen very similar wear issues with plastic meshing gears of different lengths. The shorter gear would wear the longer gear causing them to no longer mesh and slip, and also create a “raised lip” One thing to point out is that the race is worn out, and as you pointed out a lip is created by the rolling bearings(length). Though it’s necessary to file away the lip, there will be some very minimal play between the new bearings and the race, but hey this fix sure beats the hell out of buying a super expensive spline! Folks can also use marine grade grease like such as the type you pump into trailer bearing buddy’s. Love your fishing videos! Marsh fishing for Redfish and Trout is on my bucket list! I live in SoCal where the Pacific is as low as 54° in the winter and can get to over 70° in the summer when pelagics come in close to shore (5 miles🤦🏻) The local inshore fish is very pressured come warmer weather, so the bite could be pretty tough. This season I’ll be ready as I just put together a used Bixpy setup for my ProAngler12. If you’re ever out his way please don’t hesitate to message me. I will put you on halibut, 3 of the local saltwater bass, CA Sheephead and Leppard Shark. Keep up the great work!

[@Jacemang_Outdoors]

I appreciate that. Thats awesome you have technical experience in that engineering field. Youre right some material you will not be able to get back but it beats purchasing a new spline for a while. Also I think it sort of mushrooms out from the inner areas so youre not removing as much as it may seem in overall radius, the plastic just becomes a little thinner essentially. I dropped a sub to your channel. Look forward to seeing you slay some fish. Tight lines!

[@SouthwestKayakFishing]

@@Jacemang_Outdoors Thanks Jace, I appreciate that.

[@jamessturch6603]

Jake, Good educational video!

[@Jacemang_Outdoors]

Thank you

[@dd214fishing]

Yes you miss your calling brother submit that OCS package 😂

[@Jacemang_Outdoors]

🤣🤣🤣

[@Jacemang_Outdoors]

I dont know if thats a compliment or an insult, lol.

[@davidschroeder6799]

Thanks for the video, do you think greasing more often would help or it's plastic bearings and they just wear out?

[@Jacemang_Outdoors]

No, I think greasing bearings regularly would hold debris/dirt increasing wear. I only did it to get the bearings in. You definitely want to oil the chain and metal components.

[@davidschroeder6799]

Ok thanks again and God bless

[@Jacemang_Outdoors]

God bless brotha

[@anthonywillette1466]

Hello Jake I really enjoy your informative videos and look forward to meeting you one of these days. I would like to discuss with you another option on your repairs and replacement parts for the Hobie Kayak Mirage Drive V2 Chain Assembly #81202.

[@Jacemang_Outdoors]

Im trying an option outside of OEM now. Waiting to fully test before I offer any review. What option did you have in mind?

[@anthonywillette1466]

@Jacemang_Outdoors I was thinking about quarter inch stainless tubing. I am retired from working as an operator in a powerplant. The tubing I am referring to is the type of tubing used in instrumentation throughout the plant.

[@Jacemang_Outdoors]

@@anthonywillette1466 Not sure how steel tubing would work with the OEM plastic and moving parts. The old drives had solid bar through both fins, that design is bullet proof. Reverse mechanism changed that.

[@anthonywillette1466]

@Jacemang_Outdoors it's an idea. Using a tubing cutter to cut them to length will naturally tend to roll the edges inward. It's just a thought. I guarantee they wouldn't wear out.