Hobie Forums :: View topic - Problems getting the MirageDrive to latch properly

I just took delivery of my Compass Duo, and am having problems getting the MirageDrive (MD) to latch properly.

The cassette installs easily and latches in place properly, in both the front and rear drive wells. So, the latches are functional.

When I insert an MD into the well, if often doesn’t latch, even when I make sure everything is lined up properly. Sometimes the MD installs properly in the front well, but it often only latches on one side and I have to push the pedal cranks to the side to get the other side to latch.

I have never been able to properly install a drive in the rear well. The MD180 is particularly bad and I can rarely get it to latch on even one side. If I do get it to latch on one side, I can’t force it towards the other side to get it to latch.

I believe that the front and rear tabs of the MD are bottoming out before the drive seats itself and latches completely. So, the question is how to fix it properly. I suppose I could carve off a bit of plastic to get it to seat lower, but I don’t like the idea of taking material away. Another fix might be to loosen the screws holding the latch mechanism in place and sliding a shim underneath. Hopefully, the nut on the other end of those screws doesn’t fall away.

So, I’m hoping that knowledgeable people tell me the correct procedure for this adjustment.

– Gordon

Author:	gordonsick [ Sun Oct 24, 2021 4:19 pm ]
Post subject:	Problems getting the MirageDrive to latch properly
I just took delivery of my Compass Duo, and am having problems getting the MirageDrive (MD) to latch properly. The cassette installs easily and latches in place properly, in both the front and rear drive wells. So, the latches are functional. When I insert an MD into the well, if often doesn’t latch, even when I make sure everything is lined up properly. Sometimes the MD installs properly in the front well, but it often only latches on one side and I have to push the pedal cranks to the side to get the other side to latch. I have never been able to properly install a drive in the rear well. The MD180 is particularly bad and I can rarely get it to latch on even one side. If I do get it to latch on one side, I can’t force it towards the other side to get it to latch. I believe that the front and rear tabs of the MD are bottoming out before the drive seats itself and latches completely. So, the question is how to fix it properly. I suppose I could carve off a bit of plastic to get it to seat lower, but I don’t like the idea of taking material away. Another fix might be to loosen the screws holding the latch mechanism in place and sliding a shim underneath. Hopefully, the nut on the other end of those screws doesn’t fall away. So, I’m hoping that knowledgeable people tell me the correct procedure for this adjustment. – Gordon

Author:	maxwellmark [ Sun Oct 24, 2021 8:16 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Problems getting the MirageDrive to latch properly
gordonsick wrote: I just took delivery of my Compass Duo, and am having problems getting the MirageDrive (MD) to latch properly. The cassette installs easily and latches in place properly, in both the front and rear drive wells. So, the latches are functional. When I insert an MD into the well, if often doesn’t latch, even when I make sure everything is lined up properly. Sometimes the MD installs properly in the front well, but it often only latches on one side and I have to push the pedal cranks to the side to get the other side to latch. I have never been able to properly install a drive in the rear well. The MD180 is particularly bad and I can rarely get it to latch on even one side. If I do get it to latch on one side, I can’t force it towards the other side to get it to latch. I believe that the front and rear tabs of the MD are bottoming out before the drive seats itself and latches completely. So, the question is how to fix it properly. I suppose I could carve off a bit of plastic to get it to seat lower, but I don’t like the idea of taking material away. Another fix might be to loosen the screws holding the latch mechanism in place and sliding a shim underneath. Hopefully, the nut on the other end of those screws doesn’t fall away. So, I’m hoping that knowledgeable people tell me the correct procedure for this adjustment. – Gordon Good question, mine does the same thing. I have to manually flip the lock to set. I have had some success after spraying the mechanism with a silicon lube but the tolerance is just a bit too tight. I might try a shim (thin stainless washer) under one side to see if that helps. I’d rather have it too tight than too loose though…

Author:	Quickstop [ Wed Oct 27, 2021 3:43 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Problems getting the MirageDrive to latch properly
I used some grease which won’t immediately wash off and it worked well, silicone is really made for plastic on plastic lubrication and its not great for metal on metal.

Author:	gordonsick [ Fri Nov 12, 2021 4:29 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Problems getting the MirageDrive to latch properly
I spent quite a bit of time working on the problem. The bottom line is that the problem was solved by a metal shim and lubrication. Specifically, I played around with some silicone lubricant, but ultimately used a Teflon lubricant that is carried in by some fluid. This let the latches move freely. I also sprayed the cables for the 180 reversing mechanism, which wasn't going fully between forward and reverse without the lubricant. It now works properly. There are lots of such Teflon lubricants on the market, and maybe Hobie's lubricant is one of these. My dealer had suggested using WD40 as a lubricant and never suggested using the Hobie lubricant (which I only saw in the Parts book). But, WD40 has minimal lubricating properties and short longevity, so I didn't even consider it. In terms of the shim, I found that I had to use a ball-head Allen wrench (hex key) to remove the mechanism, because the latch body prevented me from going straight in. The Allen screw goes into a brass insert that is moulded into the hull at a point where the hull has a lot of material build-up for strength. At first, I used a shim cut from a plastic windshield washer bottle. But, I was concerned that it would flex/compress in such a way the the pedalling force would give a very strong force on the brass insert, pulling it through the plastic towards the latch mechanism. This would weaken the seating of the brass insert and cause a potential problem over time. So, I fashioned an aluminum shim out of eavestrough material with carefully sized holes and hole positions so that the brass insert would press against the shim and then on to the metal frame of the latch mechanism. In the end, I used three layers of eavestrough material, totalling about 1 mm to do the job. Without the shim, the mechanism would not latch the pins on both sides, allowing the MD mechanism to rock sideways, causing hull damage over time. I inserted just enough shims so that the latch would catch reliably, leaving a minimal amount of fore-and-aft play in the pedal mechanism. The play in the shimmed rear MD180 drive is now the same as the play in the front MD mechanism, which did not need a shim – lubrication was enough to make it work. The lakes are now freezing over here, so I won't be able to test this until Spring.

Author:	mmiller [ Tue Nov 16, 2021 3:23 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Problems getting the MirageDrive to latch properly
Hobie Lube is a great option. This is also used on skateboard bearings, so lasts. It penetrates and attaches well to the bearings and races.

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Author:	KungFowlChicken [ Mon Nov 22, 2021 7:13 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Problems getting the MirageDrive to latch properly
My new Outback had this issue. I could get it in, but the right latch was tight. And it would even pop out on occasion. It’s not bottoming out. What happens is that it’s rubbing hard on the sides of the hole. We flat filed the rough edged on the sides of the mirage opening. Boom. It now clicks right in. Visually it just barely touches at the corners. If you want to test this theory. Flip the boat over on some saw horses and try to set the drive in the hole.

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