2018 Mirage Drive Right Pedal Slipping on Axle

I noticed last time I was out on my Hobie that my right mirage drive pedal was slipping. As I was using the drive, the pedal was slipping out on the axle but not coming off. I could slide the pedal in and out on the drive. Slipping directly out from the connecting point. The other side was not like this and remained up against the connecting point. Has anybody had this problem or is this normal?

There is a nyloc nut holding the pedal on. As you pedal and if your style also causes and outboard motion the nut has been known to back off. We are now checking every right pedal and either replacing the nuts to be sure they are engaging the nyloc part and adding loc tite.

Pop the cap off and add some red loc tite and tighten the nut.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Common problem that I have noticed on several Mirage Drives.

I believe on bicycles the pedals are left hand threaded on one side to prevent this issue.

Hobie tends to overuse Loctite in lieu of properly designed bolted joints. (Bolted joint design is not a trivial thing and believe it or not, there is engineering required to design a proper bolted joint).

A bolt is required to be stretched in order to function properly. Whenever you are clamping something (plastic) that is less stiff than the bolt, it will loosen over time. I do not like Loctite as a solution because once someone disassembles it, the Loctite bond is broken and most people don't keep a tube of Loctite at home.

Examples of poorly designed bolted joints are the bolts that hold the Vantage seat backs to the frame, nuts on the mirage pedals, and the threaded masts on the drives (although this design is better than the previous set screw version).

I'm a big fan of Loctite Blue. Secures threaded fasteners well while allowing them to be removed or adjusted when necessary. Without it, just about everything on the boat and Drive loosens up sooner or later. Great peace of mind! Nyloc nuts are good, but even they can sometimes back off (as in the pedal above). Loctite enhances their performance as well. There are some applications where you want the screw snug but not tight (as in Mirage sprocket shaft retention screw, where over-tightening can crack the spine). Loctite keeps it stable. I see that it is overused on many bicycle parts as well. Great stuff!!

I prefer to use a sleeve when designing joints that must allow rotation of the mating part. This allows for proper torque on the fastener to stretch the bolt and ensure it will remain tight. I would use Nyloc nuts and Loctite only as secondary insurance to a proper joint.