Hobie V2 Mirage Drive Conversion to GT version

My wife asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I suggested she could order the Hobie Mirage Drive, "GT conversion parts" from Langston at the Kayak Shed in Hood River. The parts list cost is around $131.
The parts came in last Friday and I just finished the conversion today.
It took me about 2.5 hours as I needed to chase the threads on the "mast for the fins" and lastly "monkey with getting the chains over the newly minted sprocket teeth" as the clearance is very tight.

I also decided to "lube all of the bearings" with the super sticky, blue  Evinrude-Johnson, triple-guard marine grease......it takes several minutes to accomplish, is messy, but will not wash out in use and holds the bearings inside the housings for re-installation on the shafts.

I can see the design change/improvement Hobie made to the the sprockets, drums and idler pulley will  equalize the force across the long (I think made of Delrin) needle bearings and SS shafts. I have not taken my PA-14 out yet, but expect the pedaling will be a bit smoother/easier per all the reports I have read.

If you decide to make this conversion, the parts needed are:
2 each P/N 81127001....Hobie Sprocket-GT w/bearings
2 each P/N 81175001....Hobie Drum-GT w/bearings
1 each P/N 81123001....Hobie Idler Pulley-GT w/bearings

This is a great write-up, thank you!

What was the cost of the parts and materials?

Are you running your Rock Solid pedal arms too? Let me know how the whole unit feels on the water.

Awesome. I didnt know the conversion was possible. I was thinking about buying a new revo, but I might just do this instead.

He states the cost of parts at $131.

Yes, I am running the "rock solid" pedal arms and the $131 is the total cost for all the parts to make the "GT" conversion.
I think the Kayak Shed now has a "GT conversion package kit" set up so you don't need the individual P/N's.
I put 500 miles on my PA-14 last year trolling and thought that the small investment to convert the Mirage drive over to the "latest version" was worth the investment.

I put 500 miles on my PA-14 last year trolling

I expect more trip reports, good sir! 

Doc, give us a report on how the blue Evinrude-Johnson Triple-Guard Marine Grease holds up under use in a Glide Technology Mirage Drive, and whether it picks up dirt or gets discolored.  Hobie recommends using WD40 on GT Mirage Drives, but I suspect that the Triple-Guard grease may stay in the bearings a lot longer than WD40.  Unfortunately, in order to check the status of the Triple-Guard, or to add more Triple-Guard, you need to take the Mirage Drive apart, which is a hassle.  It would be nice if the Mirage Drive had zircs which you could use to pump in more grease, and push out old deteriorated grease, without taking the drive apart.  I do this regularly on my snowmobile.  An advantage of WD40, even if it doesn't provide lubrication for very long, is that you can squirt it into the moving parts without taking the drive apart.

From time to time I have seen postings on various forums in which people other than Hobie staff recommend other lubricants for Mirage Drives.  But I have tried searching for those postings, and can't find them.  Does anybody have links to any such postings?

From time to time I have seen postings on various forums in which people other than Hobie staff recommend other lubricants for Mirage Drives.  But I have tried searching for those postings, and can't find them.  Does anybody have links to any such postings?

I do not, at the moment, but I will say after some research I chose BoeShield T-9 for my Mirage Drive maintenance and I have been very happy. The stuff is incredible.

http://boeshield.com/

For bearings (on my trailer) and other areas where I need grease (cart), I use Green Grease.

http://www.greengrease.net/

I'm not trying to start another "which lubricant is the right one" thread, I'm just saying what works for me. That said, I am firmly in the anti-WD40 crowd (for Mirage Drive maintenance).

I'm surprised Hobie recommends WD-40 as well. I don't think very highly of it as a lube or even a protectant other than in the very short term.

On the "regular Mirage Drives"....at least on the 2010 Outbacks and 2013 PA-14 I purchased, Hobie lubricated the center shafts and idler pulley with a "blue colored marine grease".

I used the Evinrude-Johnson "blue colored" triple guard marine grease on my Mercury Outboard pivot and lifting surfaces + the steering arm as advised by the maintenance mechanic at Staff Jennings a few years ago. I found this marine grease to hold up under pressure and with exposure to water.
So, when I would do the annual maintenance on my Mirage drives......disassemble, clean and re-lube the shafts, I used the same marine grease......it held up really well AND I only used WD-40 to lubricate the chains.......I noticed that WD-40 will "cut/wash off" marine grease, so I never lubricated the shafts with it.

I recalled reading a while back, someone had questioned "should you grease or not grease the GT bearings"....it went pro and con, with the main caution of not getting sand into the bearings.
My thought was I always remove my Mirage Drive prior to beaching my kayak, so sand pick up would not be an issue.

Actually, since the grease is quite heavy/sticky, it seems to me that it would help to prevent sand intrusion into the bearings.

WD-40 really does not last in use underwater, BUT does attract dust/dirt/grime.....it's for these reasons street/road/mountain bicycle chains are not recommended to be lubricated with it.  A "waxy lube" is preferred.

Back to my decision "to use the blue sticky marine grease".....I will use it this year with the "GT bearings conversion" and see how it goes

I just got an email back from ACK when I asked about the parts.  They also said "Yup, you need those parts plus some WD40 and the conversion can be done." 

$130.95 for the parts.  WD40 does seem like a strange choice for something along those lines.  Sand would definitely be an issue for me. 

Frankly I would rather upgrade my seat than the drive... I just cannot in words state how much I HATE the old seats in the hobies.  I did buy a locking conversion but even then the seats are not very comfortable pre2015.  maybe I will do both this year. 

I'm hoping for a report on the performance of a V2 Mirage Drive which has been upgraded with Glide Technology parts.  Has anybody used an upgraded Mirage Drive yet?

Doc, have you used the V2 mirage drive which you converted to a Glide Technology drive?  If so, how did it perform?  Do you recommend converting V2 drives to GT drives?  Is the conversion worth the money?

pmmpete...not yet...the weather has been holding me back. I will post my finding in the near future....stay tuned.