GossOutdoors MirageDrive MD180 Spine Repair Kit If your drive is worn or you just don’t want to have an issue, Sunstate WaterSports has a new and better solution. Not just one but two. Depending on how far gone your spine is there are two options to choose from.
2017 saw the introduction of the Hobie MD180 which was a game changer, the power and efficiency of the MirageDrive with reverse The V1, V2 and GT Drives were great in that they were pretty much bullet proof but reverse was a massive improvement. Unfortunately with the increase in moving parts and bearings in the Drives came the need to be more careful with sand getting into those bearings.
Over the past 5 years drives have been damaged due to prolonged use with contaminants in the bearing. Similar to a race car needing more attention, the MD180 needs to be washed and oiled after each use for a better life span.
Sometimes we run into a drive in the shop where the rear sprocket has worn very badly and occasionally even shattered internally and up till now the only repair has been a spine replacement. This repair can cost upwards of $600 for the Spine and labour to fit.
Over the years people have been looking for a solution and there are a few but none that we wanted to be associated with….. finally it is here! Goss Outdoors in the USA has come up with not one but two solutions.
Solutions
Mod 1: An internal sleeve with an outer bearing and new rear casing. This sleeves into the new rear casing that houses the new bearing. This is the best option for drives that are badly worn, fractured or broken away at the rear end of the sprocket itself. Available with either a stainless steel or ceramic bearings there is something to suit exactly what you need.
Mod 2: A large outer bearing that slips over the top of the rear end of the existing sprocket itself and a new case to house it. This is best if your drive sprocket is slightly worn and you want to give it a new life. Again available in either Stainless or Ceramic.
With both mod’s you no longer need the Hobie pin bearings and both mod’s can be installed in a few minutes. With the most expensive mod at $139 it will be a big savings for the user !
We have used both options to repair drives and were really impressed !
Which One Should I Choose
GossOutdoors Products Now Available in Australia
We have partnered with Goss Outdoors as their Australian distributor to give you the quickest repair to your drive with stock in Australia. Kits are only available instore or online at Sunstate Watersports. Pricing includes Duties, international freight and GST and we will also post Australia wide at no charge. If you chose to collect from Sunstate Watersports we will fit for you free.