Help: Mirage drive 180 broken pedal

I was out on my 2019 Outback yesterday and the pedal broke off where it attached to the crank arm. This is a major bummer because it is only a 2019 and it has shaken my confidence in the reliability of the drive. Looking at it I can see it sheared off right where it attaches to the crank arm on the side opposite the pedal (see pics). I suppose I will have to replace the whole crank arm-pedal assembly since it is of pressed in there. I have 2 questions for the group:

1) Does anyone have suggestions on a temporary fix to get this on the water next weekend? I anticipate it will take awhile to get a replacement. It looks like the part that broke only has to hold the pedal shaft in the crank arm so I was thinking of tapping a hole into the pedal shaft and inserting a screw that would hold it in place. Obviously, I would not go far on this fix.

2) Anyone else have this problem? Is this a known weakness or did I just get a bad pedal-crank arm?

Thanks, John

Hobie offers a 2 year warranty. Contact your local dealer and start the process. I have been in your situation twice and filed a claim with CCK Oakland. Hobie approved the claim and I got the parts free.

Hobie offers a 2 year warranty. Contact your local dealer and start the process. I have been in your situation twice and filed a claim with CCK Oakland. Hobie approved the claim and I got the parts free.

+1 file a claim as soon as possible with any local dealer since it’s still recent. Good luck because it took me like 2 months to get my replacement parts.

Thanks for the advice about the warranty. I bought it used so I'm not sure if the warranty extends to a second owner, but I'll ask.

You might be able to bore a hole through the pedal arm then take a 5/16 bolt, long enough to go through arm and pedal, and with two 5/16 nuts and a washer tighten it leaving enough play for the pedal to turn. Two nuts to jam tight. Probably need to pick up a cheapo bike pedal unless you can clear the broken piece from the pedal.

I can't tell from the pictures whether it's the same press-in system that they used on the older (hollow) square crank arms. If so, I've got a couple of those pedals that you can use.

I've never been a fan of Hobie's hollow crank arms or press-in pedals. With the square crank arms, it's fairly easy to DIY crank arms from solid 6061 aluminum and thread them for standard bike pedals, which is a much better setup, IMHO. I don't own a 180 drive, but with that design, I doubt that custom crank arms are a realistic option.
 

You might be able to bore a hole through the pedal arm then take a 5/16 bolt, long enough to go through arm and pedal, and with two 5/16 nuts and a washer tighten it leaving enough play for the pedal to turn. Two nuts to jam tight. Probably need to pick up a cheapo bike pedal unless you can clear the broken piece from the pedal.

Thanks for the suggestion. I think that might work and be easier than what I had in mind. But, I looked into the warranty and I think it may be covered so I'm going to wait until that is settled before attempting to fix it. I left a message with CCK, but I haven't heard back yet.

I can't tell from the pictures whether it's the same press-in system that they used on the older (hollow) square crank arms. If so, I've got a couple of those pedals that you can use.

I've never been a fan of Hobie's hollow crank arms or press-in pedals. With the square crank arms, it's fairly easy to DIY crank arms from solid 6061 aluminum and thread them for standard bike pedals, which is a much better setup, IMHO. I don't own a 180 drive, but with that design, I doubt that custom crank arms are a realistic option.

Thanks for the offer of pedals. Can you replace them? It looks like they are reamed like rivet into the arm.

You are right that it is not an option to replace the crank arm because the mechanism to change the position is inside the arm.

I can't tell from the pictures whether it's the same press-in system that they used on the older (hollow) square crank arms. If so, I've got a couple of those pedals that you can use.

I've never been a fan of Hobie's hollow crank arms or press-in pedals. With the square crank arms, it's fairly easy to DIY crank arms from solid 6061 aluminum and thread them for standard bike pedals, which is a much better setup, IMHO. I don't own a 180 drive, but with that design, I doubt that custom crank arms are a realistic option.

Hobie should have left perfection alone and stayed with their original solid crank arms threaded for one's choice of pedals. I ordered a set of the originals years ago to replace the breakable hollow ones that came with the yak. SPD mtb pedals work great on those arms. Power push forward and back on the pedal stroke spreads the work load among several muscle groups.

Hobie should have left perfection alone and stayed with their original solid crank arms threaded for one's choice of pedals.

Amen to that.

If you have access to a drill press, it's pretty easy to make your own. The aluminum bar stock (6061) is fairly cheap, and I've got the tools (taps and bits, that is) if anybody wants to borrow. And, one other nice thing about DIY-ing is that you can customize the length. I like them to be about 1.5" longer than stock.

You might be able to bore a hole through the pedal arm then take a 5/16 bolt, long enough to go through arm and pedal, and with two 5/16 nuts and a washer tighten it leaving enough play for the pedal to turn. Two nuts to jam tight. Probably need to pick up a cheapo bike pedal unless you can clear the broken piece from the pedal.

Thanks for the suggestion. I think that might work and be easier than what I had in mind. But, I looked into the warranty and I think it may be covered so I'm going to wait until that is settled before attempting to fix it. I left a message with CCK, but I haven't heard back yet.

Here is another thought to get you back on the water while waiting for a Hobie replacement. Locate a bike crank arm with pedal from a junkyard or used bike shop. Place the crank arm on the outboard side of the Hobie arm. Use a couple hose clamps to tighten. If need be use a hacksaw to cut off part of the bike arm to fit. Usually aluminum. Inelegant but functional.

Just to follow up, I submitted a warranty claim through CCK and Hobie agreed to send a new pedal. Thanks to Keith and Sou at CCK for helping me with this and thanks FishingAddict and Fishbushing for suggesting to submit a warranty claim. I didn't think about that because I bought it used. In the end I did not try to fix it just in case I needed it for the warranty claim, I didn't.

Just to follow up, I submitted a warranty claim through CCK and Hobie agreed to send a new pedal. Thanks to Keith and Sou at CCK for helping me with this and thanks FishingAddict and Fishbushing for suggesting to submit a warranty claim. I didn't think about that because I bought it used. In the end I did not try to fix it just in case I needed it for the warranty claim, I didn't.

Good thing you got a paddle.   No excuses, show us that stringer!   

Sorry to hear about the pedal! I wonder how that happened. The surf?

Sorry to hear about the pedal! I wonder how that happened. The surf?

Nothing dramatic. I was just gently pedaling in calm water at the time. Unfortunately, this has planted the seed of doubt about the reliability of the drive. This was the first sheared pedal they saw at CCK FWIW.