Anyone break their drive by splitting the sprocket?

Hi Ya QM
I checked with the manufacturer "Loctite" and all they stated was that it might not work. My experience has been that it has worked way better that not using it at all. The manufacturer did not state that the product would eat plastic as far as I can tell.
At any rate..if Im wrong... and I have been before .... then you can wait to split one or wait to eat one but the end result is still the same..
Im going to continue keep the blue loctite on my set screws to hold the mast's in the sprocket until I see otherwise..
Have Fun Happy Fourth
Kepnutz

Hi Kep,

I never could understand why they now put Locktite Blue in a red tube! Nevertheless, it's a great product. Unfortunately however, in microscopic print on the back of the tube there is a caution against using with plastic.

I also called the manufacturer several months ago to get more details and learned that it could expand against the plastic and cause a crack to develop from the pressure.

Since you're using it successfully, however, it could be that these "plastic" sprockets are a higher grade material, not subject to this type of damage.

This reminds me that at one time all Macadamia trees were considered useless because the nuts were deemed poisonous by the eminent botanists of the day. Eventually one hungry lab assistant proved them wrong and, thanks to him, we can now all enjoy a great nut!

Thanks for your experimentation on this pesky problem! Since you've got 4 successful applications, it sounds like this may be reasonable solution after all!

Thanks also for the nice wishes and may your Independence Day be an excellent one as well!

Hi -Ya Roadie
Have you ever wondered what exactly they mean nowadays by the term "plastic"? I would bet that it refers to many many many different types of material combinations's anymore.
For example Im sure you have you may have noticed the difference between our hull which is "plastic" and the sprocket which is also "plastic". The hull is soft and flexible and the sprocket is almost harder than my head yet both are "plastic". Try this link here for starters it should take all day to get throught it and digest all the sidebar sublinks
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic#Ba ... henolic.29

I am now reading the back of my Permatex Threadlocker Blue Gel Twist container and it does not mention anything there about use on plastic but it does warn against using in areas of food contact..and not to get any in your eye or on your skin or spread it on your wheat toast and eat some as it may be an irritant etc.

Then I went off to the technical data sheet on the web site and it says "To confirm compatibility of the product with such substrates because it is not normally recommended for use with plastics (whatever the term plastic means anymore). It states that it "may" cause stress cracking in thermo plastics So I can agree on your findings with the manufacturer in regards to using threadlockers on "plastic's" because it "MAY" cause cracking etc

Nonetheless I can "confirm" its working just dandy on my sprocket "substrate" material and the stainless socket set screw threads! As I recall when I put the Blue gel on I just dabbed the threads and a portion of that came off when I screwed the set screw back in. As I understand it the main stress cracking problem comes from "expansion"of the thread locker material. Perhaps it worked because I just painted the threads with a thin dab of the stuff . If its not going to work in the future, then worst case senario is Im out ten dollars for a new ("PLASTIC"?????) sprocket and its back to the drawing board.

What I would do first if this threadlocker fails is to replace the 1/4-20 x 1/2" socket set screws with another type of socket set screw that has a "Nylon" (whatever that means anymore) Patch. It is identical in its application to a Nylon Locknut as it "locks" the mating threads together by using a nylon patch or pellet that has been bonded to the male screw threads by the Mfgr so it is in effect a Locking Socket Set Screw !

Another fastener company even markets another type of self locking threaded fastener line which actually uses the Loctite brand anerobic threadlocker to achieve the locking effect which is the similar material I used on my socket set screws so WTF. Heres that link and I found no mention so far of compatibility issues there with regards to plastic..(theres that word again) http://longlok.com/products_driloc.htm

I will let you know how this all plays out long term but so far its working great for me and I would recommend if using any thread locker to just hit it and quit..dont "gob" it on.

As for all the split sprockets I would suggest (IMHO) that the odds of splitting a sprocket seem to be higher from the set screw loosening up because the Turbo fin action wiggled the mast which then loosens the set screw which then lets the mast hog out the mast hole which then splits the sprocket, than it is with the use of a little painted dab of Blue Threadlocker on the set screw threads to keep things from getting loose. Just my .02 cents your mileage may vary..

Hope you have a good one down there. Tell SoCal to stop taking all our water.
Have a Happy Fourth too and dont blow off a finger or put your eye out with all those firecracker's you got in Tijuana..
..............Kepnutz

I've had my Mirage for a bit over two years now using both the standard and turbo fins. Most of the time I cruise but there are circumstances where I put the pressure on the pedals to GO FAST. No broken sprckets yet (fingers crossed). I have bought and keep with me a spare pair though, and insurance policy of sorts.

If you are breaking them regularly as it seems from your posts, you must have legs like telephone poles and are trying speed runs every outing, OR, there is something else going on. I'd bet on the latter.

Get in touch with Hobies Matt Miller by phone and see if he can offer an insight into the problem that you have overlooked.

The first of the two failures were probably caused by impacting the front sprocket.

The last of the two however, doesn't make sense. I am fairly confident I did not over tighten the set screw. I did release the tension on the fins which I had at full tension on previous trips but was told I would actually get better propulsion by releasing the tension which would cup the water better. Honestly, I would say I was at 70% of max and was only pedaling for about 1/2 hr. Additionally it was the rear drive.

I don't want to have to worry about tightening the set screw everytime I go out and then worry that I may be overtightening. The Turbos were giving me about 1MPH more crusing speed than the stock fins which is meaningful. It sounds like I may be in the minority here. I am willing to give the S Steel sprockets a try but jaded to the point that I will keep the stock fins on until I get them which stinks.

Having to work thru my dealer for everything becomes a bit of a pain as well. I couldn't even order a T shirt or stickers directly which would only serve to better promote thier product. When can I get the stainless sprockets?

Come on Hobie, wheres all that great customer service I hear about?

Hey Ya'll Going..
Just spent three plus more hours going up and down the American River on the Fourth of July in my "backyard" with a buddy. I checked the sprocket mast area again where I placed the Blue Threadlocker on the mast set screws and there are no cracks , splits or "plastic" eaten off. The things are still snug as a bug and right up tight so no worries..
... View up river


View down river


No look back up


We Loving it


Star Spangled Dangler


University CSUS where new Kayak engineers are being made


Time to head back up river go home relax


Happy Fourth
Kepnutz