Mirage Drive GT Upgrade

[Lipripper92592]

Andy from OEX hooked up the parts, he shipped them and they were here the next day. After covering more water than usual Saturday I decided to put the new GT parts in. Below is a tutorial on the breakdown, cleanup and installation of the new GT parts which consist of roller bearings rather than bushings.
One thing to note before you open up your parts. Do not remove the tape and "ear" plugs from the parts. The needles bearings will fall out, and you will have a mess on your hands. Just use the SS shafts to push out the pugs when putting the parts back together. Grease the "Needle Bearings" with marine grade grease by dropping the "needles out" and dipping in marine grease. Place back in the housing, the grease will hold it in place until you put the shafts in.

1: Remove Cables, Idler and Sprocket. I labeled mine, front, rear and idler.

2: Pull off Peddles from main shaft.

3: Clean main shaft with fine steel wool

4: Remove Peddles from Cam (9/16th)

5: Bolt New GT Cam to existing pedal

6: Remove Idler Pulley, clean shaft with steel wool and install GT Pulley
use hex wrench to back pin out, pull shaft, clean, install reverse order. Remove needles bearings and dip in marine grease. Put back in, the grease will keep it in place.

7: Remove Cotter Pins from turbo fin masts, and slide fins off.

8: Loosen Hex set screw on Main shaft, and push shaft out with screw driver or appropriate tool or said liking.

9: Remove Masts from sprocket with crescent wrench or small open end wrench

10: Line up new GT sprocket, do not remove tape, push in the drive main shaft and allow it to push out the "ear" plug, then remove tape as shaft is pushing the plug out. Do the same for the second shaft. Make sure to line up the flat portion of the drive main shaft (center area) with the hex set screw.
Once the shaft is centered, tighten set screw.

11: Using thread locker put the mast back in the sprockets. Slide on fins and put cotter pins back.

12: Now you are ready to put the cams/pedals back on the main shaft. Remove the plastic ring that is holding the needle bearings in, (it tears off), then line up the main shaft and slide it onto the sprocket. The plastic guide/retainer will back out, keeping the needle bearings in place. Do not allow the sprocket to slide off the main shaft or you will have needle bearings all over the place. Do this to both sides, then use a zip tie to bind them together.

13: Put the idler cable back on first, lining up the fins in the bottom center position. Then put the sprocket cables back on and tighten up.

Now you have an Upgraded GT Mirage drive with needle bearings rather than bushings.