# Kicker with EZ steer question.



## TAG24 (Sep 29, 2005)

My new to me boat came with a 15hp kicker and the ez steer linkage (see picture). I haven't hooked up the connecting rod yet, but hope to utilize this next season. Question is what do you do with the kicker when running the big motor? If you leave it down, it will bounce up, right? And to tilt up you would have to disconnect it and that wouldn't be easy to do in the water.


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## Pooch (Jun 16, 2014)

I leave mine connected. Can tilt motors independently. No problems here. Don't run big motor with the kicker down, keep it up. When trolling with kicker you can leave big motor down.


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## saugmon (Jun 14, 2006)

I'm not sure how much room you have on that transom,but a possibility would be an adjustible outboard motor bracket and the cabelas auxiliary motor connector.

I have a demo vid here:
https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/...=3e738e87eda6259e001e35735c8aca2e&action=view

Connector here:http://www.cabelas.com/product/boat...teering/_/N-1100540/Ns-CATEGORY_SEQ_104602680

Adjustable motor bracket: 

http://www.cabelas.com/product/boat...-plates/_/N-1102372/Ns-CATEGORY_SEQ_104827680

Very easy to reach at the front of the motors. Raise kicker when done trolling and make whitewater for home!! Please don't make fun of my video, LOL!!


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## walleyechaser (Apr 13, 2004)

You would not want to leave the big motor down when running the kicker because the prop would be turning all the time unless you put the big motor in gear to stop rotation


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## MOBIL4 (Jan 30, 2011)

walleyechaser said:


> You would not want to leave the big motor down when running the kicker because the prop would be turning all the time unless you put the big motor in gear to stop rotation


Walleye chaser this is my third year trolling. I have been trolling with my kicker while the motor is down. Is there a problem with the main motor prop turning? I hope I haven't caused some unforeseen damage. Thanks for any response on this question.


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## Decoy hound (Apr 3, 2015)

walleyechaser said:


> You would not want to leave the big motor down when running the kicker because the prop would be turning all the time unless you put the big motor in gear to stop rotation


What?


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## saugmon (Jun 14, 2006)

I troll 200+ hrs a season,12 years straight,constant 3 mph,and never left the main motor in gear with the kicker running. 

Original impeller/waterpump in that 2000, 5o hp johnson and she still pee's like a racehorse!!! I do need to change it here in the near future but the impeller change in that nissan was a pain in the butt a couple yrs ago.


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## TAG24 (Sep 29, 2005)

saugmon- thanks for the info. I used a similar steering connector on my previous boat and it worked great. I want to try and use the setup that's already installed on this boat.

My prev boat, I always left the main motor down and neutral. Never thought the prop turning at low speed would be a problem. If it's tilted up, it made steering very difficult.


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## BlueMax (Dec 3, 2006)

walleyechaser said:


> You would not want to leave the big motor down when running the kicker because the prop would be turning all the time unless you put the big motor in gear to stop rotation


Ya what is the concern with the prop turning?? It turns a lot faster when I run it.


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## tomb (Oct 9, 2004)

walleyechaser said:


> You would not want to leave the big motor down when running the kicker because the prop would be turning all the time unless you put the big motor in gear to stop rotation


I've read/heard similar statements before, yet never found a reason to be concerned. 6 years trolling with my kicker and big motor in neutral has not been a problem.


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## Meerkat (Aug 10, 2008)

I actually use my big motor prop for fine tuning speed. Lock prop by putting it in gear will shave a 1/10th or so off speed. Keeping it down & steering with it also helps the Terrova stay on line it a cross wind.


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## saugmon (Jun 14, 2006)

Meerkat said:


> I actually use my big motor prop for fine tuning speed. Lock prop by putting it in gear will shave a 1/10th or so off speed. Keeping it down & steering with it also helps the Terrova stay on line it a cross wind.


I just turn the knob on the trollmaster for the fine tuning. Next trip out,I'll check my speed with the main prop in neutral and in gear to see what the difference is.Just got a terrova I pilot and I love it.


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## walleyechaser (Apr 13, 2004)

I am only repeating what I was told. It applied to putting the motor in gear when towing to stop the prop from turning.
I am not 100 percent as to the reason since the water pump doesn not turn when out of gear. The only reason may be to reduce wear on the seals since they do not have water to lube the seal when towing but that is not the same when running the kicker


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## Meerkat (Aug 10, 2008)

saugmon said:


> I just turn the knob on the trollmaster for the fine tuning. Next trip out,I'll check my speed with the main prop in neutral and in gear to see what the difference is.Just got a terrova I pilot and I love it.


I would love to be able to just turn the knob on my controlking but my controlking/merc pro-kicker combo sucks at speed control so I use the main prop in and out of gear to help.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

no need to unhook the ez steer when running the big motor. just tilt the kicker and go. it doesn't hurt anything for the prop on the big motor to turn when trolling. when the motor is in neutral the lower gears and the prop is the only thing that turns.
sherman


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