# Trolling motor help !!!



## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

I'm not sure if this kind of thread should be here or not, but I need help with a trolling motor I just bought, and I figured what better place to ask a question about trolling motors, but in tournament discussion. 

Here's my problem .... I just picked up a MotorGuide Tour Edition trolling motor, and I am having a hell of a time with the release mechanism hanging up. I cannot get the thing to release from the stowed position. 

At first I just bolted it right where my old trolling motor was, without using those IMO stupid isolator nuts or whatever they should be called. I can get to the underside of the cap from the front trim and trolling motor panel so I just figured the standard nylock nut with a fender washer for mounting. It worked great but I couldn't get it to unlatch from the stowed position, so I took it back off, drilled out my holes bigger so I could use the "isolators" 

I still think the isolators are a stupid idea but I thought evidently they put them in there for a reason. I figured maybe my not using them was the problem, so I put them in. It didn't help my problem one bit. In fact it made it worse because now, even though I tightened them to the point of thinking they were going to break, the dang mount moves around. And it still won't unlatch from the stowed position.

I called MotorGuide and the woman said try pushing down on the bracket head with your foot when you pull the rope to unlatch it. That works fine when I don't have the motor in the bracket (it releases easily) but with the motor installed it binds on one pin. 

I've tried shimming it this way and that thinking maybe the mounting bracket was twisted, but no luck so far. I was getting frustrated to I just stopped working on it until tomorrow. Go at it with a clear head and hopefully some suggestions from my tournament brothers that may have installed one of these trolling motors and can offer some pointers. 

I was thinking of filing the very tip of the top side of the grove the pin locks into, but dang I don't want to void the warranty if I end up not being able to get this thing to work.

Any thoughts ???? I need to get this baby on and working so I can start pre fishing for the circuit's I fish, championship. 


HELP !!!! LOL


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## chaunc (Apr 11, 2004)

I had this same problem with mine too. Called and talked to MG and they said to take it to a service center and have it looked at and repaired. Took it to Vic's in Ravenna. They fixed it but still charged me almost $200 for labor. I had already put my old bracket on the boat so I left it on and put the newer motor in that old bracket. It fits. Just recently my foot pedal went bad so I just went back to my older unit. Paid $ 1300. for the 82 digital unit and it's sitting in my storage bin. Probably sell it after I get the pedal repaired.


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## leeabu (Apr 10, 2004)

I had the same problem on my new MinnKota. Solution was to spray lithium grease on the release pins and hinges.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

Mine was tight when new as well. Had to really step on the head to get it to release for the first year, then it eventually loosened up. Lubing the pins was also of some help. The #1 suggestion I've heard over the last few years was swapping the pull cord for one of the "steel cable" type cords. (G-string, red one, etc...). They said the lack of stretch will pull the pins out much easier. I don't believe that should have to be the answer on a new motor, but it seems like the most consistent answer...


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## dwmikemx (Mar 22, 2008)

I have the same motor and had the same issue when I mounted mine. Throw those insulators away and mount it like you started to with good SS screws, lock nuts and large body washers. Just a slight twist in the mount will cause the pins to bind. Their kinda of touchy. 

You need to shim between the bow and mount with rubber washers/grommets or similar. I got some rubber washers at my local boat dealer that are 1/4 thick and about the size of a quarter.( probably get them at Lowes or HD also) On one side I had to double/triple up the washers to keep the mount level as my bow isn't totally flat. ( has a little crown to it) 

With shims installed, snug down the screws like you would tighten lug nuts on a car(criss-cross) Tightening the screws some, un latch and stow the TM several times to see if the pins bind .Tighten a little at a time and keep checking for binding,add more/ thicker shims if needed to the side that binds. The mount dosen't need to be tightened to the point that the gell starts cracking, just enough to be secure and the rubber washer compressed. 

The way that mount is built with the springs, you will have to step on it while your pulling the rope to deploy it.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

A very sincere, much appreciated to all those that replied. I've got her all dialed in and working smooth now. It was a combination of a couple of things. First, I simply smeared bearing grease on the pins and on the inside of the groves they lock into. That made a big difference, and I don't mind saying that I'm a bit embarrassed that I didn't do that yesterday. In my defense, my frustration was rather high considering that I had an over $900 trolling motor that I couldn't get out of the stowed position without some major finagling. I understand the mount needs to be tight in order for the motor to stay in place when running in rough water, but dang I thought that it should work better than it was. My old trolling motor was an Evinrude, and I never had a problem with the latch mechanism, and I ran in some pretty rough water with that baby. Actually it was a great trolling motor, and if there were still parts available for it I doubt that I would have changed it out. I just couldn't get parts. Plus ......... it only had 46 lbs. of thrust. Even though my boat is on the smallish side as far as fiberglass bass boats go, there were times when fishing heavy wind in open water, that I needed more power. So this 75 lb MotorGuide should be a big improvement over that. 

The other problem I had was something that Dwmike mentioned. Making sure the mount is completely in line and not twisted. I ended up using the isolator mounting system that were supplied with the motor. I had to do a little playing around with the tightness of one particular bolt, but once I got her tightened the right amount, the mount has worked really well. The real test will be when I get it on the water and see how they hold up. I still don't trust the isolators, but I plan on carrying the necessary equipment on the boat to replace one if the need arises. 

I did have one problem that I expected, arise as well. The boat is a 97 Bumble Bee and it didn't have a recessed well for the foot pedal in the deck, so a few years ago while replacing the carpet, I cut a hole in the deck and built and installed a well for the Evinrude's foot pedal. The problem I knew was going to arise is that I made the hole and bracket system to fit the Evinrude foot pedal. The new one for the MotorGuide won't fit at all, So I ordered a drop in unit from Tackle Warehouse. I still have a little cutting to do once my order arrives, but I'm going to love this new motor. It has the added power that I need.

Once again ....... thanks for the suggestions everyone !!! They were and are, very much appreciated.

Almost forgot ....... thanks to the moderator that moved the thread here. I kind of figured this is where it should have gone. Thank you


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