Cutting composite trolling motor shaft.

[titaniumneck]

I would like some advice on how to shorten Composite trolling motor shaft. It's a minn kota wireless trolling motor, 50#. But shaft is about 14" too long, and cutting that much still gives me plenty of play with hight adjustment. Start from top or bottom. Any help welcomed.

 

[joeanna]

a cutoff blade in a diegrinder, watch out for the dust. I just left mine long, if I cut it off, in the future I may wish I had not.

 

[gm280]

I would like some advice on how to shorten Composite trolling motor shaft. It's a minn kota wireless trolling motor, 50#. But shaft is about 14" too long, and cutting that much still gives me plenty of play with hight adjustment. Start from top or bottom. Any help welcomed.

Ha, it is yours, so if you want to cut it off, have at it. However, with a composite shaft, I would certainly wrap some wide tape around it first and then make your cut with a cut off disk that will cut a smooth straight cut. That will help to keep the cut from splintering. But also keep the cut off section just in case you ever decide to add it back. Being composite you can epoxy or polyester it back on, sand and it should work okay again.

Another thing, I would certainly cut off from the head section shaft because if you cut the motor side, you will need to remove the motor housing and then remount the motor section. That could be a lot more work then removing the head section for the cut. And you will probable have to cut back the wires as well or, if you have room, wrap them up and zip tie them if you have the room in the head area. JMHO

And remember, if it goes bad, and I honestly don't think it will, you can always buy another shaft as a replacement. In other words, the world won't come to an end! :thumb:

 

[fishrdan]

Cut from the top. Much easier re-drilling the top bolt holes than re-threading the shaft bottom.

As gm mentioned, tape the cut line to avoid splintering. I lopped one off on the chopsaw, cut it slow and it came out fine.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Tape off where you want to cut, then a razor wheel in a die grinder.

Use a good cobalt or titanium drill to drill the hole.

 

[lmuss53]

Cut it from the top, I have used a miter saw, which requires removing the shaft from the base. I have also worked my way around with a dremel and cutoff tool. It is actually easier to take it out of the powerhead and use the saw. If your wireless has a GPS or compass in the head you have to put the twist back into the red and black wires and cut them back to the original length, if you don't they create a magnetic field and confuse the compass. I changed the powerhead on my iPilot and did not put the twist in the wires. I cursed it for half a summer until a Minnkota tech told me what I did wrong over the phone. If they are twisted where they come out of the tube at the top they need to be put back that way.

 

[fishrdan]

To re-drill the cross hole(s) in the shaft, I chose a small drill bit and wrapped electrical tape around it until it fit inside the head's cross bolt hole , drilled from each side, then chose a bigger bit to drill straight through, then the final size bit once the holes were completely lined up. You might get lucky eye-ballin' it, but my luck it would have been off and slopping around.

 

[esox07]

One more piece of advice, buy length of metal pipe or PVC that will slide inside the shaft at least as far down as where you want to make the cut. Then make the cut. That will protect the wires from the saw blade, dremel cutoff disc or whatever you choose to cut it with. Otherwise, it could result in major headache trying to patch the wiring inside.