trolling motor head flopping around - a problem or a problem only in my mind?

kotts323

Cadet
Joined
Apr 16, 2013
Messages
9
This may be stupid, but I have to know. I have two older motorguide trolling motors and both of them do following: when I lift the motor out of the water, the head of the motor spins around 360 degrees. The pedal still moves the motor, but I thought that there was supposed to be some type of resistance to the motor spinning completely around. I feel like I broke something but I'm not sure what. My recollection is that if I pulled the motor up, the head would stay in position, and if it was facing the wrong direction, I used the foot pedal to spin it around. Now it just flops around. Hope I am explaining this correctly. I could also be crazy...your thoughts.
 

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
28,771
I take it these are cable steer motors and not electric steer???? If so, I find it hard to believe they rotate 360 degrees which is a full circle. 180 degrees is believable. At any rate, cable steered motors have friction adjustments on the foot pedal to prevent the motors from free rotating whether in the water or not. Tighten the friction adjustment. It is natural that the heavy part of the motor will swing down when stowed -- provided the friction adjustment is too loose.
 

trumanlake

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Aug 8, 2003
Messages
131
Have worked on motorguides for years, and there is no friction adjustment in the foot control. You would need to remove top cover, remove rack gear and nylon guide, loosen set screw on shaft nut, then tighten the geared shaft nut ever so slightly to load the bearings a little bit more. Then reverse the procedure. I personally like them a little loose. Also, check to make sure the bearings and the nylon cups are ok at the top and bottom of the outer shaft.
 

kotts323

Cadet
Joined
Apr 16, 2013
Messages
9
The friction adjustment on the pedal is for the cable steering correct? Would have nothing to do with keeping the lower unit from moving around.
trumanlake: I just wanted to make sure that this was not a catastrophic problem for the lower unit to move around so easily. My only concern was that it spins 360 degrees so my transducer wire that is taped up the motor shaft was getting wrapped up. Is it worth doing this procedure or do motorguides tend to lose this tension in the bearing that prevents the lower unit from spinning so freely? I have had evinrude and minnkota that never seemed to have this loose spinning lower unit issue.
 
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