Broken Minn Kota shaft

[SouthernWake]

Wondering if anyone else has had this happen as otnit a first for me. Was moving on the trolling motor at about 75% speed and hit a stump. The entire shaft splintered and shattered, both across the middle and all the way up from the motor to the handle.

 

also how hard are these to replace? Is it as easy as heat and unscrew then install the new one with sealant?

[Wanaflatsfish]

9 hours ago, SouthernWake said:

Wondering if anyone else has had this happen as otnit a first for me. Was moving on the trolling motor at about 75% speed and hit a stump. The entire shaft splintered and shattered, both across the middle and all the way up from the motor to the handle.

 

also how hard are these to replace? Is it as easy as heat and unscrew then install the new one with sealant?

I believe there is a lifetime warranty on the shaft?   Check with Minnkotta....

could be wrong....

 

dc

 

[Bamaskeet]

The shafts are replaceable.

[Grant]

Two year parts & labor warranty.  Lifetime shaft part only warranty.  Take it to a warranty center.

Shafts on newer models are only available as an assembly with the motor housing.  Shaft doesn't detach from the housing, so the motor must be removed and re-assembled in the new housing.  It's not an easy job to learn and worth the $100+ labor it will cost at a warranty center.

I've had to get several changed over the years.  The old model shafts were round and would NOT break.  I actually ripped the deck off an aluminum boat with wood decking in the Cooper Santee on one of those famous stumps.  The round shaft was fine.

When they added the square recess in the shaft for the lift assist systems the geometry couldn't hold up to the stress anymore.  Like trying to bend an I-Beam.  Doesn't work well.  At least you've got the warranty.

[SouthernWake]

I just went ahead and got a new shaft to install as it is the older screw in type (fortrex). Those things are tough to screw in but I think the job is done just need to reassemble.

here is the damaged old one

 

[MuddyBottomBluz]

  The shafts are threaded into the motor housing, but they use an epoxy to seal it up and stop it from turning, it will not simply unscrew. I had to break it up, clean up the threads but the armature has to be removed because of all the debris that will fall into the housing. I the brought it to a machine shop that had a tap that cleaned up the threads for me. Not hard to do if you have do-it-yourselfer skills.

[BradM]

Heat...I used a propane, plumbers type torch and heated up the threaded area on mine and unscrewed it fine....Take the head off and the wires of the brushes, as unscrewing it will cause a tangled mess. I cleaned up the threads on the housing with...heat and a wire "plumbers" type brush that I put in my cordless drill. After that, a little acetone an a metal pick or awl will do the rest. MinnKota calls for Loctite "Red" to seal the new shaft onto the foot. Use a lot and, use a brush or Q-tip to get in into the female threads, well. If you only apply to the mail side, the Loctite will push up and accumulate at the joint rather then seal the threads. While you have the motor apart, you might as well replace the brushes (depending on use) and tighten up the spade terminals that connect to the brush plate. I also dab a little Vaseline on these to keep corrosion at bay. If you have metal shavings in the foot and the armature is removed, strip down a roll of paper towels until they fit snugly into the hole, and shove it through a few times...works pretty well. That's how I used to clean cylinder walls on small block Chevrolet's...and any other round hole that's 2+ inches in I.D.

I've rebuilt a few of these and it's pretty straight forward and simple.

[rckeat]

I broke one once and the shop where I bought it replaced it no charge. And it was clearly my fault and not some sort of defect.