Bent TM shaft, any way to fix?

[bassnleo]

I have 2 motor guide pro series trolling motors, 1 on bass boat (ProCraft) and 1 on a john style boat. I love to fish shallow but unfortunately have nailed underwater stumps with both motors  :'(

The result is that both shafts are slightly bent.

Is there any way to effectively straighten them? If not, is it possible to replace just the lower shafts? Nothing else is damaged on the motors.

Thanks for any assistance!

[Ben]

Yes, Most dealers will carry those in stock, the upper and lower shafts.  Depending on how bad it's bent as to where you can straighten it or not, sometimes if it's just a small bow, I will remove it, stick it in the fork of a tree and straighten it, but that only works if it has a slight bow, not really bent.  You will also want to check the upper tube, it's a good chance it's bent also.

To replace it, the head has to come off, disconnect all the wires coming through the shaft.  There is a set screw in the top of the gear, remove the setscrew and screw the gear off.  Sometimes the gear can be hard to screw off if they overtighten the setscrew and jam the threads.  Once you get the gear off, the lower shaft will slide out, be carefull though, if the bearing carrier has much wear, all the ball bearings will go everywhere.  Once you get it out, you will need a stong strap wrinch to screw it out of the motor, a pipe wrench if you don't mind a few teeth marks in the shaft, a rag between the jaws helps but usually it will still leave teeth marks.   Hold the wires, when screwing it on and off, sometimes it will twist them badly and may break one off in the motor.  Us a good pipe joint compound on the motor end to seal the shaft when replacing it.

If you have to replace the upper shaft, the new tube most likely will not have the holes drilled so a transfer punch will be needed, or at least a big help.  If it has pop rivets, they are a pain to get out.  I usually grind the ends off inside the shaft and knock them back that way.  Trying to take the heads off and going that way usually ruins the plastic housing.  Put your new upper shaft in the plastic housing and punch one hole and drill it.  Use screws to put it back together and insert one screw to hold it in place, then do the other two.

[bassnleo]

Thanks.  I do believe that it's only the lower shafts that are tweaked a little so I'll try to straighten them.

[Triton21]

I have straightened them by using rags to cushion the shaft and placing the shaft in the dovetail of a boat trailer.

Kelley