Trolling motor cable question

[dmac14]

I bought a used trolling motor and it feels the cables are kind of loose, like any tap on the foot thing and it spins around fast. And if I take my foot off it turns one way or another. On new trolling motors I have noticed the foot pedal to be a little tighter where the motor will stay in one direction unless you push the foot pedal. Is there any way I could tighten my foot pedal?

[cart7t]

There is normally a tension adjustment somewhere on the foot pedal.  It's usually a screw type device that protrudes out towards the bottom of the pedal. Often at the front of the pedal.

[dmac14]

Just looked but didn't find any screw sticking out or any screw for that matter. Ill have to dig up the manual and see if it says anything about the adjustment.

[dmac14]

Found this, but I dont have a clue what it is saying. I took the control head off but after that I could not understand anything else. I dont know what the upper bearing or the outer shaft bearing are or where to find them.

To adjust the tension on a M/G one cable steering. Get someone to help you.

Put the t/m in the down position, loosen the outer shaft bearing (2 set screws) and lower it about 6-9. Take the top cover off, disconnect wires, remove the 6 screws that hold the cover on the rack and remove the cover, pull up the steering cable with gear. Hold or block the motor and shaft up about 6. Remove the setscrew in the pinion gear and back the gear off about 5-6 turns. NOTE: you can break the teeth on the gear so do it carefully. Remove the support block and let the shaft lower to the upper bearing, put grease on both bearings, move the outer bearing back up the shaft as far as you can, tighten the 2 set screws. Tighten (be careful) the pinion gear down to get the tension you want. Tighten the 1 set screw, install the rack, hold the foot pedal all the way down in the back and turn the motor so its pointing back, hold there and install the steering gear and rack cover with 1 screw, test steering, if ok, install 5 more screws. Reinstall or connect wires, install top cover (line up the pointer)

In effect, what you are doing is the same basics as adjusting the tension on the wheel bearings of your boat trailer. Hope this helps.

[Wayne P.]

If you don't want to go thru the bearing lubricating part, just turn part #14 clockwise some after loosening the set screw/s. Yep, just like doing a wheel bearing adjustment.

http://trollingmotorparts.com/default.aspx?act=documentdetails.aspx&Documentid=92&category=Motor Guide Motor Diagrams 2004&MenuGroup=Home&SMID=195&SMSubID=57&nosearchprompt=1

[dmac14]

"pull up the steering cable with gear."

Whats this mean?

[Wayne P.]

The rack (straight gear) is screwed onto the end of the push/pull cable (leave it attached to the cable) and you have to pull it up out of the track it is in so it will be away from the gear (round) on the shaft after you remove the tiny 6 screws from the rack cover plate.

The instructions are for the rack and pinion (push/pull) single cable steering system with a plastic foot pedal.

The Pro Tour models have a (pull/pull) cable system with a metal foot pedal.