Alright, alright. I get it. The engineer inside you has woken up. You want to dismantle your Minn Kota Trolling Motor, all by yourself. Why worry when I am here for you?
To disassemble a Minn Kota Trolling motor, you need a manual, yes, just like a manual to start that thing. It will be easy to understand, trust me.
How to take apart a Minn Kota trolling motor?
First things first, you can always go to the official website of Minn Kota. They have organized the manual of their products. These manuals will help you identify different parts of the motor. Went through them? Still, not able to dismantle the engine? Let me make things easy for you.
Also read: 10 Best Trolling Motor Battery (Ultimate Guide)
Requirements
- An open space
- Fuel should be nil
- Discharged battery
- Rigid platform to place the motor
- Appropriate tools
- A torch
- A dry cloth
- Some lubricant
Procedure
These are some must-have before starting a dismantle procedure. Make sure you have each one of them.
You must follow these steps to dismantle your Minn Kota motor, or you will end up breaking it down. These steps are for a 55 foot-pound motor only.
- Take a marker and mark such that it becomes easy for you to assemble the motor. To dismantle a thing, easy but, to construct an item, very hard it is. Make sure that you keep all the screws and attachments somewhere safe. You won’t be able to assemble the motor if anything misplaced.
- Use appropriate tools to get the propeller out. Generally, a 13mm tool is perfect for removing the propeller of a 55-pound thrust trolling motor.
- Use only a drill machine to take out the screws. Why? All the screws in a motor have rubber at their end to keep the water out. If you use your mighty hands then, you will end up with a ruined rubber. So, keep the hulk inside you calm!
- There’re high chances that your armature might be stuck inside the case. This situation is generally due to rust and corrosion. No worries. Use your instincts and carefully beat it out of the case. Just don’t let the hulk come out. Be gentle.
- Check the bearing! In a motor, wherever and whenever you see a bearing, check whether it is working or not. If not, either apply lubricant on it or get it replaced. A fully functional bearing improves the performance of your motor by the lion’s share.
- Remove and check the gas kit. The gas kit should be in a single piece. If not, then, get it replaced! How was your motor functioning with a broken gas kit!?
- Carefully remove the Torx and examine the condition of the brushes. Make sure to use appropriate tools to remove the Torx. If you broke the Torx then, the repair will be very costly. Don’t use any knack!
- Generally, the brushes of used motors are not in good condition. They might be burned, coated with dust, and many more. You have to identify the status of your brush and solve it. Do not remove the brush from the case before addressing the issue! The same goes for bushes.
- Magnets! Examine the magnets of your motor. A broken magnet leads to drag in the motor. If it is broken, get it replaced by an expert. It is not your piece of cake.
- Check the brush cleaner. Generally, the spring of the brush cleaner gets broken. This damage leads to a thick coat of dust on the brushes. It is making the motor older. If so, get a new spring and fix it at its place.
- Clean every part with a dry cloth. Don’t use a wet cloth. Motors are water-resistant only from the outside. If even a small quantity of water goes into it, the motor breaks down. Short-circuiting is the most common thing that happens when water goes inside any motor. So, beware of the water!
Also read:
- 5 Best Solar Charger for Trolling Motor Battery
- 7 Best Trolling Motor Plugs Buyer’s Guide
- 5 Best Trolling Motor Foot Switches
Things to remember
Open a Minn Kota motor only when you believe that there is a tiny problem in it, and you can fix it. Generally, Minn Kota motors are very reliable, and after removing the trash and dust, they will work fine.
However, there are instances where the problem was severe. A challenge, just like the broken magnet, is critical. Again, don’t try to change or replace anything that is out of your knowledge.
If you still do that then, you will end up being forced to buy a new Minn Kota motor. Trust me, the one you are trying to fix by changing the magnet won’t work. It requires experience and expertise to deal with severe problems in a motor.
Also Read:
- How Fast will a 55lb & 70lb Thrust Trolling Motor Go?
- What size battery is requried for a trolling motor?
References: 1
I broke a part on my 1371010 motor and need replacement. the part is a round flat cover on the top of the motor which screws onto the top of the main body. lloks like some kind of cover with embossed arrows on it. can you help?