Slightly bent my trolling motor shaft... How to fix?

[mr_jman]

I have a stern mount trolling motor that I unfortunately ran aground and now the shaft is bent just enough that I can't lift it up. Besides a little elbow grease, is there a good way to get this bent back straight enough to slide it up and down again?

[Capt. H (Ret.)]

Are we talking about a metal shaft?? Years ago I had a bow mount that "got bent" and I took it to an automotive shop that had a tube bender for mufflers and they straightened it. Worked great.

Mike

[jentz]

You can get a wooden dowel at a box lumber store.Get it in a size it will just fit inside the tube force it through while bending the shaft to make it easier to go through.Course you have to remove the tube.

[mr_jman]

It is a metal shaft. Can the trolling motor (bottom) and tiller handle (top) be removed easily? Aren't there cables inside the tube?

[Moose-Hunter]

If this is a MinnKota, you're going to need mechanical help to straighten it. I use one as a breaker bar extension. It's heavy gauge tubing. I assume chromoly.

If this is a MinnKota...

The control head (top) can be removed with usually one long screw beneath the control housing. The motor section can be removed as well since the shaft threads into it. And yes, there are wires running inside the shaft. Be advised... The builders of your motor cranked that shaft on TIGHT and used a thread locker/sealant. As a tip... If you take the shaft off the motor... Turn the shaft, NOT the motor housing!!

[mr_jman]

Thanks for the replies. It is a Motor Guide trolling motor. I should have included that in the beginning.

[Down Deep]

One word of advice. If you decide to take the motor apart be sure to photograph every wire connection and how it is laying with in the motor head. Everything is tightly packed and a real dog to get back into the motor head. Also be careful when taking it apart because there may be clips, springs and tension plates that you cannot see until it is apart. Those things have a way of flying off when the motor comes apart.

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

You might want to see if there is you tube video on the disassembly.

[dairyman]

I bent my trolling motor some years back-------I used a pipe cutter and cut out the bend and re-attached it to the head. It was like stuffing spagetti to get all the wires back in the head---but it worked. Now I have a shorter shaft trolling motor which I like better then a longer one.

Definitely take pictures before you start taking wires out