Dang!

[Rebbasser]

Bent my trolling motor shaft. Now I get to mess with getting it to somebody that can fix it. Fortunately I still have my old TM so I can still fish. Where's that number to the insurance company?

[bass kicker]

thats why i use minnkota you cant bend the shafts and if you snap one they replace it free

[bassintom]

i had a MG TM once,bent the shaft on it.....laid it on the ground under my back bumper..put a jack between the TM and the hitch and jacked up the truck till i straightened out the shaft..couldn't even tell it had been bent...worked just fine.

[Rebbasser]

Actually, "bent" isn't exactly the correct term. I have a spring break on a Gator mount, and apparently I hit a stump or rock that did it's job and broke. Problem is, it hit the rub bumper on the boat and got a dent in it that is deep enough to cause it to really grind when turning it and I have to put all my weight on the pedal to get it to turn. I have figured out how to prevent it in the future but need to get it fixed first.

[bass kicker]

oh that sucks what size was it Reb

[Rebbasser]

24 volt 71 lb thrust Motorguide.

[bass kicker]

was it under warrenty still or you going to have to pay

[Rebbasser]

Still under warranty,but this is not covered. It is insured, though, so it shouldn't cost me a lot. I hope . If it looks too cost prohibitive I may end up just getting a new one, but I seriously doubt it will come to that.

[bass kicker]

the shaft is not covered under warrenty that is horrible i was thinking about switching over to motor guide but there is no way i will now the warrenty alone on a minn kota is worth buying them over motor guide (well to me any way)

[JB]

Most trolling motor manufacturers know that the unit goes through hell, we've bent shafts on our press brakes that guys bring in after whacking a stump or other objects....not sure what they cover other than mechanical breakdowns...we used to break the cable on ours years ago all the time, carried spares

[bass kicker]

thats why i like minn kota if the shaft breaks they will replace the whole unit for free and that is a life time warrenty

[Rebbasser]

No, bk, they won't. If there is something wrong with the motor it is covered, but if it is an accident like this it is not. Doesn't matter what company it is. Hit a stump and bend the shaft on that MinnKota and they won't fix it for free or replace it. Same principal if you slam a lifetime warranty rod in the door and break it. That isn't covered.

[1FASTLASER]

Originally Posted by Rebbasser

No, bk, they won't. If there is something wrong with the motor it is covered, but if it is an accident like this it is not. Doesn't matter what company it is. Hit a stump and bend the shaft on that MinnKota and they won't fix it for free or replace it. Same principal if you slam a lifetime warranty rod in the door and break it. That isn't covered.

You got it buddy. Accidental breakage is NOT covered under any warrantys. Alot of people are misled or dont read there warranties and dont know this.

[zooker]

reb
been there done that...

zooker

[bassnman30]

Rebbasser, thats odd. I've got the same TM that you do and mine breaks free each time I hit something. Maybe I need to hit something while going alot faster !

[Rebbasser]

Wasn't going fast-guess I hit it just hard enough. I did figure a way to prevent it once I get it fixed. I'm going to attach a piece of foam pipe insulation around the shaft where it can hit the boat as padding.

[bass kicker]

reb withour minn kota i hit a rock and cracked the shaft and they replaced it free of charge

[bassintom]

the noise and hard steering is because the inner shaft is rubbing the out shaft...i also had this problem once..i put the shaft in a vise..did not tear the TM down..just took it off the bracket.squeezed it in the vise.wish i could show a pic but you want the pressure points on each side of the dent..just tighten down a little at a time,checking to see if the shaft stops rubbing..you only need a little clearance.it won't get the dent out but it will put you back in business...

[Rebbasser]

Tom, the way my luck runs I'd just screw it up worse if I tried that.

[IL.bassin36]

Reb I wonder of you can pull it out with one of those dent pullers they use in a body shop? You could then just fill the hole with some epoxy putty or you could even put some silicone on a short sheetmetal screw and run it in there.

[Rebbasser]

I thought about that, IL, but like I said, the way my luck runs I'd probably just screw it up worse. I'll put it in the shop later this week-I still have the TM this one replaced, so I can still fish while it is in the shop.

[bass kicker]

well at least you got a back up