wasilvers
Well-known member
After 2 years of good use, my Minn Kota Edge trolling motor was going SLOWER making noises from the front of it. I thought it was going slower from the battery and bought another. The noise was just enough that I'd swear it affected my fishing. I took it apart and saw the motor brushes were chipped and the motor armature was slightly grooved from use. Sorry I don't have pictures.
To disassemble, remove your prop - be careful you catch the 'key'. There are two bolts behind the prop, these back out about 3/4 inch before they are loose, pull them out and the top cover comes out, probably will pull the motor out with it. Then the motor houseing comes off. Note: If you do this, make sure you mark front and back, top and bottom of the trolling motor 'body', the long shaft. If you put it on upside down, it will run backwards :roll:
I ordered new brushes (all of $9) from a local vendor who overnighted them to me for a total cost of under $19. Then I took a tiny wire brush on my dremmel to the armature to polish and knock down the ridges. This probably isn't necessary as the next polishign step does a better job. I bought some high grit sandpaper, 400 and 600 grit. I stuck the prop end of the troller in my drill. Put the drill in a vise and turn it on. The motor rotates round and round, like in a lathe - except I put mine pointing straight up to lessen the chance of it falling. Take a small strip of the fine grit sandpapers and move it up and down on the armature as it turns. It takes off the rest of ridges and makes is smooth as glass - especially as you move to the 600 grit paper. A good blow off with the airhose and I was ready to put it back together. I oiled the one bearing on the shaft, put in the new brushes and reassembled.
Oh my goodeness. There is so much more power - high speed is REALLY fast and it is QUIET linke new again. The only sound I hear is the prop moving through the air.
Can't wait to get back on the water!
To disassemble, remove your prop - be careful you catch the 'key'. There are two bolts behind the prop, these back out about 3/4 inch before they are loose, pull them out and the top cover comes out, probably will pull the motor out with it. Then the motor houseing comes off. Note: If you do this, make sure you mark front and back, top and bottom of the trolling motor 'body', the long shaft. If you put it on upside down, it will run backwards :roll:
I ordered new brushes (all of $9) from a local vendor who overnighted them to me for a total cost of under $19. Then I took a tiny wire brush on my dremmel to the armature to polish and knock down the ridges. This probably isn't necessary as the next polishign step does a better job. I bought some high grit sandpaper, 400 and 600 grit. I stuck the prop end of the troller in my drill. Put the drill in a vise and turn it on. The motor rotates round and round, like in a lathe - except I put mine pointing straight up to lessen the chance of it falling. Take a small strip of the fine grit sandpapers and move it up and down on the armature as it turns. It takes off the rest of ridges and makes is smooth as glass - especially as you move to the 600 grit paper. A good blow off with the airhose and I was ready to put it back together. I oiled the one bearing on the shaft, put in the new brushes and reassembled.
Oh my goodeness. There is so much more power - high speed is REALLY fast and it is QUIET linke new again. The only sound I hear is the prop moving through the air.
Can't wait to get back on the water!