Not real happy with Motor Guide right now

[Quackrstackr]

I had a couple of buddies in this weekend to fish and we decided to go out on a night trip last night. We ran probably 15 minutes in the dark to where I wanted to fish and I kicked the trolling motor down. I was too far over on the flat (couldn't tell where I was in the pitch black :lol: ) and decided to crank the big motor and idle over to where I needed to be.

I pulled on the locking pin rope for the trolling motor and the pin seemed to be jammed. No big deal, it's happened before. I pulled on it again and just about fell into the floor of the boat. I thought the rope had broken. It wasn't unexpected as it had started to wear a little bit where it ran through the hole in the aluminum bracket. No problem, I'll just feed it back through and tie it off and it will be a little bit shorter. I flip on the light... the rope still has the knot in the end of it. :x The entire mount is made of metal except the slider that the locking pin goes through with the spring attached to it and the pull rope ties to... it is plastic! The eyelet molded into the end of it where the rope ties just snapped right off. :x :x

Of course, this piece is underneath the top bracket...

I also found out last night that there is no manual release for the locking pin on a Motor Guide except for the one that the rope is attached to. You break a rope or that one stupid plastic piece, you're screwed. You can't raise the trolling motor.. period.

Here we are 15 minutes from the boat ramp, in the dark, haven't even started fishing yet and the trolling motor is broken... and stuck in the down position.

Thankfully, at least you can unscrew one large knob and take an entire Motor Guide out of the bow mount bracket. I was so disgusted with the broken motor (and the fact that we had planned to fish today as well, but now had a broken trolling motor) that I just took the thing out of the bracket and threw it in the bottom of the boat so that we could even run the big motor. We called it a night without fishing at all. We made a yoke out of some 250# test dacron bowfishing line to tie the release rope to just so we could go out today.

I have managed to find that part on one site on the internet. One. Looks like I'll be calling them tomorrow and ordering one. I can't believe that a piece that important is the only functional plastic piece on the entire motor mount.

I had people warn me against Motor Guide when I ordered the boat and I tried to save a few dollars. Lesson learned. I've had more problems out of this trolling motor than any motor that I have ever owned... and I have owned several over the years... but this is my first MG. I suspect that it will also be my last.

 

[bassboy1]

I'm of the opinion that the only reason Motorguide is still in business is because they are a branch of Brunswick, which also owns a bunch of other boat manufacturers, (Boston Whaler, Lowe, Lund, Crestliner, Triton, Sea Ray, Bayliner, etc), and thus have the trolling motors sold as a package (along with the Merc outboards), on these boats, which constitute a large part of the market. I believe I heard it recently that Triton offers the Minn Kota "upgrade" (can anyone confirm the validity of that?). I would think that if Motorguides weren't such an inferior motor, that they would have the Minn Kota "option."

 

[Quackrstackr]

Not sure about the option.

My boat didn't come as a package so I could have had any combination of motors that I wanted when I ordered it.

Unlike you, I kinda like the black main motors so that's why I went with one. I thought about a Yamaha but didn't like the looks of it on my particular boat.

 

[bassboy1]

Unlike you, I kinda like the black main motors so that's why I went with one. I thought about a Yamaha but didn't like the looks of it on my particular boat.

Ya gotta remember, I primarily work on motors from 'back in tha day.' Hence my disposition towards mercs. It's kinda carried onto the new motors as a joke (although they probably still wouldn't be my number 1 choice).

The trolling motors though, I do notice a huge quality difference between the black ones, and... well, the other black ones, with the yella' writing.

 

[huntinfool]

I have had both Motor guide and Minnkota, and never really had any problems with any of them. But I just rebuilt a Motor guide Great White and I haven't had any troubles. I hop I won't have any more problems either. It looks like you can drill a hole just behind or next to the ring that broke off and tie the rope on and you should be good. Can you post a link to the site with the part.

 

[Quackrstackr]

I ordered one from here: https://www.trollingmotorparts.com/default.aspx?act=documentdetails.aspx&Documentid=111&category=Motor Guide Bracket Diagrams&MenuGroup=Home&SMID=196&SMSubID=&nosearchprompt=1

Item 19 on that exploded view.

It was $2.25

 

[huntinfool]

That's who I order all my parts from too. Funny thing, I was out with my son and our Pastor's son Saturday. Got the boat launched and had my son get the boat to me at the dock. We went over to the marina (using the trolling motor) and got some minnows for them to drown for some crappie. After which we got out in some open water and I was going to lift up the trolling motor and use the big motor. I grabbed the handle and gave a yank and something broke. I just knew it was going to be that part...but I was lucky, it was just the rope. Now I have got to fix that, but I am thinking I might just order one of these and install a new one so I don't have to go through the troubles your having.

 

[dyeguy1212]

It still amazes me that so many pros use MG. I realize they're sponsored by them, but I still wouldn't want to risk it :roll: Everyone I know that takes their boat out more than one a month has had issues with their MG. Mine crapped out on me with my last boat, so that was the end of that. I've had my MK and have beat the crap out of it this year and its still going strong.


I guess thats why KVD said he carries an extra bow mount in the rear storage compartment of his Nitro, in a Nitro boats infomercial type thing. Doesn't make MG look very good :lol:

 

[Quackrstackr]

The mailman dropped off the part today and par for my luck... it's the wrong one. :x

They have two bracket parts lists on their site and this part has the same part number for both. I figured one was the regular mount and one was the gator mount... they don't specify. Regardless, they both have the same part number.

He told me when I ordered that the part number I was ordering had been replaced by this part number that he sent me. Well, if the original may have fit my bracket... it is obvious that this "replaced by" part does not.

As soon as I took it out of the package I noticed that it had ears on it that my original did not but when I compare them side by side, they aren't even close.

I could have filed the ears down to make the width work but I can't even begin to make the locking pin hole half again bigger to fit my pin. :roll:

Guess I'll be calling them tomorrow and finding out that I'm just out $7.25 (shipping was $5 for first class mail that still took a week to get here)

 

[Quackrstackr]

I called first thing this morning and spoke directly to the guy that I ordered from plus sent him the pictures of exactly what I needed... still no call or email back. About what I figured.

I have found the correct part here: https://www.boats.net/
Their parts breakdowns and listings are 15 times more thorough than the other place.

I also got the part to my door for half of what trollingmotorparts.com charged me just for shipping and handling. :roll:

 

[bassassassin8]

Funny you mention all these MG problems. We recently got one for our boat. Bought it in Febuary or so, fished it for the 1st time it March I think and in May we started having problems with the direction indicator. Not a huge issue obviously once you get used to the TM because you'll know where to go w/o looking. But still, a brand new TM & the cap was popping off direction for no reason.

 

[RiverBottomOutdoors]

Not saying you did this... But I've seen people who must think they're pulling Hell of its hinges when they stow their motor. It takes minimal effort to pop the pin and stow my Motorguide. Kind of do it in two motions. Quick snap of the line to release the retaining pins. Then I pull the motor up and in.

Just bought this motor. After researching the internet....feedback is a mixed bag on both Minn Kota and Motorguide. Hope she's a good un!

 

[ihavenoideawhattoput]

I ordered one from here: https://www.trollingmotorparts.com/default.aspx?act=documentdetails.aspx&Documentid=111&category=Motor Guide Bracket Diagrams&MenuGroup=Home&SMID=196&SMSubID=&nosearchprompt=1

Item 19 on that exploded view.

It was $2.25

Did you order a couple of them? :lol:

 

[Quackrstackr]

Did you order a couple of them? :lol:

No, but I probably should have. :lol: I'm going to get a piece of copper or aluminum tubing and repair the broken one that I removed.

I never did receive a call or email back from the first place that I linked to. I would not recommend them to anyone for future trolling motor problems. The second place that I ordered from was much cheaper and more professional to deal with. Lesson learned. I have a piece that wound up costing me nearly $8 with shipping that is useless to me, if someone on here may need it.

Once I got the correct part from the second supplier, it didn't take me 5 minutes to fix the motor.

Not saying you did this... But I've seen people who must think they're pulling Hell of its hinges when they stow their motor. It takes minimal effort to pop the pin and stow my Motorguide. Kind of do it in two motions. Quick snap of the line to release the retaining pins. Then I pull the motor up and in.

It has always taken a bit more than minimal effort to unlock the pin on my motor but in this particular instance, I had 2 rather large guys jump up on the deck with me in their excitement and stuck the motor straight into the bottom, transducer and all. I was just trying to pop the pin to relieve the pressure off of the transducer and prop when the piece broke. It is the weakest part on the entire motor and serves one of the more critical functions, given the design. I have no idea why they made that part plastic for all of the use and strain that it sees. The entire weight of your motor and bracket is on that tiny loop of plastic so long as you are raising or lowering the motor, not to mention the tension applied to it while releasing the locking pin.

 

[nathanielrthomas]

I agree completely with Dyeguy. MG has been nothing but trouble for me and the guys I fish with. I bought a MK Edge 55 last year and I give it hell in the stump fields wiht no problems, and I fish at least 3 times a week. I keep a spare prop in the boat, but if youre ever find yourself in a situation where you need a spare bow mount, maybe its time to find another brand. Customer service from MG is horrible too IMO.

 

[RiverBottomOutdoors]

Did you order a couple of them? :lol:

No, but I probably should have. :lol: I'm going to get a piece of copper or aluminum tubing and repair the broken one that I removed.

I never did receive a call or email back from the first place that I linked to. I would not recommend them to anyone for future trolling motor problems. The second place that I ordered from was much cheaper and more professional to deal with. Lesson learned. I have a piece that wound up costing me nearly $8 with shipping that is useless to me, if someone on here may need it.

Once I got the correct part from the second supplier, it didn't take me 5 minutes to fix the motor.

Not saying you did this... But I've seen people who must think they're pulling Hell of its hinges when they stow their motor. It takes minimal effort to pop the pin and stow my Motorguide. Kind of do it in two motions. Quick snap of the line to release the retaining pins. Then I pull the motor up and in.

It has always taken a bit more than minimal effort to unlock the pin on my motor but in this particular instance, I had 2 rather large guys jump up on the deck with me in their excitement and stuck the motor straight into the bottom, transducer and all. I was just trying to pop the pin to relieve the pressure off of the transducer and prop when the piece broke. It is the weakest part on the entire motor and serves one of the more critical functions, given the design. I have no idea why they made that part plastic for all of the use and strain that it sees. The entire weight of your motor and bracket is on that tiny loop of plastic so long as you are raising or lowering the motor, not to mention the tension applied to it while releasing the locking pin.

I'd have to agree with you on the plastic...they don't make anything like they use to.

Love that "Paddle Faster....I Hear Banjos"....just gonna let you know now...I'm borrowing that one!!! :lol: