# Trolling Motor Problems



## Scallah3 (Oct 6, 2018)

Does it have the twist style forward and reverse handle?


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

Yep, just the standard twist handle.


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## jasonrl23 (Jul 27, 2009)

SomaliPirate said:


> Tiller bow mount Riptide that dates to the Clinton Administration. It now has decided to only work in reverse. I don't want to go in reverse. I've tried cussing, the flip flop and even tapping the head with a rubber mallet and spraying electronics cleaner in any crevice I can find. Any ideas? I'm not looking forward to what Miller's Boating would charge me to fix it.


I just rebuilt a EP130 and upgraded it to a 140. Its from the late 90s and I knew nothing about trolling motors before I started.

They are the most simple thing on a boat to repair. Go to minn kota and buy a new control head and switch for the handle. Take a photo before you pull the wires off. Installation is reverse of removal.

Northland Marine is awesome for parts as well. If you call them theyll walk you through any questions you might have about repair.


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

jasonrl23 said:


> I just rebuilt a EP130 and upgraded it to a 140. Its from the late 90s and I knew nothing about trolling motors before I started.
> 
> They are the most simple thing on a boat to repair. Go to minn kota and buy a new control head and switch for the handle. Take a photo before you pull the wires off. Installation is reverse of removal.
> 
> Northland Marine is awesome for parts as well. If you call them theyll walk you through any questions you might have about repair.


Thanks man!


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## NealXB2003 (Jun 8, 2020)

I'd probably start by pulling the lower halves apart and visually inspecting the brushes. Easy enough to do. Two screws behind the prop. Just have a replacement gasket on hand.


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## timogleason (Jul 27, 2013)

You tube is your friend - I am not very mechanical but the parts are cheap and it is pretty easy after looking at the You tube videos. Will take some time but once you learn, you can do it again.


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## Scallah3 (Oct 6, 2018)

Sound like the forward/reverse switch. Very easy to replace. Jason sounds like he put you in the right path.


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## Mako 181 (May 1, 2020)

jasonrl23 said:


> I just rebuilt a EP130 and upgraded it to a 140. Its from the late 90s and I knew nothing about trolling motors before I started.
> 
> They are the most simple thing on a boat to repair. Go to minn kota and buy a new control head and switch for the handle. Take a photo before you pull the wires off. Installation is reverse of removal.
> 
> Northland Marine is awesome for parts as well. If you call them theyll walk you through any questions you might have about repair.


I have used Northland as well as Marine Carpeting LLC in GA with lots of success. 

And always Master Repair in Stuart Fl.


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## mwolaver (Feb 6, 2014)

If it works in reverse, always, then it should not be a brush problem, right? The Minnkota website is pretty awesome for finding and buying parts. Get the whole forward/reverse/throttle assembly, if that makes sense. Usually way cheap. 

Mike at Master Repair is the man.


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## Lowtidelowlife (Aug 19, 2014)

Use a push pole you weenie


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## jcwoodard (Sep 19, 2020)

Some great advise on here already, but here is how I would look at the problem. First, is this a late Clinton or early Clinton motor, the info I provide below is for post 2000 and probably better for later than 2010. If you dont have a red, black, white and yellow wire coming out of the tube from the lower unit, stop reading and just get a new motor, because you probably wont be able to find parts. So the typical tiller motor has two points that control the speed, a switch in the control head and a speed control coil that is epoxied into the front piece of the lower unit (LU). If it is the switch in the head, no biggie,15 bucks I think to replace. But you need to make sure its not the speed coil in the LU. Easy way to check, coming out of the tube from the LU should be 4 wires one black, one red, at 12 ga, and one white and one yellow at 14-16 ga. The red and black go directly to the brushes, the white and yellow go to the speed coil, and the yellow is connected to the red side on the brush plate. What you want to do is test the speed coil. Easiest and best way to do this is to take it to a Minn Kota authorized service center. If you are in NC, I am in Hampstead at Eastern Outfitters (910-270-2823) and ask for me (Jon) in the Marine Center. If not, I will try to explain. Disconnect everything from the switch in the head (dont worry the switch is all lableled with what color goes where). Connect the black (from the LU) to a 12V - and alternately connect the white and yellow, as well as the red. The red goes straight to the brush plate, so it will go straight to high speed and I believe the yellow is as well, but when you connect white wire to 12V+, it will be slow speed. If this works as described, then it is the upper switch. But usually on older motors, it is the speed coil. As soon as you take the LU apart you will be able to see the burned out epoxy in the front piece and you will smell it. To replace the speed coil, you will need a new front piece of the LU and a new tube (tube is under a lifetime warranty, but must be done by a warranty center). Tube must be epoxied to the front piece of the LU, and again, best to be done by a MK service center, but you can do it yourself, you will have to pay for the tube along with everything else. This is either too much of an explanation/description or not enough, and I apologize either way, hard to describe something that you can easily see in your head.

Jon


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## jcwoodard (Sep 19, 2020)

Lowtidelowlife said:


> Use a push pole you weenie


I Like It!!!! But some people are older, and some days, push poles suck.


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

Lowtidelowlife said:


> Use a push pole you weenie


How am I supposed to use a push pole when I'm slinging live chum?!


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

Thanks for the responses, y'all. I'm going to try to pull her apart this weekend and see what I can come up with.


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## Lowtidelowlife (Aug 19, 2014)

SomaliPirate said:


> How am I supposed to use a push pole when I'm slinging live chum?!


If I can use live mullet on a fly rod because I secretly hate everything that is sacred you can too.


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