Need Help - Trolling Motor mount screws, Jack Nuts???

[TrepMan]

OK Gang - notices one of the screws holding my Motor Guide trolling motor to my front deck (PC 175) was loose. Tried in vain to tighten it so I took all 4 screws off to see what was up. I expected these Jack Nuts or some kind of bolt with spikes screwed into the deck from underneath. What I found is pictured below. It seems that there is a rubber gromett with a long rubber sleave and at the bottom is a nut that is flanged at the bottom. I assume the idea is the rubber tube holds the nut tight and as you screw down the nut rises up the tube expanding the rubber so it tightens around the wood deck from underneath. The one that wouldn't tighten has a tear all the way up the tube (on the right in the picture) and won't tighten down as I is not held tight by the tube anymore.



Any suggestions on what to do? Should I replace this one tube with a new one? Or is there a better way to attach the motor to the deck? I keep thinking about somekind of removable mount where I could take the trolling motor off when I go cruising/tubing and have an easier time getting off/on the front deck? When I worked in a furniture repair warehouse in college, we had these nuts that hat 4 spikes sticking up that we used to attach to the bottom of funiture legs to hold the casters. Would this work too and then when I removed the screws and the motor the nuts would be tight into the wood? If I do this, I think all i have to do is pull the front panel off where my trolling motor plug is and reach in?



Any other ideas or thoughts??

 

[Mark Hofman]

Trep:



I've got a set of four (see the Swap and Sell section). Ya want one or two? I would like to keep a couple as spares just for this kind of situation, but you're welcome to have a couple.



MO

 

[Mark Hofman]

On my TV-18, the shop replaced my old J*** N*** with regular bolts, nuts and washers. They're tight. They used the rubber part of these isolators so that they wouldn't have do do anything to the old holes. But underneath, there are regular washers and nuts holding everything tight.



By the way, the isolators and bolts I have are NEW, still in the bag. I bought them before taking the boat into the shop, but didn't need them once the boat was fixed.

 

[Rob LaMoy]

Do what Mo had done. That's what I did. You will forever be replacing those things. They're OK for small TM's but anything over 40lb needs bolts and locknuts. Then just annually check them to be sure they're tight.

 

[TrepMan]

Guys - Thanks!



Rob - It is only a 40lb motor.



Tee/MO - What you guys think? If I replace them and tighten down like TEE says, will I easily and safely (with out tearing them again) be able to remove the trolling motor a few times a year?



MO - Just to keep my mind working on ideas, what did they costs/what do you want for them? Or can I send you a 1 week old Spinning rod PERSONALLY broken by the ONE and ONLY Scott/Staci!!! LOL

 

[TrepMan]

By the way, is this a Tracker/Nitro way to mount or is it the typical Motorguide mount?

 

[Tim King]

They are around 13 to 14 dollars a set. I just replaced a set that I broke replacing the base of my TM bracket. THey are awful handy, but the larger tm's torque the hell out of them and when I can con my skinny cousin into climbing back into the front of my boat I will put washers and lock nuts back on as this is my third set of these, and I am to short and fat to climb in there and reach them!



Tim

 

[Mark Hofman]

I think the set cost me $12, but don't quote me on that. They're in my garage sitting in a box. I'll send them at no cost to you.



This is a typical Motorguide mounting system, and it isn't unique to Tracker.



But rather than remove the whole motor and mount, why not just remove the motor? The strap can hold the bracket down. I've done it, and the having just the bracket there clears a good deal of deck space up front. You unscrew the breakaway bolt, take off a small star nut, and pull the second support pin. Set everything off to the side in a safe place and you're good to go!



If it were me, I'd do what my shop did to my boat, and then just remove the motor, cable and pedal to cruise or tube. That way you're not wearing out the holes in the deck or the mount itself.

 

[TrepMan]

I'd never ask you to send them for free, we'd figure something out. I do like the idea of just solid bolting it. Will have to get out there tonite and look under the deck to make sure I can (in my boat) get my scrawny hands up to where the front bolts would go. I'll also look at how to remove the motor and leave the mount!



Thanks MO and everyone else - Nothing like this SITE!! MAN quick responses!



Still thinking of the bolts that mount into the wood so i'd have the option of either way. No hurry MO no fishing for a couple weeks, cruising/tubing this weekend.

 

[Mark Hofman]

I'll pop two of the rubber isolators and bolts off to you in the mail tomorrow morning.



In my mind, I would insert the new isolator, snug it up, but then back it with a stainless steel washer larger than the diameter of the rubber isolator, and tighten it up with a stainless steel nut.

 

[TrepMan]

Mark - Hold off till tomorrow AM - I'm heading out to Home Depot after dinner to see if I can find what I want to permanently mount the base. Will Post in the morning or late tonite if I need the extra's!

 

[Mark Hofman]

I'll bring them to work tomorrow, just in case you decide you need them, and I'll check back a few more times.



MO

 

[TrepMan]

Cool, just about wrapped up here and Home Debit is just 10 minutes down the road. The BOYS love to go with Daddy there! Especially if they get to see a fork lift work!!

 

[JEFF WHITE]

go to the local hardware store,buy 5/16" stainless bolts,fender washers,lock washers,and nylock nuts,and bolt that sucker down.solve the problem once and for all.just make sure the mount is level with the boat also.shim it up with stainless washers.

 

[TrepMan]

Found what I needed at Home Depot - Can't remember the name, but they are long bolts with a washer built in and 4 metal spikes sticking up.



Tim - I'm SKINNY and I could not get my hand up thru the small opening behind the bow panel to get to the holes. BUT I figured out a way - Use a yardstick, put a piece of duct-tape rolled in a ball on the end, place the bolt on the tape and guide the yardstick near the hole (looking down from the top), get the bolt lined up and hand screw the screw into the bold to get it "caught" then pull back on the yardstick and viola!



I'll take some pictures tonite and post a new grab bag in the morning.



Thanks for everyone's help! And MO's offer to ship me free Jack Nuts!!

 

[C C]

I feel your pain Trep, I have replaced mine twice. BoB Bourget sent me a set of those so called "Jack Nuts" and they lasted two trips. So the I too like many others ventured to home depot for a permanent solution and bought 4 washers 4 lock nuts and 3 rubber 1" grommets. On the front left one I only used a washer and lock nut, I only have 1" of screw hanging down. If it was any longer it would go right through the side of the boat. Even worse is if the screw is pushed all of the way down you can't get the nut on. I solved the squeezing in to the tight space to put that last nut on using piece of duck tape on the bottom side of a crescent wrench and then setting the nut in the opening of the wrench. The tape keeps the nut in place until you are ready to turn it onto the screw.



Glad to hear that you found a easy solution and are now Jack Nut free.



Cass

 

[TrepMan]

OK got her all fixed up - What I used was called a "TEE NUT". I took the existing Jack Nuts and left the top portion (the rectangle part that sits between the TM and the Deck) and left about 3/4 of the rubber tubing. I then, using duct-tape, put the TEE NUT on the end of my yardstick and positioned it into the hole. I then put the existing Jack Nut SCREW thru the remaining rubber grommett with a heavy steel washer between the screw head and the rubber. I then tightened this down so that the steel spikes on the TEE NUT were sunk into the bottom of the deck. I used the extra Steel washer to help pull the TEE NUT into the deck. When I tried it with out the washer, the Rubber grommett would not let the screw head pull the TEE NUT tight enough into the wood deck.



I then backed out the screw, took off the washer, and after repeating this process 3 more times, positioned my trolling motor and screwed her down tight!



Only thing I figured out this morning, is I FORGOT to strap between the motor and the deck - DUH!! Well that will be easy to fix this morning.

 

[TrepMan]

Forgot to post the picture of how I got my bolts into the front of the deck.



Here is a picture of the yardstick with some Duct-tape rolled up holding the TEE NUT.

 

[Jim B]

Trep

Tee nuts dont have alot of surface area to dissapate the load the trolling motor puts on the deck and id be affraid they might pull thru the plywood under the deck from the load that tm puts on it. Its not the thrust im worried about its the weight of it hanging off the deck and the stress from running rough water and also hitting bumps on the trailer im concerned about. Like the guys said above BIG fender washers and nylock nuts are your best bet. Put them on and you will never have another problem with the mounting. Getting them on should be pretty easy on your boat. if you pull the carpeted peice that that plastic panel in the picture attaches to you will have plenty of room to get in there to do it. i think its held on by like 5 screws. i did that job on a buddies pt185 and another buddies pt175 and had no problem getting my arm in there to get the nuts and washers on. im not exactly a small guy and i had no problem doing it, the access it tight but it can be done. I would replace those tee nuts with the washers and locknuts if you can.

 

[TrepMan]

Jim - i'm not a mechanic or physicist, so let me see if this makes sense - I measured the diamiter of the bottom of the Tee nut and it is wider then the total diamiter of the Jack nut in the rubber sleeve. I am still trying to think of a permanent solution to be able to remove the whole trolling motor and leave just the nuts/holes, but am not there yet.



If the width of the Tee nuts are wider (at the bottom but not as wide as the nut in the Jack Nut from a length perspective) doesn't that make it easier to hold than the Jack Nut. In fact since once of my Jack Nut rubber sleeve's tore it pulled right out of the hole.



What do you think?

 

[Mark Hofman]

Interesting fix! So, I assume based on the work that you've done that you do NOT want me to mail the rubber isolator mounts? That's good, because my wife took the truck this morning to help a friend move, and I forgot to take the bag out of it before she left.

 

[TrepMan]

MO - Yup, don't send them to me, even if I end up going Jim/Jamey/CC's view and traditional bolt/lock washer I still won't need yours. Thanks for the offer buddy!!!

 

[Bob G.]

Trep,



If you want to be able to remove your TM frequently, you should checkout the TM mounting on the Nitro fish and ski's. My boat has two mounting plates attached to the boat. Then there is a plate mounted to the TM. You then place the TM over the mounting plate holes and slide it in. There is a thumbscrew that screws down into a hole to keep it from sliding. Mine has never come loose. I'll take a pic for you.



Bob G.

 

[Bob G.]

Trep,



I took some pics with my TM off. It takes less than a minute to remove/install the trolling motor. Check out my link and look in the "TM Bracket" folder.



Bob G.
http://www.picturetrails.com/rjg

 

[Bob G.]

Forgot to tell you that the boat also came with two cover plates to cover up the mounts when the TM is removed.



Bob G.

 

[TrepMan]

Wonder when you'd chime in TEE on your very own NUTS!

 

[TrepMan]

Bob/Jamey - Found the Motor Guide removable mount on BPS at:



http://www.basspro-shops.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=1200&hvarDept=200&hvarEvent=&hvarClassCode=2&hvarSubCode=3&hvarTarget=browse



$49.99 - Just don't have the extra $50 right now.