Can you shorten a trolling motor shaft

Can you shorten the shaft on a trolling motor? Thread starter Bearcamp Start date Mar 14, Bearcamp Petty Officer 1st Class. Joined May 21, Messages Have a 51 inch shaft Minn Kota trolling motor and would like to make it about a 40 inch. My question is, can you cut the shaft down to the desired lenght without harming anything? Hows it done and what all is needed that's if it can be done.

OBJ Supreme Mariner. Joined Dec 27, Messages 10, Re: Can you shorten the shaft on a trolling motor? Hi ya' Bearcamp. Easiest way is to remove the head and cut the top shaft down.

Gotta be careful no to cut the wires running down the shaft. Which Minn Kota you got? Usually the head has a thru bolt holding it to the shaft. You'll have to redrill the hole. You'll also have to shorten the wires going down the shaft from the head. As I said above, however, I'd pull the head and see what the shaft-top looks like first.

Easy enough to do. Let us know what you find, please. All I did was use a pipe cutter to cut the shaft where I wanted it. Used a cut off wheel on my Dremel to make a slot down it so I could peel it off the wires. Drilled a new hole for the set screw and put it back together. It's pretty simple to do as described above.

First you need to determine exactly how much shorter you want the shaft to be. Remove the control head take notice of the alignment of the bolt hole or slot in relation to the motor. This will be important for keeping the handle alignment the same after you cut the length. Disclaimers: eCanoe and MEDesign assume no responsibility for the use of these instructions. Motor design is subject to change without notice, and is solely controlled by the manufacturer of the motor.

Modifying a motor may void any warranty on the motor. Use all proper safety equipment to protect against bodily injury. How to Shorten Trolling Motor Shafts Introduction: Trolling motor shafts are designed for large boats with high motor mounts. Click on this image to download a free copy: Study these instructions fully before starting to be sure the tools and various equipment is on hand to complete the job.