Electrical Rebuild 79 170/Shaft extension motorguide FW71-FB

[alandry100]

As advertised Genuinedealz.com came through - 2 17' 6 AWG red and black trolling motor lines and a 2' yellow w/ two lugs, 100' of grey 16 gauge (don't have the loot to spring for all the correct colors) and shrink wrap but splices to to with. Half the price of local and quick, had an issue with the start of the order - got lost somewhere (only two days), I left a message and when I called back they answered with - "Aaron (my first name without me saying, Hi), sorry we screwed it up on this end, figured out, we will send it this afternoon." Two days later at my door. 1 week turn around even with mess up. Top notch.

Things to do,
 
Clean up wiring in console.



- positive go on the right and negs go the the gang on the left?



haven't really figured these switches out yet but seem pretty simple.

Can I find a pole for this fitting?  - I think it's original 1979.



I'm also altering a 71lb trolling motor - changing from a 42" column to a 50" I have all the parts. I'll post the change.

[seabob4]

Aaron,
Change out that fuse block!  See the wonderful green?  Corrosion, makes everything work harder and fail quicker.  Go with this Blue Seas 6-gang fuse block w/ground bus...http://shop.genuinedealz.com/Items/gim- ... ound%20Bus

Aaron, I'm a regular as far as ordering from GD, they are top notch people, a little closer to me than to you.  I order on Monday, have my stuff on Thursday.  Love it!  Oh, and are those push/pull switches that you show the back sides of?

[alandry100]

Thanks sb - I will definitely switch out, wasn't sure what to use. There is some real weirdness with the wiring, seems like someone spliced a bunch of stuff to things for no apparent reason - all of which are gone at this point but the chaos remains.

On the push pull switches will any slot type connectors work to rewire?

[seabob4]

Thanks sb - I will definitely switch out, wasn't sure what to use. There is some real weirdness with the wiring, seems like someone spliced a bunch of stuff to things for no apparent reason - all of which are gone at this point but the chaos remains.

On the push pull switches will any slot type connectors work to rewire?

If you want to do it right, get the adhesive lined heat shrink terminals like these...http://shop.genuinedealz.com/Items/gim- ... %20-%205pk

But I would be looking at replacing those switches...

[alandry100]

I plan to switch those out too but may wait until winter - unless they're toast.

I have several questions



Opened up the top of the trolling motor and I have several questions:

- Do you think I can use 16 gauge for all of these even though they are different sizes? I need to extend them.
-Should I leave the connections there or splice once and reconnect after.

-Should I solder and shrink wrap or use shrink wrapped butt connectors?

[seabob4]

If you are just going to extend the wires, pick the largest GA and use that for all.  Looks to be about 14GA from the pic.

And use adhesive-lined heat shrink butts.  No solder necessary...

And even though some may think those are wire nuts in the pic, those are actually the crimpable splices that ARE acceptable...but I hate them, never use them.  Get rid of them!!

[alandry100]

Thanks - seabob - I like the shrink-wrap butt splices a lot. I have never used them until now but they are sweet.

Got the bilge pump working - just had to pull it out and free up the motor - seems to work fine. The float switch however is toast. The wires are completely corroded along the whole length.

I cannot figure out how to free up the column on the trolling motor. I can get the power head off the bottom but I cant figure out how to get the top side free. It is threaded but there is no good way to stop the whole thing from spinning. I guess I will just have to take the whole thing apart. I was hoping to avoid it.

[seabob4]

Is it keyed?  Press fit?  I doubt it's threaded, could back off...

May want to contact the company CS, Motorguide, Minn Kota, whomever...

[alandry100]

Judging from the new one the old one is threaded - both ends are identical.

[seabob4]

I can get the power head off the bottom but I cant figure out how to get the top side free. It is threaded but there is no good way to stop the whole thing from spinning.

And there in lies the problem.  And seeing as a lot of parts are made of plastic...  

[GoneFission]

That looks like a MotorGuide head, right?  Most of them just screw off - but they have sealer on the threads that can make it hard to get loose.  A few MotorGuides have a little pop rivet through the housing into a hole on the shaft (to keep it from coming loose, I guess).  If you've got one with the pop rivet you need to drill the rivet out and then it will unscrew.  Be careful if you have to extend the wires going down the shaft to the motor.  You can't use a crimp connector if the wire will need to go down the barrel - not enough room.  You should do an inline solder splice with heat shrink insulation.  I think the wire there is 19 strand, so it's not bad to do an inline solder splice, but be careful there are no sharp edges to break through the heat shrink after it's in service.  

Good luck!

[alandry100]

The powerhead end just screws off, they have it sealed with locktite red. The top end is what I am concerned about.

Here is a link to the parts diagram, It looks like the column is threaded into part #15? If so I think I have to take the whole thing apart. No such thing as an easy fix.

http://www.boats.net/parts/search/Merc2 ... arts.html#

There is not a lot of room in the column - do you think that if I stagger the splices I can fit them in? The tight spot is at the top but at that point there will be only wires coming through.

[alandry100]

Ok - got it apart time for splicing and rebuild.



clipped the wires.



picture to remember how it goes back together.



I will have to go back in the right position so it is calibrated correctly.



by loosing the bottom clamp the whole column/pinion popped up after the housing was removed.



pinion unscrewed from the top with the help of the vice grips, put the column in a vice and spun off the power head - with the help of a heat gun, had to get it quite hot - hopefully didn't do any damage.



Here is the chaos - sorry about the out of focus.

Should I splice them high or low in the column, I am going to stagger.

[alandry100]

All back together, wires fit fine in the column with staggered splices.



Have a problem with different sized connectors. I need to find some size 12-10 shrink wrapped butt splices locally, does west marine carry those. I could also solder and shrink wrap.



Also need one of these - anything tricky about crimping these?



Now for the trick part, mounting the thing. The bow is not flat so all six holes do not fit flush, I think I could shim it but maybe some kind of rubber mat doubled up fore and aft?

[kraw2]

I too buy from www.genuinedealz.com. Mike is a great guy and will get you fixed up quickly.

You can get the yellow 10-12 gauge heat shrink butt connectors at West Marine and some Auto Part stores. Make sure you use a good crimper made for the heat shrink connectors. A point and cup crimper is not what you want to use. Maybe Seabob has a picture of one he can post for all to see.

It looks like you're doing a good job. I hope you get it back together and working like new.