# shortening a trolling motor shaft ? , any idea's ?



## txnman69 (Mar 4, 2013)

i have a minn kota endura c2 (55 lbs thrust). the shaft is 36" but the motor is far deeper in the water than my transom when the control head is where i need it.
i have a background in electronics but would like to know if anyone else has done this or if anyone has any ideas.
thanks :beer:


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## JMichael (Mar 4, 2013)

Done several of them. Take the control head apart and separate it from the top end of the shaft. If it's a metal shaft and you can get your hands on a large pipe cutter it's easier. If you can't get a cutter you'll have to use a hack saw. Figure out how much shorter you want the shaft and mark it that far down from the top. Next find something that you can slip down in the pipe to keep the wires away from the side you are cutting on. It's best if you can find a piece of flat bar stock that will fit inside the shaft to act as a guard to keep the saw from being able to nick the wires. Once the blade goes through the inside of the pipe, move the saw around the pipe a little and continue cutting. Keep doing that until you've made it all the way around. 

P.S. Take a picture or make a note of the orientation of any bolt holes or notches in the top of the shaft in relation to the motor/prop before you start cutting. You'll have to duplicate them after you've cut the shaft off. Depending on how much you cut off, you may need to shorten the wires but it's you're only taking off a few inches you can usually shove the excess wire down in the shaft.


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## sawmill (Mar 4, 2013)

Do you have to unhook the wires from the head to get the shaft off the wires. I have one that I have to cut down also. Is the shaft threaded into the head of the motor? Thanks Ivan


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## JMichael (Mar 4, 2013)

sawmill said:


> Do you have to unhook the wires from the head to get the shaft off the wires. I have one that I have to cut down also. Is the shaft threaded into the head of the motor? Thanks Ivan



I've never tried to remove the shaft on one because it seemed like more trouble to do it that way. 

[youtube]m0M-7Grp8Pc[/youtube]


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## kofkorn (Mar 4, 2013)

I just did mine this fall, on a Minn Kota Powerdrive V2. I bought a new shaft, planning on cutting it, then replacing the original. However, once I started trying to take off the old shaft, it was a royal PITA. I decided to just cut the original shaft with the wiring in place. I took a hack saw, and carefully cut until I broke through the side wall. Then I rotated the unit 90 deg and cut again. I did this on all four sides, then cleaned out the little pieces that were left. Each cut took less than a minute with a hand hack saw, and the end result was very clean. I would definitely do it this way again. When I was done, there was only a very small abrasion on one of the jackets where the saw hit the wire, absolutely nothing to worry about. 

I then aligned the head with the power unit and used the existing cross hole in the head as a drill guide for the screw. Again, easy as pie. 

In the end, I did it this way because I had the other shaft available in the case that something went wrong, but I never needed it. 

Good luck with yours!


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## Zum (Mar 4, 2013)

Shouldn't have to take it off the motor...
Heres one done at this site...powerdrive but it will put you in the right spot.
https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=15467&hilit=shortening+trolling+motor+shaft


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## sawmill (Mar 4, 2013)

Zum said:


> Shouldn't have to take it off the motor...
> Heres one done at this site...powerdrive but it will put you in the right spot.
> https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=15467&hilit=shortening+trolling+motor+shaft


 This is what I had in mind. I just wasn't sure how many wires were in the shaft. I will have to give it a try. If I screw it up I will tell my wife I need a new one for my birthday because the old one don't work anymore  Thanks Ivan


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## txnman69 (Mar 4, 2013)

thank you ivan and all others, GREAT info , nice to be able to have a place to ask people who've have done things the rest of us havn't :beer: 
thanks again to all 8)


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## thudpucker (Mar 5, 2013)

Here's some Cheep stuff you can monky around with:

https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=29078


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