# MotorGuide VariMAX issues



## Frogman Ladue (Apr 6, 2012)

Does anyone have access to a service manual or wiring diagrams for MG VariMAX motors? I lost reverse yesterday. :x 

It's warranty has expired.


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## RiverBottomOutdoors (Apr 6, 2012)

https://www.motorguide.com/support/literature


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## Frogman Ladue (Apr 6, 2012)

Thanks, but that was just a pdf of the owners manual.


I took it apart and figured it out. The Varimax has the push/pull tiller for forward and reverse. Inside the upper unit, attached to the end of the tiller is a ring shaped magnet. When the tiller is pushed/pulled the magnet moves and activates a magnetic switch on the board. The ring magnet is friction fit to the tiller...there's no glue that holds the magnet in place. Well, the ring magnet worked it's way off the tiller handle and slid all the way down the throttle, rheostat shaft. I'm going to reaffix the magnet, with some glue this time, put it all back together and see what happens.


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## Frogman Ladue (Apr 16, 2012)

The screw driver is pointing to the "ring magnet" in it's proper position on the end of the tiller. If this magnet moves from this position, you will loose reverse. 



....i figured I'd snap a pic. I'm sure someone else's Varimax will break the same way. :roll:


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## ckgrier2 (Mar 22, 2016)

Thanks for posting this picture back 2012. It helped me confirm that what I thought was wrong was actually the problem on my 75 lb thrust motor this week.

I used E2000 glue to put it back on the shaft. Friction was NOT happening - in fact it looked like MotorGuide had used some kind of glue that had failed.

My motor is now working again. 

--ckgrier


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## RiverBottomOutdoors (Mar 24, 2016)

I've had nothing but trouble with my Varimax 24V 75#. I'm hard on trolling motors, but I think replacing the head 4 times in 3 years is a bit much.


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## NautiBuoys (May 14, 2021)

Sorry to necropost (i.e., bring back a thread from the dead) but this old thread just saved me $210. Instead of buying a new head unit (appears MotorGuide offers no separate parts), I found the magnet ring had slipped off, re-superglued it and away it works again.


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