Trolling motor freezing up

dnj21

Recruit
Joined
Oct 29, 2013
Messages
1
I bought a 55# Minn Kota tiller handle new this summer to use on my layout boat and fishing boats. Used on the layout boat last weekend duck hunting, worked great, took it home and stored upright outside (temps from teens to 20's). Sat morning at 430 when launching it wouldn’t turn the propeller. I was finally able to break it free manually, sounded like it might have been frozen up inside. After an hour inside it ran fine.

I always ASSUMED they were sealed and cold weather would not affect function, but I guess I was wrong?
 

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
28,758
No -- you are not wrong. The motor would freeze up only if there was ice between the prop hub and the motor housing, OR unless the prop shaft or housing seal has been compromised. The later is unlikely. If there had been enough water inside the motor to prevent the armature from turning, the motor would not have run, or at least not very well after being thawed out.
 

tblshur

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 24, 2011
Messages
688
dnj21 if you didnt already , you might take prop off and check for fishing line will eat seal up. good luck:joyous:
 

Grub54891

Vice Admiral
Joined
Jun 17, 2012
Messages
5,908
Mine got water into tge lower unit,not from a seal leak,but from a leak at the powerhead. I found out by taking the housing off to see what was wrong,and it was layed down with the head down,water came out the shaft. The top of the shaft was not sealed in any way. It is now! I lightly loosed up the screws for the lower unit,and let it dry out for a few day's. By golly it still works,that was 5 years ago.
 

GA_Boater

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
May 24, 2011
Messages
49,038
Welcome aboard, dnj. Since Minn Kota TMs comes with a 2 year warranty and water seems to be getting into the motor housing, maybe a call to Minn Kota is the best thing to do. You may have a faulty unit.
 
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