Minn Kota 40lb Power Drive - Faulty foot pedal?

triplebogey

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Jan 29, 2005
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I have a Minn Kota 40lb Power Drive trolling motor that I recently brought into the saltwater (I know, I shouldn't have done that). Now, the motor works fine but won't turn right or left. Here are my thoughts - there could be corrosion in the electronics inside the footpedal or there could be corrosion on the prongs that connect the footpedal to the motor. I checked the prongs but I'm not sure how I can get in there to clean them. Any thoughts on how I should troubleshoot this?

As a last resort, does anyone know a website or phone# where I can order a replacement pedal?
 

NBE

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Oct 28, 2003
Messages
354
Re: Minn Kota 40lb Power Drive - Faulty foot pedal?

I can say that those pedals are not that easy to find. Most who advertise them do not have them in stock. It looks as though Iboats does not have them so I will recommend the below mentioned place.

I bought one last year from Foster's Trolling Motor Repairs for around $65.00 or so. They are located somewhere around New Orleans, LA. I received it a couple of days after placing the order but of course I live fairly close to them.

Do a search on Google for Minn Kota repairs and you'll find them and probably some other places too.
 

Silvertip

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Re: Minn Kota 40lb Power Drive - Faulty foot pedal?

The bottom of the foot pedals is not very well protected from moisture. Disassemble the foot pedal and check the right and left contacts. Simply connecting and disconnecting the main connector a few times should clean the contacts up enough to at least determine if that's the problem. If you aren't at least a little savy about electronics, maybe one of your friends is and will at least take a look at it if you explain what's supposed to happen.
 

JB

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45,907
Re: Minn Kota 40lb Power Drive - Faulty foot pedal?

Foot controllers for Minn Kota PDs show up regularly on ebay. Be sure that if you buy one there it has the same shape plug on the controller cable.

If you have the later model (flat plug) you might consider putting a Co-Pilot on it.
 

NBE

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Messages
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Re: Minn Kota 40lb Power Drive - Faulty foot pedal?

Could be corrosion on the contacts and it certainly wouldn't hurt to give them a good cleaning. Could be corrosion on wires inside the pedal also. Should be fairly easy to see once you get the pedal apart. It is mostly a matter of taking a few screws out to get it apart. Watch out for the springs inside. Wouldn't want to lose them. At least mine had them so yours probably will also.

Most often it is the circuit board in the pedal that goes bad. You can buy the board and replace it but the board costs almost as much as a new pedal does.

If I remember correctly the pedal only cost about 5 - 10 dollars more than the board itself.
 

triplebogey

Cadet
Joined
Jan 29, 2005
Messages
9
Re: Minn Kota 40lb Power Drive - Faulty foot pedal?

Here is an update. The prop stopped spinning and the motor won't turn right to left. I took the pedal apart and did some minor cleaning - doesn't look like that's the problem. I also bought some electric terminal grease to apply to the contacts on the plug from the pedal to the motor. That didn't work either.

However - when I move the male plug just inside the female I get an instantaneous spin of the prop but as I move the plug all the way until it's seated, nothing happens. If I wiggle the plug back and forth where it makes the initial contact, I can get the prop to spin a bit off and on.

Also, if I have the plug completely seated and the pedal in the off position, as soon as I turn it on I hear a click coming from the motor but no spin of the prop and no movement right to left.

I've got to think that the connection between the leads on the plug is missing somewhere but I would have thought that the conductive grease would have helped with that. Any other thoughts?
 

Silvertip

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Sep 22, 2003
Messages
28,758
Re: Minn Kota 40lb Power Drive - Faulty foot pedal?

It is possible the cable where it enters the connector shell (either from the foot pedal or where it heads to the motor) has a broken wire or two. If you you've ever pulled on the cable instead of the connector housing you probably created the problem. If it were mine and this was happening, I'd head a local electronic surplus store and buy a male/female military style connector (waterproof) with the appropriate number of pins. Then cut both connectors off the trolling motor and foot pedal cables. Cut them about a foot back from the connector. Temporarily twist the wires (match colors) together and see if the motor runs normally. If so, add the new connector and go fishing.
 

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
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Sep 22, 2003
Messages
28,758
Re: Minn Kota 40lb Power Drive - Faulty foot pedal?

One other thought, are you very certain the unit is getting power from the battery. Check battery connections both at the battery and the connector.
 
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