If if isn't one thing its another

[Bud Kennedy]

The problem with having time to play with the boat is you get to examine things that just are not working correctly.  I have had some problems with the trolling motor.  It seems to be only running on one speed and no matter how much you turn the switch nothing changes.  So I decided to examine the switch today and low and behold the switch is bad.  OK kinda expected this.  So I pulled my spare trolling motor that has been hanging on a board in the garage for a few years  and decided to swap out the old motor for the spare. 

After removing the transducer, and lifting off the old motor, I put the newer motor in the mount, Put the transducer back on, changed props and zip tied the transducer cable.  Thought I should give it a test and wouldn't you know the motor is dead as a door nail.  Checked the plug connection and all is good so it looks like the spare is not working.  So the old motor at least will run so I went and re installed the first motor.  Same deal, change the prop, put on the transducer, zip tie the cables.  Test the motor all is ok.  But......It is as originally stated stuck on one speed and the speed is slow.  Why not just change out the switch.  After looking it all over that turns out to be bigger than a breadbox.  You see the old motor has some corrosion in the switch area and the nut holding on the switch is stuck.  It is in a difficult spot and cant really get a wrench on it. 

All I know is the more I tried different things the more pissed off I got.  When I get this way it is just best to just button everything back up and try again another day.  So tomorrow I may mess with it again.  Just aggraviting thats all.  Oh Yeah, both motors are about 15 years old so I have been asking for problems for quite a while.  I am sure I will get it fixed tomorrow but for tonight I am leaving it alone.

[Donald Garner]

Bud, sorry to hear about the trolling motor issues.  Hopefully you'll get it figured out soon.

I had a situation last week dealing with my Right side Stratos trailer light. During Fishing for Freedom my partner was backing me down into the water I was looking at the trailer lights.  All of them were working just fine.  After the tournament he was backing the trailer back into the water and I noticed the Right side trailer tail light wasn't working. 

Last Saturday I finally had the chance to check it out.  I took the light a part and checked the bulbs.  I replaced both bulbs and turned on the lights.   Nothing was working.  Ok, I took the light a part again and double checked the wiring harness connections into the light.  3yrs ago I had the trailer lights replaced and had submergeable lights installed.  They used those quick connect fasteners etc.  I cut them all off and did a direct wire connection from the wiring harness to the light.  I got everything back together fired up the truck and NOTHING.  I made a fast trip over to Academy and bought a whole new light assembly.

I was getting pretty hot by now.  The Left side tail light was working like it's suppose too, all the running lights were on like their suppose to.  Everything was on except the right tail light.  I crawled under the trailer and checked the Left side light.  I went back over to the Right side light and noticed there was a washer on the bolt that you hooked the ground wire too.

I took the washer off and retighten everything back down once again.  I turned on the lights and what the heck....all the lights came on and were working like they were suppose too.  One little washer was keeping the darn tail light from working unbelievable.

[Princeton_Man]

It sounds like it's time for a new Ultrex! Or maybe a Garmin Force.

[Donald Garner]

It sounds like it's time for a new Ultrex! Or maybe a Garmin Force.

I know a few guys here that been having issues with their Ultrex's.  Minor stuff but out on the water its a M.P.I.A.   

[Bud Kennedy]

It sounds like it's time for a new Ultrex! Or maybe a Garmin Force.

Gonna just fix it. Dropping if off tomorrow at the repair shop and make it their problem.  I'll spend under $100 to fix it instead of a couple $K to replace it.  I am gonna take both motors down for repair.  A spare troller is nice to have but only if it works.