Manually stowed my Ulterra, how to hook back up?

First things first....

If you own an Ulterra, look up how to manually stow it and practice that, ON DRY LAND!

I had a small tree limb and I mean small, get stuck in the base of my Ulterra and it would not stow. It would raise to the top like normal, but it wouldn't flip back to stow. I tried it, over and over and over and over.

So, I had to look up how to manually stow it. Thankfully I had cell service. It's not difficult, but I'm glad I had both a phillips and flat head screwdriver in the boat. You need both...

So I got it flipped up and on the ramp, and the stupid little twig unwedged out of it, but the stowing motor, with the acme rod, rolled the "hookup" (not the techincal term) for the motor up past where the motor will hook to it. I think it's electronically locked out. If I could get the motor to run the bracket out 1/2" or so, I could hook everything back up, but when I power on the trolling motor, it immediately shows a fault and will not try and deploy. If I can get that motor to "deploy" just a little, then pause the operation, I can hook everything back like it goes.

Can anyone give me the insight on how to do that? I could disassemble that bracket and roll the "nut" on the acme thread out, but I don't know what sort of mechanism the TM uses to know it's in it's fully stowed position, so I don't know if that would mess up the stow and deploy since the motor wouldn't actually be in the place that it thought it would. That may not make one lick of sense to anyone but me, but....

And, while you have your motor apart, ON DRY LAND, practicing this manual stowing, go ahead and take one of the side plate screws to the hardware store so you can get a couple of extras. They are highly attracted to water and will jump out of the hole and splash down, given half an oppotunity.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FurFlyin

First things first....

If you own an Ulterra, look up how to manually stow it and practice that, ON DRY LAND!

I had a small tree limb and I mean small, get stuck in the base of my Ulterra and it would not stow. It would raise to the top like normal, but it wouldn't flip back to stow. I tried it, over and over and over and over.

So, I had to look up how to manually stow it. Thankfully I had cell service. It's not difficult, but I'm glad I had both a phillips and flat head screwdriver in the boat. You need both...

So I got it flipped up and on the ramp, and the stupid little twig unwedged out of it, but the stowing motor, with the acme rod, rolled the "hookup" (not the techincal term) for the motor up past where the motor will hook to it. I think it's electronically locked out. If I could get the motor to run the bracket out 1/2" or so, I could hook everything back up, but when I power on the trolling motor, it immediately shows a fault and will not try and deploy. If I can get that motor to "deploy" just a little, then pause the operation, I can hook everything back like it goes.

Can anyone give me the insight on how to do that? I could disassemble that bracket and roll the "nut" on the acme thread out, but I don't know what sort of mechanism the TM uses to know it's in it's fully stowed position, so I don't know if that would mess up the stow and deploy since the motor wouldn't actually be in the place that it thought it would. That may not make one lick of sense to anyone but me, but....

And, while you have your motor apart, ON DRY LAND, practicing this manual stowing, go ahead and take one of the side plate screws to the hardware store so you can get a couple of extras. They are highly attracted to water and will jump out of the hole and splash down, given half an oppotunity.

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Those screws are not stocked in our local hardware store. Ask me how I know. 1/4 x20 half inch length. If they are too long, the motor will not fully deploy. Ask me how I know this too.

And, there end lies the issues with the Ulterra... AKA "The Turd" as I like to call it!

It was great in theory, and works good. Right up until you have a problem with it. I've seen my share of broken ones the past few months. Iced up parts that snap plastic, ruined tournament days, innacurate movements, and my personal pet peeve... needing to point the stupid remote directly at the darn thing to move it anyplace!

I have one I'll sell you. Less than 2 hours of use on it. I stand in the back of my boat and troll. With my Terrova, I NEVER look at the motor, I hit buttons. With this "Turd" I need to point the remote at it. I purchased it for my dad so he didn't have to stow and deploy the motor at the front of the boat. IF, and I say IF, they would make one that had a manual/auto deploy and would actually work when you hit a button without pointing the remote at it, I would consider it a win. Until that time, EVERY, and I mean EVERY one of these things that I have seen, touched, worked, and been associated with (quite a few) is garbage! Sure, it stows and deploys, when you don't have an issue, but that is about it.

As I said, I got one I would gladly sell to anyone.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by wicklundrh

And, there end lies the issues with the Ulterra... AKA "The Turd" as I like to call it!

It was great in theory, and works good. Right up until you have a problem with it. I've seen my share of broken ones the past few months. Iced up parts that snap plastic, ruined tournament days, innacurate movements, and my personal pet peeve... needing to point the stupid remote directly at the darn thing to move it anyplace!

I have one I'll sell you. Less than 2 hours of use on it. I stand in the back of my boat and troll. With my Terrova, I NEVER look at the motor, I hit buttons. With this "Turd" I need to point the remote at it. I purchased it for my dad so he didn't have to stow and deploy the motor at the front of the boat. IF, and I say IF, they would make one that had a manual/auto deploy and would actually work when you hit a button without pointing the remote at it, I would consider it a win. Until that time, EVERY, and I mean EVERY one of these things that I have seen, touched, worked, and been associated with (quite a few) is garbage! Sure, it stows and deploys, when you don't have an issue, but that is about it.

As I said, I got one I would gladly sell to anyone.

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What's your, "I hate it and want to sell it," price? If it's cheap enough I'll pay you today and have one for spare parts.

I never, ever have to point the remote at mine.

Mine may never work right again, but it's been flawless to this point. I don't blame the motor for what happened yesterday. That little twig was wedged in there, right where the tilt release is. I'm a big ol corn fed country boy and I couldn't pull the stick out, until I got the motor stowed. Then it simply fell out.

Thanks for the measurements on the screws Cane Pole. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that you didn't learn the need for those on dry land either? :Rofl

Quote:

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Originally Posted by wicklundrh

And, there end lies the issues with the Ulterra... AKA "The Turd" as I like to call it!

It was great in theory, and works good. Right up until you have a problem with it. I've seen my share of broken ones the past few months. Iced up parts that snap plastic, ruined tournament days, innacurate movements, and my personal pet peeve... needing to point the stupid remote directly at the darn thing to move it anyplace!

I have one I'll sell you. Less than 2 hours of use on it. I stand in the back of my boat and troll. With my Terrova, I NEVER look at the motor, I hit buttons. With this "Turd" I need to point the remote at it. I purchased it for my dad so he didn't have to stow and deploy the motor at the front of the boat. IF, and I say IF, they would make one that had a manual/auto deploy and would actually work when you hit a button without pointing the remote at it, I would consider it a win. Until that time, EVERY, and I mean EVERY one of these things that I have seen, touched, worked, and been associated with (quite a few) is garbage! Sure, it stows and deploys, when you don't have an issue, but that is about it.

As I said, I got one I would gladly sell to anyone.

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Come on out and tell us how you really feel. Don't hold nothing back. Lol

Sent from my SM-G900V using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

What about the Ultrex ? What do you know about them Rich ?

Cane Pole, I consider you to be a mechanical genius. How do I get that lever on the acme rod to move forward with the motor throwing an error code as soon as it's turned on?

Did you do the reset procedures? If not try them. If you cannot get the TM to function properly using the reste procedures, you will have to take it to a dealer to have them reset it.

https://minnkotamotors.johnsonoutdoo...anual-Stow.pdf

My Ulterra has never failed. In fact, I actually "failed" the Ulterra. I too it apart to see how it actually "ticks". Somehow another I misplaced the screws. I had some 3/4 inch screws, but they were too long. I just used an 1/4 20 nut for a spacer. The nuts are still on. Ha. Will replace when I pull off the lake this coming winter.

Also be reminded that there was/is a recall on some of the magnets used by the Ulterra (first try version) for position sensing. Make sure you also get this update.

I love the Ulterra. Great tool, especially for us old turds.

Another thing is to keep the acme screw clean and greased.