TR1 on Honda Maintenance Doublecheck
If you’ve got a TR1 Gold on a Honda trolling motor, here’s something you might want to check. You might even want to write the specs I’ve mentioned into your owners manual.
Our TR1 has always been a bit ‘rattlely’ and it’s gotten worse - even after I installed some nylon spacers in a couple places.
We finally identified the problem as a loose ‘carrier bracket’. This a block of aluminum to which the hydraulic rod gets attached to.
On installation, the carrier bracket just slides into place, stopper screws are tightened to hold it there.
These stopper screws are wimpy little girly-man things, only 10-32 fine thread and just an inch long, with a recessed 3/32 allen socket. When fully tightened there may be just a few threads left in the bracket. BUT you cannot easily tell as these stoppers are fully recessed into the blocky carrier bracket. You blindly stick in a an equally wimpy 3/32 allen key to tighten.
Unfortunately, these tiny stopper screws were seized up, in the extended position, necessitating taking some more parts off the Honda so we could remove it.
Once removed, it took a torch to free-up the stoppers. Even so, one stopper broke. Causing me to have to drill (breaking three fine bits) it out. Then re-tap the hole (breaking one 10-32 tap).
I eventually had to order another carrier bracket from TR1. They quickly shipped the piece. The next day and $46 later I resumed.
(sorry for the blurry pics, I thought they were better)
I really didn’t want to use the OEM stoppers, so a trip to Tacoma Screw on NE Columbia Blvd
got me some 2-inch long 10-32 NF, with a cap head that accepted a much larger allen key (5/32).
I did have to shorten these by 10 threads to get proper fit and clearance.
On re-installation the upgraded fully exposed cap-head screws were much, much better to work with.
The lessons:
1. If you’ve got a hard to find rattle, check this rather hidden carrier plate.
2. Use locktite to lube and protect those OEM 10-32 stoppers from seizing.
3. If you ever have to remove any of these parts, upgrade to a stronger screw/stopper.
garyk
TR1 on Honda Maintenance Doublecheck (PICS)
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