Loose trolling motor mount

[Jeff Garrow]

I was on the lake this weekend and noticed my trolling motor mount would lift about an inch at the front right corner when the motor was driving to the left. I tried to tighten it down with a screw driver but the screw would just spin.



Got home with it and pulled off the piece of the front deck that sits at an angle to gain access to the bottom of the mount. Looks like each screw has a black rubber sheath or nut. My instinct is to pull the front right screw out and replace it with a nut and bolt. But I thought I would ask the boards opinion about it. Is there a particular use for this black rubber piece? Should I expect some movement in the trolling motor mount? Anyone else deal with this before?



I'm quite the rookie at this boat thing and was hoping for a little insight from someone.



Thanks!

 

[JAMES MOORE]

Here we go with the "Jack Nuts".

 

[Bryan McDonough]

No movement. I used the tmounts and then put a thick rubber washer a metal washer and bolt on the end of each one. Its not coming out now.

 

[Larry Harp]

I changed mine to nuts & bolts after I hit a tree stump and it ripped the rubber T-nuts apart and ended my day. It can be a difficult job reaching up under the bow to get a wrench to those front nuts but it's worth the effort.



Harpo

 

[Donald Fruge]

Those jack nuts are a bad thing

 

[Steve Helscher]

I have a buddy who went through 2 sets in 2 days! On my old boat, I bolted 3 of mine down permantly. I could not get to the 4th because of the way the boat was built. They are not a good thing.

 

[JAMES MOORE]

On my old 320 Ranger I took a couple strips of flat 1/4'' steel cut holes to match the trolling motor width, then bolted everything down with bolt lock washers and nut. The metal strip acted as brace giving the trolling motor more area to excert its force across, keeping the trolling motor from pulling the bolts thru. Strip goes underneath the front fiberglass.