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Can You Reverse the Head on a Trolling Motor?

Can You Reverse the Head on a Trolling Motor?

Some anglers are surprised to find that you can reverse the head on a trolling motor. This gives you more flexibility when it comes to where you mount your motor and how you use it.

If this process feels intimidating to you or you don’t know where to start, keep reading! We’ll answer all of your questions, like, “Can you turn the head on a Minn Kota trolling motor?”.

By the time you finish reading, you should know how to reverse the head on your trolling motor.

What Does it Mean to Reverse the Head on a Trolling Motor?

Newport Vessels X-Series trolling motor

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Reversing the head on a trolling motor allows you to mount the motor on the bow rather than on the stern of the boat. Some anglers like to do this because it gives them easier access to the transom or because it is an issue of personal preference.

Reversing the head means that you move the handle so it is facing you when you are sitting in the bow. Most trolling motors are set up to be placed on the stern, so the handle will be facing the wrong direction if you want to install it on the bow instead.

How Do You Reverse the Head on a Trolling Motor?

It’s easy to reverse the head on a trolling motor. However, the specific process is different for each type of motor. In general, you’ll want to take the following steps to reverse the head on your trolling motor.

  1. Turn the motor off and disconnect it from the power supply.
  2. Remove the top plate. Most of the time, this is held on by no more than 4 screws underneath the motor’s head.
  3. Look inside and find where the shaft enters the head.
  4. Find the bolt or bolts that hold the shaft in place.
  5. Unscrew the bolt or bolts.
  6. Turn the head 180 degrees.
  7. Replace the bolt/s.
  8. Replace the top plate.

Sometimes, you can do this without removing the plate because the screws sit outside the head instead of inside it. Other times, you may have to remove the handle in order to take off the top plate.

No matter what you do, remember how everything went together so you can put it all back when you’re done.

If you don’t want to reverse the head on your trolling motor on your own, take your motor to any marine shop. You can also contact the manufacturer. They should be able to walk you through it or reverse it for you.

If you’ve been wondering, “Can you turn the head on a Minn Kota trolling motor?” then you’re in luck because you can. This video shows you how to do it on a Minn Kota Endura Max trolling motor, but the process is similar for other Minn Kota units.

Conclusion

Reversing the head on a trolling motor is easy. It won’t take much time and it makes your trolling motor even more useful.

If you’d rather have your trolling motor mounted on the bow of your boat, reverse the head on your trolling motor today.