Ultrex US2 with trolling motor transducer mount

[AllyFishing]

awesome thanks!!!!

[sfw1960]

No.

Any pipe shop or Fastnal, Grainger, Ruland, etc. Or Google "shaft collar" or "clamping collar".
They come in Black Oxide, Aluminum, or Stainless.

You need a two-piece. Ultrex shaft diameter is 1.25" so I'm using 1.25" ID collar.

The collar is really for maintenance when you remove the Ultrex Head-Shaft-Motor assembly from the base to prevent assemply from sliding wildly up & down the shaft.
But I using it to set my shallow water minimum prop depth. Also saw it on Brett Hite's Ultrex. . .

Nice write up(s) Britt.... Thanks for sharing!

I will probably pound my v2 until I can't get anymore i-Pilot Link parts, but it sounds like the Ultrex has been every bit as good for you as it has been touted by MK & many others.

[rnvinc]

Could someone post (or link to) a video of how loud the steering motor is ... ??

Rickie

[BBG Marine Electronics]

Could someone post (or link to) a video of how loud the steering motor is ... ??

Rickie

Rickie, around the 5:30 mark in the video, you can hear the sound of the trolling motor sweeping as he uses his fingers to move the pedal. There is very little background noise in this video. It was nicely done. From my perspective, the noise is minimal.

Brian

[TroyBoy30]

sounds pretty loud to me. definitely louder than cable

[rnvinc]

Rickie, around the 5:30 mark in the video, you can hear the sound of the trolling motor sweeping as he uses his fingers to move the pedal. There is very little background noise in this video. It was nicely done. From my perspective, the noise is minimal.

Brian

Thanks Brian ... the steering motor seems quieter than any Terrova I've heard ...

My OCD may still have issues with the steering noise ... I'm not sure ...
-----

At 4:10 in video, the gentleman describes removing the head of the Ultrex with 1 Allen screw and easily installing the Fortrex head right onto the Ultrex bracket ...

Can you describe how easily this changeout can be ... ??

I could live with the steering motor noise trolling ... but spider riggin and vertical jiggin I would be putting the Fortrex back on ...

Rickie

[BBG Marine Electronics]

Rickie..

I'm OCD about a lot of things too but I'm not sure that little bit of noise would be one of them. For what you gain in features, I think the Ultrex is worth it.

The swap out procedure between the Ultrex is a pretty simple one based on the design of the mount, but for those who think you can take an existing Fortrex and simply put on the Ultrex in the same mount, Minn Kota says that will not work. As the video stated, you can put a Fortex on an Ultrex mount with no issues.


C/ya

[rnvinc]

Rickie..

I'm OCD about a lot of things too but I'm not sure that little bit of noise would be one of them. For what you gain in features, I think the Ultrex is worth it.

The swap out procedure between the Ultrex is a pretty simple one based on the design of the mount, but for those who think you can take an existing Fortrex and simply put on the Ultrex in the same mount, Minn Kota says that will not work. As the video stated, you can put a Fortex on an Ultrex mount with no issues.


C/ya

Thanks Brian ...

Rickie

[fishfood]

Rickie I'm with Brian here on the noise. It a lot quieter than a terrova but about the same as my ulterra. The big question is how quite will it be a year from now?

The steering is something I don't agree with on a lot of videos and reviews. You pure cable steer guys are in for a transition not unlike going to any electric steer. I don't think it matters in open water but in close proximity areas it's going to be tough. It feels nothing like a cable steer motor to me.

This is based on not much time with one as I'm waiting for the Link models to turn loose.

[rnvinc]

Rickie I'm with Brian here on the noise. It a lot quieter than a terrova but about the same as my ulterra. The big question is how quite will it be a year from now?

The steering is something I don't agree with on a lot of videos and reviews. You pure cable steer guys are in for a transition not unlike going to any electric steer. I don't think it matters in open water but in close proximity areas it's going to be tough. It feels nothing like a cable steer motor to me.

This is based on not much time with one as I'm waiting for the Link models to turn loose.

I feel I could adapt to the "power steering no torque" feel ... my foot position on the pedal is the feedback I use to be subconsciously attuned to boat position and desired boat movement ...

I feel I could even adapt to the steering motor noise employing trolling tactics ... due to added surrounding noise of water movement/wind noise/might even be farther away using the remote/etc ...

But my other tactics of spider riggin/vertical jiggin/hovering close to bream beds/etc require "stealth" (in my OCD mind) ...

Steering motor noise in those tactics = I just don't know if I can accept it ...

But ... if Brian is correct - and the Ultrex head/foot pedal can easily be exchanged for the Fortrex head/foot pedal (using the same Ultrex bracket) = I may still have a path forward with Ultrex ...

Rickie

[akaslyguy]

In the video, at the 4:48 mark, when he is about to deploy the trolling motor...... what does he do with his foot just before he pulls the cable to unlock and raise the trolling motor? Forgive me if it's a something common to do with minn kota, I have a motorguide but about to install the Ultrex.

I have seen several videos of the Fortrex (same mount system if I understand correctly) but sometimes it seems the person just walks up and lifts the motor with no effort like it isn't even locked down in the stowed position. Other times I see a person actually step on the mount or something then pull and lift. How should/does it really supposed to work. Just curious. Thanks

Joe

Rickie, around the 5:30 mark in the video, you can hear the sound of the trolling motor sweeping as he uses his fingers to move the pedal. There is very little background noise in this video. It was nicely done. From my perspective, the noise is minimal.

Brian

[BBG Marine Electronics]

Joe,

You don't need to push down on the motor shaft to release the locking mechanism like you do on the MotorGuide cable steers (IE:Tour Edition) He is probably lifting up his Talons with the foot switch you see next to the foot pedal. The Minn Kota stows and deploys easily with just the hand rope, which on the Ultrex is a cable.

Brian

[fishfood]

Joe,

You don't need to push down on the motor shaft to release the locking mechanism like you do on the MotorGuide cable steers (IE:Tour Edition) He is probably lifting up his Talons with the foot switch you see next to the foot pedal. The Minn Kota stows and deploys easily with just the hand rope, which on the Ultrex is a cable.

Brian

Just to add to Brian's post I think most folks adjust the "bounce buster" way to tight when installing it. This would make a person put pressure on the mount so it can release.

[akaslyguy]

Thanks Brian. I had a motorguide tour 82 but did not have to use my foot for anything, just gave a quick pull to release. But.... it was already on the boat when I got it so maybe it was worn out

After seeing the switch for the talons right there I was going to agree, but he is definitely picking up his foot and pushing something that clicks and you see the black release thing on the side of the motor move at the same time. THEN he puts tension on the cable and raises it. (Very easily I see)

I was just curious.

[akaslyguy]

I was thinking the same thing about the support. I read the directions for installing that part. It says something about you should be able to lift it 1/4 inch without the bracket releasing (or something like that). Am I thinking right that you want it to basically be just long enough so that the arm locks and the support hits the deck at the end time? Or is that what you mean by "too tight"? Should the support be just barely off the carpet when it to locks? Sorry if it's a dumb question, just trying to understand ithe right.

Joe

Just to add to Brian's post I think most folks adjust the "bounce buster" way to tight when installing it. This would make a person put pressure on the mount so it can release.

[akaslyguy]

Guys I'm sorry.... I had done a search for Ultrex information and thought I was posting in the trolling motors section. Thanks for the info though.

Joe

[fishfood]

I was thinking the same thing about the support. I read the directions for installing that part. It says something about you should be able to lift it 1/4 inch without the bracket releasing (or something like that). Am I thinking right that you want it to basically be just long enough so that the arm locks and the support hits the deck at the end time? Or is that what you mean by "too tight"? Should the support be just barely off the carpet when it to locks? Sorry if it's a dumb question, just trying to understand ithe right.

Joe

Joe I install them pretty much like the instructions. I have had them come in that you had to step on them to release the motor. I think folks believe the pressure helps stabilize the unit. I assume the engineers give instruction for a reason.

[TroyBoy30]

if you have to step on the motor to release it, your mount is bound up and installed incorrectly

[akaslyguy]

Thanks for the info. You all confirmed what I was thinking about it. Sorry to hijack the tread.

[AllyFishing]

On a side note, I saw a pic of the bow of a boat (looking at the bow) on here somewhere of what I think was either a Terrova or an Uterra with the US2 on the lower unit and in addition another transducer mounted as well. Where does the ducer wire get routed if the TM shaft goes up and down thru the mount?