recessed foot pedals

[acm95301]

I bought a kit to install a recessed foot pedal for my trolling motor. As I'm carefully checking this out, and timid about cutting into my new boat, I noticed that I'll have to remove some of the rod holder tubes.

Has anybody installed one of these, and what are your opinions about placement? Seems like near center or offset right are the only sensible options.....any other issues?

[Brian D.]

of my installation. Measure 3x cut once. Make sure you know whats under the deck when you cut.

http://www.freshfishstudios.com/Champion/index.htm

Do a search on this site and you'll get more info.

[acm95301]

Yeah, in prep for the install I took of the front deck board where the trolling motor and bow depthfinder are....to see where the wires were.

There are two alluminum I beams that suporing t a thin plywood deck and three plastic clyinder rod holders...

so to get foot pedal..bye bye rod holders.

at least the wires seem out of the way.

[JohnnyG1]

What kind of boat? Year Make Model. I have an 89 Ranger that I wanted to put that in but after talking to Ranger they told me that I would have to cut through a support beam for the deck after that I said forget it.

[biteme]

Best mod you'll ever do!

[DaveH]

What kind of boat? Year Make Model. I have an 89 Ranger that I wanted to put that in but after talking to Ranger they told me that I would have to cut through a support beam for the deck after that I said forget it.

Are you teling me that there anyone from Ranger left that knows whats in a 81

[mark poulson]

Best mod you'll ever do!

+1
I put a Big Foot in my '04 Tracker, and it was miraculous. No more back spasms on the way home.
The recess fit right between the two support struts, and it was a breeze to install.
I wound up blocking the pedal up a little, an inch and a half, so it felt right for me.
The rod locker on my Tracker was on the left.
Sounds like yours is in the middle.
If the lower rack has an aluminum sleeve with the top bent back, you can bend the aluminum back down, put some carpet on the inside of the hull in front of it, and increase the length of rod you can carry.
I wound up being able to store 8'+ rods.
I just cut the rubber tips off my Ranger rod tubes, and now I can put in 8' swimbait rods.
I dont know why they don't do that at the factory.
I should have asked Keith Tripp at the BAT. Doh!!

[acm95301]

Yeah....I thinking the recessed foot pedal is worth it. Gonna have to put the big boy pants on and start cutting. I think I'll do it on Black Friday.

[ken]

If you have any compartments close to your cut beware. There is a lip on the edge and you could open a hole into the compartment. It almost happened to me on a Ranger. +1 on the measuring. However Your back will love you for the installation.

[offduty]

I put one in my 99 TR-21 and it was a piece of cake. I mounted it centered as I am ambidextrous with my feet. Like they said measure twice and cut once.

Always know what you are cutting in to, and that the cable coming from the TM pedal has enough room to do its thing. Most TM pedals you can mount so I drilled and tapped 4 holes in my tray and used 4 allen headed bolts to hold it in the tray. Just keep a allen wrench in case you need to remove. It also makes it harder to steal if you use an allen or torx. I had no structural supports to work around it lined up nice.

Rich

[hawghustler]

Who makes these and whats the cost. I love my 89 gambler, the recessed foot pedal would be sweet been thinking of trying it on my own for a couple years now but would much rather use a kit.

[BFerris]

Forget what these guys say....measure 5 times and cut once, lol. It definately takes some nerve to cut into your boat. I had a comfortroll unit sitting here for a few weeks, finally got the itch and cut into the boat on a Friday night....went fishin the next day and you won't regret it if you have back problems. Definately money well spent...wouldn't own another boat without one.

[ash]

I still dont understand why recessed trolling motors are not standard or a factory option. I know basscat has been on this for quite some time, I love my recessed trolling motor very nice on da back

[mark poulson]

Ash,
It is standard with Ranger.
My '07 Ranger TR177 came with the recess molded into the deck, but covered, so I had the option of recessing the pedal or not.
Of course I chose to recess it.
Aside from not being as nimble as I used to be, standing with one foot in the air on a raised trolling motor pedal is really hard on the back.
The factory recess is centered, and I switch feet, depending on which side I'm fishing from.