MinnKota Vantage

Has anyone had any or heard of any problems with the Minnkota Vantage?

It’s a great motor but like anything it has it’s weak spots, the most common is the belts that raise and lower the unit. the next is the pin that holds the lower section of shaft, it breaks or comes out and the lower end just hangs from the cable, and if you dont catch it before running it rips the lower end off.

I’ve had a vantage since 2006 and have had multiple problems with the handle. The speed control seems to break and the motor runs wide open … I wouldn’t buy another…

That being said it’s still the best back troller on the market without question.

Mine’s going on 3 years with no problems couldn’t live without it!

For me it is a love / hate relationship. When it is working, she is the cats meow and the best thing since sliced bread. When it has problems I could dump it to the bottom of the lake. If you could find or installed a bracket to lock it in place when it is in the up position, IMO you would alleviate 95% of your problems.

Talk to Wade or Ben Garver on that…I think they had something along those lines…but I could be mistaken. I know this Spring they had some wizbang for a Vantage at Everts.

Troy at Warrior has some sort of bracket available. I’ve heard it works well.

Not a good motor IMO. Get a kicker..

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For me it is a love / hate relationship. When it is working, she is the cats meow and the best thing since sliced bread. When it has problems I could dump it to the bottom of the lake. If you could find or installed a bracket to lock it in place when it is in the up position, IMO you would alleviate 95% of your problems.

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Lip, Did you get one of those brackets Ben Garver has?

The Vantage is a great motor but like Rob says, you would be better off if you can get a bracket for it. Some of the guys here have had one custom made. I hope that’s not top secret information!

If Garver’s around maybe he can shed some light on this issue…

I have the bracket. I have yet been able to fish with the Vantage due to being in the shop 3 different times this Summer since opener.

Do you think it has anything to do with the fact it is the same color as your main motor?

Can someone tell me more about these brackets? I have a Yar Craft and my Vantage doesn’t fit on the transom very well, it tends to kind of hang down and it will sometimes drag in the water when I’m taking off making a small rooster tail.

Will these brackets solve my problem?

The bracket locks the lower unit into a position so it can not be subjected to the beating the water can give it left to right. In time it has been found that this beating bores a hole in a screw hole where the whole weight of the shaft is being held by this plastic screw and housing. This is a horrible design that keeps the repair shops busy. This bracket will not raise the unit any. However, you can loosen a few screws and adjust the unit to have it ride higher or lower when deployed and stowed. What I do to set this level of adjustment is: Deploy the unit all the way in the down position. I then loosen the screws and adjust so that top of the prop height is just below my boat. I then tightened the screws and this keeps the unit functioning.

Tuck the only difference is those other “Black Motors” run flawlessly.

With the words “Black motors & flawlessly” in the same sentence I’m assuming you guys are talking about Suzuki?

Ok, thanks now I understand how the bracket you are referring to works. I don’ think it will help my issue, although it sounds like it may keep me from having my Vantage in the repair shop, where by the way it has been about 3 times for various issues.

I have the height on mine adjusted like they say you are supposed to do it. The issue on mine is the Yar Craft transom has a plastic piece on the top of it which means the Vantage bracket doesn’t sit perfectly flush on the transom and it also doesn’t get as tight as I would like it to be on the transom.