Steering (tension) Adjustment on Motorguide      

I'd like to think Jerry (Tmotor84) for e-mailing this procedure used for tightening the steering tension on the single cable driven foot controlled Motorguides:

First things first--always either unplug or disconnect the batteries before working a your trolling motor.

To adjust the tension on a M/G one cable steering. Get someone to help you.
Put the t/m in the down position, loosen the outer shaft bearing (2 set screws) and lower it about 6-9”. Take the top cover off, disconnect wires, remove the 6 screws that hold the cover on the rack and remove the cover, pull up the steering cable with gear. Hold or block the motor and shaft up about 6”. Remove the setscrew in the pinion gear and back the gear off about 5-6 turns. NOTE: you can break the teeth on the gear so do it carefully. Remove the support block and let the shaft lower to the upper bearing, put grease on both bearings, move the outer bearing back up the shaft as far as you can, tighten the 2 set screws. Tighten (be careful) the pinion gear down to get the tension you want. Tighten the 1 set screw, install the rack, hold the foot pedal all the way down in the back and turn the motor so its pointing back, hold there and install the steering gear and rack cover with 1 screw, test steering, if ok, install 5 more screws. Reinstall or connect wires, install top cover (line up the pointer)

In effect, what you are doing is the same basics as adjusting the tension on the wheel bearings of your boat trailer. Hope this helps.
John Jones