anyone else experience this. I've sprayed WD40 on every mechanical joint I could find and it still creaks like hell when deployed. The only other thing I'm guessing it could be is the hydraulic strut itself. Maybe it needs to be replaced.

Did you spray the spring that lets the shaft tilt when you run into a stump?

I sprayed everything

Mine is the same. I had my boat at the car wash and sprayed the hell out of my Fortrex with soap and then rinse. It helped for a while, but it collects dust and squeaks fairly quick.

SE Kansas grass grower

It's normal. Old and new do the same. It's allocer the BBC and I think there have been discussions on TFF in the past.

Minn Kota will rebuild your mount bracket for you for $500.

The Fortrex is supper simple to work on. I completely rebuild one and replaced a few broken parts for 50$ The Parts are cheap!!

Mine does and it drives me nuts 2 years old

I can't figure out where it is coming from

I have not been supper impressed with the durability of the mount. I have replaced those stupid plastic bushings 4 times and the plastic bar that locks the motor down once.

Same here. I sprayed mine and it helped for a bit. I can't really tell if it is in the retractable mount or the spring thing that lets the motor flex on collision. I still catch fish close to the boat. I don't know if it's as much of a deterrent as the pressure wave you get when you hit the power. Hate it just the same.

Actually, mine is not creaking as it's deployed, but when I have it turned at an angle and hit the power.

I thinking that few of the folks posting here have been Motorguide owners in the past.
The Minn Kota is far and away quieter than the motorquides I've had on previous boats. Yes, I've bent the "unbreakable" shaft twice, had to replace the plastic parts another poster referenced, have to apply grease to the pivot points and lock mechanism. Still yet I'll replace it with another Minn Kota if or when I feel the need to. It's been a great product, never failed me at the lake. Love the "return to center" feature on the foot control. (still don't know how that works?)

My 2011 was doing the same thing. Minn Kota replaced it under warranty.

The fortrex is junk. If I were to buy another cable steer itd be a maxxum. I had nothing but problems w my fortrex, always maintaining that mount, you shouldn't need to do that. Just my opinion.