Mercury DTS Foot Throttle Installation Guide | 8M0245913 Performance Pedal
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A Mercury Digital Throttle & Shift (DTS) foot throttle gives performance-boat drivers the ability to control engine speed with their foot while keeping both hands on the steering wheel. Unlike a traditional mechanical Hot Foot that pulls a throttle cable, the Mercury DTS pedal sends an electronic throttle-demand signal through the boat’s DTS control system.
Mercury specifically notes that this arrangement is useful on boats capable of significant speed because it allows the operator to maintain two-handed steering control.
For performance bass boats, single-engine catamarans, tunnel-style boats, and other high-performance Mercury-powered applications, proper installation is just as important as the pedal itself. The pedal must have enough room to travel through its full range without contacting the deck, bulkhead, or the driver’s shoe, and the harness must be routed and supported correctly.
This Buckshot Racing #77 Tech Hub guide covers the factory Mercury DTS foot throttle mounting dimensions, installation procedure and legacy DTS adapter-harness architecture, along with practical installation considerations for the Mercury Racing 8M0245913 DTS Performance Foot Throttle Pedal.
DTS Foot Throttle Mounting Location and Clearance
Before drilling any holes, sit in the boat in the normal driving position and determine where your foot naturally rests. The goal is not simply to find a location where the pedal physically fits. The driver must be able to operate the throttle smoothly from idle through wide-open throttle without stretching, lifting the heel excessively, or allowing the shoe to contact surrounding structure.
Mercury specifies a 241 mm (9.5-inch) pedal radius and a maximum pedal travel of 30 degrees. Additional clearance must also be provided beyond the pedal's travel arc for the driver's shoe.
This shoe-clearance requirement is important. A pedal can appear to have adequate clearance when moved by hand yet interfere once a driver's foot is actually on it. Check the complete travel arc with the intended driver seated normally and wearing the type of footwear normally used in the boat.
The pedal should also return freely to idle from every position. Nothing in the cockpit—carpet, wiring, trim panels, loose equipment, or the driver's shoe—should restrict its movement.
Installing the Mercury DTS Foot Throttle
Once a comfortable mounting position has been established, route the pedal wiring so you know the harness can reach the appropriate connection without being stretched.
Mercury's installation procedure then calls for using the foot-pedal base as the drilling template. Mark the mounting holes directly from the base and drill five 4 mm (5/32-inch) holes. The pedal is secured to the deck with #12 screws and washers, which are not supplied with the installation kit.
After mounting the pedal, connect the harness assembly to the helm harness. Any excess wiring should be coiled neatly and secured with a cable tie rather than stuffed loosely behind the pedal or dash. Mercury also specifies securing the harness to the boat structure with cable ties or D-clamps.
Pay particular attention to areas where the harness passes around steering components, moving pedal hardware, or sharp fiberglass and aluminum edges. The harness should have enough slack for its intended routing but should not be able to fall into moving components.
Finally, install the foot-throttle mounting-plate cover and secure it with the two supplied screws. Wiring and system configuration should follow the applicable Mercury rigging manual for the specific DTS installation.
Understanding the Legacy DTS Foot Throttle Adapter Harness
On a legacy Mercury DTS installation, the foot-throttle system is more than simply a pedal plugged into an engine harness. The factory architecture can include the Legacy Control Module (LCM), foot-throttle adapter harness, foot throttle, junction box, weather caps, foot-throttle ON/OFF switch, and helm harness.
The adapter-harness diagram identifies four primary connections: 1 — Legacy Control Module (LCM), 2 — throttle ON/OFF, 3 — foot throttle, and 4 — junction box.
Unused junction-box ports should remain properly protected with the appropriate weather caps. Do not leave an unused DTS connection exposed in a marine environment.
This architecture is also why a DTS pedal should not be treated as a universal electronic Hot Foot. Mercury DTS rigging has changed through different generations, so the existing helm, engine, junction box, and harness configuration should be identified before ordering components or modifying the boat.
Hand Throttle vs. Foot Throttle Operation
One of the advantages of the factory DTS arrangement is that compatible systems can retain both hand and foot throttle control.
Mercury's operating instructions state that you can control engine speed from idle through wide-open throttle using either the foot throttle or the panel-mounted control handle. At startup, the foot throttle is the default throttle input in the system described by Mercury. To transfer control to the hand throttle, the remote-control handle must be placed in neutral or the forward/reverse detent position before the hand-throttle ON/OFF switch is pressed. The system then provides a horn confirmation and illuminates the hand-throttle indicator.
That functionality can be especially useful on a performance boat. The driver can use the hand control for docking and low-speed maneuvering, then select the foot throttle when conditions call for two-handed steering control.
Always verify operation according to the manual for the specific engine and DTS generation rather than assuming every Mercury DTS installation functions identically.
Mercury Racing 8M0245913 DTS Performance Pedal
The current Mercury Racing OEM 8M0245913 DTS Performance Foot Throttle Pedal is designed specifically as an electronic throttle input for compatible Mercury DTS installations. It is not a mechanical pedal and does not operate a Gen I, Gen II or 33C throttle cable.
The 8M0245913 uses an anodized billet-aluminum pedal assembly with a non-slip pad and toe hook. Its compact electronic sensor is substantially smaller than the earlier design while retaining the existing harness architecture, which can simplify installation in tight performance-boat cockpits and upgrades of compatible legacy DTS systems.
Because compatibility depends on the complete DTS rigging configuration rather than horsepower alone, verify the engine, control generation and existing harness architecture before purchasing.
Mercury Racing 8M0245913 DTS Performance Foot Throttle at Buckshot Racing #77
Final Installation and Safety Check
Before launching the boat, inspect the complete installation. Confirm that the pedal is firmly mounted, all electrical connectors are fully seated, unused ports are protected, and the harness cannot contact sharp edges or moving components.
With the engine safely off, move the pedal through its complete travel and verify that the driver's shoe has adequate clearance throughout the 30-degree maximum pedal travel. Check that the pedal moves smoothly and returns without interference.
Once the system is powered, verify correct throttle-selection operation and make sure the system recognizes the intended control before operating the boat. Initial functional testing should be performed in a controlled environment before any high-speed operation.
A DTS foot throttle is ultimately a driver-control system, so mounting position, ergonomics, electrical integrity, and correct system configuration all matter. Taking extra time during installation can make the finished setup cleaner, easier to drive, and safer to operate.
Mercury DTS Foot Throttle Parts Guide
Choosing the correct Mercury DTS foot-throttle components depends on what is already installed in the boat. The performance pedal, pedal-and-harness kit, and helm kit are separate products and should not be confused with one another.
Mercury Racing DTS Performance Foot Throttle Pedal — 8M0245913
Mercury Racing 8M0245913 is the current DTS Performance Foot Throttle Pedal. This is the pedal only and is intended for boats that already have the correct Mercury DTS foot-throttle wiring, control module, selector switch, and related helm-side components installed.
Use 8M0245913 when replacing or upgrading the pedal on an existing compatible Mercury DTS foot-throttle system.
Mercury Racing DTS Performance Foot Throttle Pedal & Harness Kit — 8M0245912
Mercury Racing 8M0245912 is the DTS Performance Foot Throttle Pedal Kit with harness components. This is the preferred package when the installation requires both the performance foot throttle pedal and its associated harness kit.
Use 8M0245912 when installing the performance pedal into an application that does not already have the required pedal-side harness components.
Mercury DTS Foot Throttle Helm Kit — 8M0169383
Mercury 8M0169383 is the DTS Foot Throttle Helm Kit. This is the helm-side portion of the system and is separate from the performance pedal itself. The kit provides the control and harness components required to integrate foot-throttle operation into compatible Mercury DTS rigging.
Depending on the existing DTS configuration, the helm system can incorporate the Legacy Control Module (LCM), hand/foot throttle selector switch, adapter harness, junction-box connections, mounting components, and associated wiring.
Use 8M0169383 when the boat requires the helm-side DTS foot-throttle controls rather than simply replacing the pedal.
Additional Legacy DTS Components
Mercury 893359K01 is a legacy DTS Hot Foot / Foot Throttle Harness Kit used in certain Mercury DTS foot-throttle installations.
Mercury 898259K01 is the legacy Hand Throttle ON/OFF Switch Kit used on applicable DTS systems. It should not be confused with the foot throttle pedal or described simply as a foot-throttle switch.
Which Mercury DTS Foot Throttle Kit Do I Need?
If your boat already has the correct Mercury DTS foot-throttle architecture and you only need the new performance pedal, order 8M0245913.
If you need the performance pedal together with the pedal-side harness kit, order 8M0245912.
If the boat also requires the helm-side control module, selector controls, and associated DTS foot-throttle wiring, the installation may require 8M0169383 and other applicable Mercury DTS rigging components.
Because Mercury DTS systems have been produced in several generations and configurations, always identify the existing engine, helm controls, DTS generation, junction box, control module, and harness arrangement before ordering parts.
Do not assume that the pedal alone will convert a standard DTS boat to foot-throttle operation.
Buckshot Racing #77 recommends verifying the complete DTS architecture before installation so the correct pedal, harness, and helm components are ordered the first time.
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