Topic: 997 transducer keeps breaking!

[gup72]

Has anyone else had issues with the transducer mount breaking?  This is my 3rd one this year, OUCH! The plastic piece that mounts to the transducer keeps breaking where the 2 bolts hold it to the transducer.  The ears on the transducer break off also.  I put a new one on last fall and it looked perfect when I put my boat in a locked storage shed.  I got it out the other week and the plastic was all fractured.  Humminbird sent me another and I started putting it on today.  I very lightly tightened the 2 bolts, and I mean lightly, and gave the mount a slight amount of pressure and the ears broke and the plastic pivot piece broke in about 20 pieces.  I removed the 2 bolts with no wrench, so they are not overtightened as Humminbird claims.  HELP!  this is getting expensive.

[stillbear]

When you tension the bolts and then test the transducer for movement and it is breaking
you have it way to tight. You want it to move that is the whole idea.  Gary

[gup72]

Thanks for your post, Stillbear.
The directions say to "fully tighten the bolts" referring to the 2 bolts through the ears.  The bolts were finger tight, seriously, only finger tight. The only way for them to be looser is to not install them.  This isn't where you want the movement to occur anyway.  The idea is that if you hit something the transducer will break away out of the steel bracket.  The plastic is so weak in the 2 bolt area, there is no way it could sustain any hit.

[stillbear]

Gup 72 can you post a snapshot of your installation maybe a side an front angle view. Gary

[RGecy]

Yes, post some picts for us of your installation and the broken transducer.  Highly unusual for the HDSI TDs to break.

Robert