Thread: HB SI transducer mount. Should there be any play?

The Pivot Arm to metal Bracket junction has to remain loose in order for the kick-up feature to work and even have a chance of saving the transducer should it strike something from the front. That looseness allows the side ‘ears’ of the metal bracket to expand outwards and allows the black plastic Pivot Arm to rotate upwards (aka: kick-up). Note the indentations formed in each ear of the metal Bracket that hold the Pivot Arm, and therefore transducer, in place while in use. Tighten that junction up and the transducer cannot kick-up and while the transducer may not look damaged; the internal elements for the Si/Di sonar are quite fragile and may have been damaged from an impact.

Some have worried about the amount of play that their HDSi transducer has in their bracket or that the transducer kicks-up too easily. If this is the case: remove the Pivot Arm (with the transducer attached) and squeeze the ears of the metal Bracket closer together to increase the amount of force needed to make the transducer kick-up. To take the movement out of the transducer some have installed a piece of foam between the Pivot Arm and the metal Bracket so that the Pivot Arm is always pressed up against the indentation stops of the metal Bracket.

Heres a picture of what I did. The foam is about 3" long and covers the mounting bracket face. The transducer standoff prob touches the foam and takes the extra play out. Im sure it would have been fine without it....just didn't like the transducer moving around like that.