Lowrance Elite 4X Ice Machine

[jww311]

Hey all,
Sold the Marcum VX1pro and upgraded to the Lowrance Elite 4x.  I am new to this whole graph thing and cannot wait for the ice to test out this new machine.  I am used to the arm the marcum has that holds the transducer.  With the new lowrance it has a foam float with a separate cord you thread through the ducer and tie onto the plastic mount on the inside of the soft case.  I do not like this.  I am looking for a way to attach a mount to the base of the unit in order to hang the transducer off of.  If anyone has any pictures of any mods they have made to theirs i would greatly appreciate it!

[NYSporty]

I had a rod with a loop in one end, put a bolt through it and in to one of the holes made to wind the cord through. With washers on top and bottom so it swings in and out. On my dads I used an old clutch lever off a dirt bike. A rubber band at the end to hold the cord so you can adjust the length of the ducer cord.
If you cant picture it in your mind let me know I'll take a pic tonight.

[hardwater diehard]

http://www.iceshanty.com/search/googlecs.php?cx=partner-pub-4142604719202363%3A1m5u4k-rv05&cof=FORID%3A11&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=trabsducer+mount+&sa=Search

[jww311]

@hardwater diehard thanks....@nysporty if you could be so kind to post a pic of how you set up yours i would greatly appreciate it.  I was trying to figure out how to mount an eye bolt on it but didnt think of mounting to where you mentioned to do it

[NYSporty]

@hardwater diehard thanks....@nysporty if you could be so kind to post a pic of how you set up yours i would greatly appreciate it.  I was trying to figure out how to mount an eye bolt on it but didn't think of mounting to where you mentioned to do it

I will try to remember if you send me a pm later this evening it will ping my phone and i wont forget lol.

[chop1]

why would you call this a upgrade if you have to jerry rig up a transducer arm ? i call it down grade 

[Curley]

http://www.nodakoutdoors.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=101654

[jww311]

@chop1 if you think a unit not having a transducer arm is a down grade your sadly mistaken....lowrance elite 4x is far superior to the marcum vx1 pro with a motor burning out that i got rid of...cannot beat the graph mode and all the other features....ill jerry rig a transducer arm not a big deal...besides the marcum transducer arm is a flimsy piece of china made plastic crap.

[fish-kabob]

why not do it like a vex set up. mount a eye bolt with a couple lock nuts to the base for the flasher and let the transducer hang in the water. after threading the cord of the flasher threw the eye bolt..then just lash it down at the right length to depth.   

[jww311]

that is what I was planning on doing...however the base of the lowrance is awkwardly shaped which makes it hard to find a spot to mount the eye bolt....I have to first get an eye bolt and then tinker around with where I am going to mount it....it confusing to explain...

[fish-kabob]

that is what I was planning on doing...however the base of the lowrance is awkwardly shaped which makes it hard to find a spot to mount the eye bolt....I have to first get an eye bolt and then tinker around with where I am going to mount it....it confusing to explain...

why not vertical mount it? so you can still set the height of the sonar so you can read the screen and then lower it to the bottom of the case and clear the eye bolt? i also was worried about it's shape too those ice machine are cheap cases if you ask me.

by the way why use a arm? i find the length does not reach down to the bottom edge of the hole most of the time.  that's  what the other guy must have meant buy going back a step and he is right on pointing it out..

  i got the extra arms for the sonars i prefer the floats i bought the elite 4x and x67c ice transducer  from a company that sold that type of stuff  mite be able to pick up just the arm too if you like it?    heck i could send you the arm if you really think you need it lol's .

 by cheap cases i think there not made well and cant customize them like you said. but any way i want a vex dave genz blue box for my lowrance lol's i just got to customized it to fit...

[boss j]

i have the x67. it has the case with a arm to hold the transducer. its not bad but with the arm you must get the unit sitting flat so it reads straight down. also the arm is not that long, about 8 inches or so, and it cant get to the bottom of the ice so the signal gets affected some once the ice gets thick. it is also a pain in the butt to have to pull it out of the hole on every fish. sometimes it freezes up or just doesnt want to slide out easy taking extra time and effort with a fish on the line.

i made a float system for my transducer out of 2'' pipe insulation about 8" long. one things i had to do is run a piece of parachute cord through the mounting hole in the transducer and attach it through the float so that it takes the weight off of the transducer cord because it pulled out of the top of the transducer without the support. i did this after i had to buy another transducer...

to get the pipe insulation to stay on the cord and where i want it i just used tiewraps around each end of the insulation. now i can slide it up and down the cord so that i can get the transducer to the bottom of the ice. i also do not need to get down and try to get the arm out of the base of the unit so that the fish dont wrap around it as i bring them up through the ice. it allows me to move hole to hole jigging with ease and i dont loose fish anymore which was happening when i couldnt get the arm out fast enough.

[Uncle Al]

I have a fl18 vex genz model, and like it without the arm. The arm is only an eye bolt about 6 inches long. Not using the arm I can put my vex where ever I want as long as the cord is long enough. I don't like it sitting right next to the hole when I'm fishing. I use a 6in swim noodle cut to the center to hold the cord with wire ties around the noodle. the noodle fits between the vex and the handle when not in use.

[NYSporty]

I will try to remember if you send me a pm later this evening it will ping my phone and i wont forget lol.

Yep I forgot, I wont tonight though.

[jww311]

@boss j....now I am considering trying the float.  Post a picture of your setup for me plz! 

[NYSporty]

I found a pic let me know if it didn't work photobucket is blocked on my work pc.

[Stewie]

I have a Humminbird. I made an arm out of two pieces of wood, attached to each other with an aluminum nut that looks like a tube and the bolt that goes with it. I cut the end of the outer piece to accept a regular clothespin. Since my arm has an elbow, it can reach to either side. I have made several for friends.

If someone who is smart enough to post pictures wants to PM me their cell number, I'll send them pictures, then they can share here.

If the original poster would like one, I'd be happy to send one along.

[matzilla]

A piece of 1/8x1/2" aluminum flat stock from a hardware store could easily be made into a transducer arm for that Lowrance

[fish-kabob]

@boss j....now I am considering trying the float.  Post a picture of your setup for me plz!

is your transducer weighted? if so just use the cord to hang it from threw the eye bolt down the hole no need to keep it down the hole.  or have it floating around spinning while floating around the hole wrapping you line up right? this is why i don't like the floats. what i am talking about is you reverse thread it threw the eye bolt so it acts like a rod guide  off the flasher case. then you warp the cord around the case or anchor cleat like some do know as the ice hopper set up. when you need it deeper you add more cord and let it out threw the line guide/ eye bolt this is if it is a weighted transducer.  if you get a fish just lift the transducer cord out of the water so not to be tangled with the fish ... see my point on why not to use the float they tend to follow the waters natural current and ride it self around your line several times and their more a pain in the but then worth.... don't for get to use a safety rope to tie the transducer cord off just encase it be come untied or unravels from the boat cleat or flasher case don't want you to lose the transducer down the hole.

[jww311]

Ya the transducer is weighted.... I was going to do the eyebolt technique, but there is nowhere good on the flasher case to mount the eye bolt unfortunately so I went out and purchased some flat steel as Matzilla mentioned to do well he said aluminum but the crappy ace hardware only had steel.  So I cut off 2 pieces at 5 inches drilled a bunch of holes in it for mounting and to reduce weight and just have to take them to work tomorrow and grind them out to smooth off the sharp edges.   Hopefully they turn out well...I will post pictures tomorrow after I get home from work.

[Eaglecrg]

I bought an Elite 4 HDI this summer and love it.  Would like to try it out on the ice but would probably need a different transducer and a small 12v battery.  I have an LX-5 and like it, but if the Elite 4 HDI works well on the ice, I'd consider selling the Marcum.  The HDI has the option of the sonar or ice view.

[NYSporty]

I bought an Elite 4 HDI this summer and love it.  Would like to try it out on the ice but would probably need a different transducer and a small 12v battery.  I have an LX-5 and like it, but if the Elite 4 HDI works well on the ice, I'd consider selling the Marcum.  The HDI has the option of the sonar or ice view.

Just mount your transducer on a stick so it points down and use your lx-5 battery to see if you like it.
If you do and you sell the flasher get the ice bag for the E4. It comes with the bag, battery and ice transducer.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Fishing/Ice-Fishing/Ice-Fishing-Electronics%7C/pc/104793480/c/104735880/sc/110951280/Lowrance-Portable-Ice-Kit-Pack/1090349.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse.cmd%3FN%3D1105957%26WTz_l%3DSBC%253BBRprd1884301&WTz_l=SBC%3BBRprd1884301%3Bcat110951280

[Eaglecrg]

I sent an email to Lowrance asking them about using the Elite 4 HDI on the ice.  They indicated 2 kits needed that totaled $200.  That's more than the fish finder cost me at Wally World.  Guess I'll stick with my Marcum LX-5.

[jww311]

Well here is my arm I fabricated out of 1/8" x 3/4" Flat Steel. Let me know what you guys think!

[boss j]

the arm looks good. that is the same transducer i have with my x67. use something through the hole in the transducer to just a inch or so up the cord to relieve the weight from where the cord enters the top. that is where it will pull out of and cost you to get a new transducer! just telling you to help you avoid the problems i had...

[matzilla]

Arm looks great!!!!!


You can use the normal skimmer transducer with finders through the ice

[jww311]

I made a little modification to the arm....i ran an extra extra piece of cord which came with the unit through the hole on the ducer and ran that cord through the rubber gromet which sits in the opening on the end of the arm.  This takes all of the weight off of the transducer cord itself.  also wrapped the arm in electrical tape to protect it from moisture and to protect the transducer cord from accidentally being cut by the steel.  Just wish I had some water to test the water on because it simply does not function correctly  in open air lol.

[nnelzon23]

Drill back to back holes and float it in the back one. Never a tangle, no messing with the arm, no breaking the arm off. I have an LX6 with the plastic arm and still drill the second hole just to keep things out of the way. Seems crazy not to.

[jww311]

good idea just tried what you suggested and it is way better....looks like I am going to have to make a new arm lol

[walkndude]

jww311, are you using the Lowrance PTI-WBL ice transducer for the 4x-hdi? It's the type with the blue connector. Thanks in advance from a fellow Illinois guy.