# Lowrance X-4



## BigTerp (Mar 21, 2013)

My wife got me the Lowrance X-4 for my Tracker 1648 project. I wasn't even planning on installing a FF since I will be fishing for catfish, smallmouth and muskies in the mostly shallow upper Potomac river. This boat will also be primarily a waterfowl hunting boat so a FF isn't really needed during hunting season. But the X-4 seems like a decent little unit for my needs. After removing it from the box, I don't see any sort of a mounting bracket. There is just the base that you see in the picture linked below.

https://www.lowrance.com/en-US/Products/Fishfinder/X4-Fishfinder-en-us.aspx

Is there a trick to mounting the head unit out of the box? Or am I going to be needing some sort of mounting bracket?

Also not sure the best way to mount the transducer. I've never had a FF before, so this is all new to me. I see some guys use a plastic cutting board between the transducer that the transom. Why not just install it directley to the transom? Also, whats the best way to run the transducer wires? Straight through the transom with some 5200 to seal, or up and over the transom to avoid any additional transom holes?

Thanks!!


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## nlester (Mar 21, 2013)

I believe the cutting board is used to reduce the number of holes through the hull if you need to repostion the transducer. It would also be handy if you wanted to remove the transponder when you were not using it. There is also a portable suction cup mounting bracket but it tends to come loose at high speeds. Squeeze in on the two buttons on the back of the ff head to remove it and screw the mounting bracke down to something, even if what you fasten it to is not a permanent part of the boat. I think most people run the wires up over the transom of the boat so they don't have to go through the hull below the water line.

If you know where you want it and you are not going to remove the bracket for the transponder, you can fasten it directly to the transom. I have found that the best position for the transponder is so the seam around the center of the transponder is level with the bottom of the boat. Your documentation does a good job of showing you how to locate the transponder.


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## Gotem (Mar 24, 2013)

The cool thing about that unit is you can put the voltage of the trolling motor battery up on the screen. Also the transducer can be used with my other fishfinder/gps combo from my big boat if I want to go trolling (not all Lowrance/Eagle units use the same transducer however).

I could not bring myself to drill holes in my 1956 aluminum boat which does not leak, so I mounted it on a piece of wood (1x2 maybe?) and used a c-clamp to attach it to the transom.


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## redbug (Mar 24, 2013)

I depth finder is a tool that no fisherman should be without. you will be able to locate the drop offs and submerged structure that will hold both catfish and small mouths the cutting board will allow you to move the ducer around with out drilling extra holes until you find the sweet spot for it. 
It looks like the base can be drilled into place for mounting. again you may want to mount it on a board and clamp the board in place until you find the best location for it


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## BigTerp (Mar 24, 2013)

Thanks for the responses. The base is just weird, sort of hollow. I wasn't quite sure if I needed something additional to mount it.

Didn't realize you could see TM voltage on this unit. How does that work? Would it have to be hooked up to the same battery as the TM? If so, won't that cause interference?


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## redbug (Mar 24, 2013)

yes you would need to hook it to the same battery and yes you could get interference


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## Brian B. (Mar 24, 2013)

All hull ext mount transducers are designed for failure- sell that transducer on craigslist or ebay and order the "puck" that mounts under the trolling motor, it will never break, and the screen will be up front where you need it. 

I have had many different sounding units- I'm done mounting transducers to the outside of the hull- all you are doing is setting yourself up to be pissed off- oh, and drilling holes in your hull- sell that one for $30 or so- yes- they are $60 new- sell it, use part of the money to buy the correct puck mount that you should be able to opt for new.

I have a second one that someone accidentally bought me two of, but I don't know what kind of connector yours uses. Mine is for Eagle 300/400 Fish Mark- but there is no difference, Eagle/Lowrance- same product.

(No- I am not suggesting the trolling motor adapter for the tranny that you have there- that will fail/break your eehhhh, third trip out.)

They all use the shottiest engineering they possibly can- and make no mistake- it is intentional, they want that $60 repair/ repeat business.


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## Brian B. (Mar 24, 2013)

Lowrance PDT-WSU

I have never broken one- they are bulletproof.

I better see if Bass Pro will give me a store credit on this one I have- I believe you can get them delivered for roughly $50, regretting drilling holes in your hull is more expensive than the $20 difference in what you will get for your stock tranny vs the trolling motor mount puck style purchase.

Good luck to you- I run a small (alarm panel 12volt, 70 amp hour) independent battery for my Eagle up front, the only thing on the battery is the FF, (or should I say air pocket finder.. They locate bottom, and air pockets.. "Fish finder" is not entirely accurate).


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## BassBlaster (Mar 24, 2013)

Brian B. said:


> They all use the shottiest engineering they possibly can- and make no mistake- it is intentional, they want that $60 repair/ repeat business.



I believe if this was a known fact, Id buy something other than Lowrance. I do have to say though that I have never had an issue with a transducer be it transom mount or trolling motor mount. The last several units I have purchased have all been Humminbirds. They have an exchange program that will let you exchange the transom mount trasducer that comes with the unit for any kind of transducer you want free of charge. I have traded twice for trolling motor puck style units and it didnt cost me anything. You just send the new uninstalled transducer back to them and they will ship the one you want back. I opted to keep the transom mount this time, well see how it goes.


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## Brian B. (Mar 24, 2013)

It's gonna go "crack". 

It's not a "Lowrance" problem- it's an industry design- but never mind- its wasted breath.

Tinboats- jon boats, jon boats usually means rough water where you typically wouldn't take a glass boat. Rough conditions (brush, boulders, you name it- they are all tougher than your plastic transducer arm) equals the eventual out come of a broken plastic transducer. (And holes you never should have drilled in your hull)

(I'm sure yours won't break though  )


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## BassBlaster (Mar 24, 2013)

Brian B. said:


> It's gonna go "crack".
> 
> It's not a "Lowrance" problem- it's an industry design- but never mind- its wasted breath.
> 
> ...


I get what your saying and I agree they probably shouldnt be made of plastic, I'm just saying your idea they they are intentionally designed to break so you have to spend more money is bogus. You can go to the Humminbird website yourself and read about thier exchange program.

I'm sure mine wont break either. I dont run WOT through stump fields and I dont fish in 6" deep water.


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## redbug (Mar 24, 2013)

the puck style arent bullet proof I have had several that have broken over the years 
it happens often lf you search for a repair for that style you will find one it uses pvc tubing


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## Brian B. (Mar 24, 2013)

Hey guys- go ahead- mount them up. (60 mph in stump fields- what are you talking about?... And I often fish 6" water, you go through the shallow stuff to get to water where "Bubba" won't... And that's where they get broken..)

Mount it up. Do us the favor too of letting us know how long it lasts. 

Fish a lake and dock your boat- it may very well last a long time(and then eventually snap). Use a jon the way a jon is intended to be used it is going to break. Break by design.

How did you break your puck trolling motor mount? I can't see how that is possible. You break the wire or the mount? (Several broken? Hmm.. I struggle with that one) I suspect you think you know what I am referring to, but don't.. You broke the one I posted the part # for? Yes, they are in fact quite bulletproof.

Yep- I'm that guy, we can do this all day. Plastic trandsucers are engineered for failure. I am posting my experience- keep up with yours as well- I am trying to assist the OP. Now if he has the option of exchanging for the Hummingbird and utilizing that program that would be awesome. But make no mistake- the LEI Tranny provided will more than likely break. As will the plastic Hummingbird transom mount transducer. -they are PLASTIC.. -they are unprotected.. It's just that simple.


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## redbug (Mar 24, 2013)

I'll make it easy your right you never make any wrong suggestion everyone here is stupid and we are all smaeter since you joined the site 
thank you for correcting me on these things. 
and for the record yes the part you listed has broken the small etrap section where the hose clamp goes through is NOT bullet proof 
but i know yours hasn't yet because your THAT much smarter than us


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## Brian B. (Mar 24, 2013)

redbug said:


> I'll make it easy your right you never make any wrong suggestion everyone here is stupid and we are all smaeter since you joined the site
> thank you for correcting me on these things.
> and for the record yes the part you listed has broken the small etrap section where the hose clamp goes through is NOT bullet proof
> but i know yours hasn't yet because your THAT much smarter than us



Red, buddy.. You have boken the part I listed "several" (to use your words) times?- how is that possible? The skeg takes all the abuse.. 

-Original post-, "fishing the mainly shallow Potomac"... "And bird hunting"..(IE backing into brush up close to the bank.. "Snap"- especially brittle in cold duck hunting conditions)

Ask Momma if she minds you exchanging for the Hummingbird unit- that exchange program sounds reasonable..


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## BassBlaster (Mar 24, 2013)

Brian B. said:


> Do us the favor too of letting us know how long it lasts.



I allready did. Check the second sentence of my first post in this thread.

Who are you to call redbug out on facts when you have posted nothing but your opinion? Where are your facts that prove transducers are engineered for failure for the purpose of getting one to spend more money? If they were designed to fail for that purpose why would they have an exchange program that allows you to exchange for the design you are saying is bullet proof at NO COST!?!

For the record, my transom mount tranducer is also designed to flip up when you hit something to keep from breaking it.


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## Brian B. (Mar 24, 2013)

BassBlaster said:


> Brian B. said:
> 
> 
> > Do us the favor too of letting us know how long it lasts.
> ...



Designed to flip up when you hit something with it- oh I'm rolling now.. Yeah- that feature works greeeat! It flips up alright! Flips up ito more than one piece. The let us know how long it lasts was for the OP, I'm sure in shallow water and duck hunting around brush it will last for seasons to come.

As I said before, wasted words. "Will flip up if you hit something.." That is classic. Yes, yes... I will agree with you, they do in fact advertise that feature.


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## redbug (Mar 24, 2013)

Brian i mean oh great one!!! yes the one you listed has bee broken several times at the weak point.
but I'm sure you will again doubt that i understand anything that goes against the word of Brian..
This site has been here for several years and we have had people come i with the I know EVERYTHING tude I guess we have another one..


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## Brian B. (Mar 24, 2013)

Red you are making a fool of yourself- I am done responding to your childish nonsense.

Near I can figure you are a "Big" O supporter and my signature got your "we are the 99%" shirt all balled up on you. 

I am done with you and your nonsense. Read the original post- a hull mount plastic transducer is a bad idea for what he is intending to do with his boat.

"Yes we can, yes we can, yes we can,..."


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## BigTerp (Mar 25, 2013)

Thanks for the, errrr, responses??

For the record, I'm not going to be trading this unit or the transducer in. Or selling it for a puck style transducer. Sure there is a chance it can/will get hit by a rock or stump, but so will my jet foot. And I'm not going to be selling that off to get a UHMW foot either.

I was just wondering how exactly the unit mounts, since I've never installed one before. The base looked like it needed some sort of additional piece to mount. Thanks for the answers.

Carry on.....


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## walleyejoe (Mar 25, 2013)

I've had 3 differint boats over the last 20 years .They have all had lowrance depth finders on them with the transducer mounted on the haul . I've been in rocks stumps mud muck shallow water what ever . And I've never had any problems with breaking the transducer . If you hit something they flip up like they were made to do . You just push it back down and go on. If your breaking them you must be be putting the screws to tight. [-X


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## Brian B. (Mar 25, 2013)

walleyejoe said:


> I've had 3 differint boats over the last 20 years .They have all had lowrance depth finders on them with the transducer mounted on the haul . I've been in rocks stumps mud muck shallow water what ever . And I've never had any problems with breaking the transducer . If you hit something they flip up like they were made to do . You just push it back down and go on. If your breaking them you must be be putting the screws to tight. [-X



Leave a Lowrance trns mt loose enough to kick up and it kick's up every time you get up on plane- that's fine though- 

Yep- mounting the most crritical portion of the sounding system by a 1/4" piece of plastic- thumbs up there, nahh- that's not piss poor engineering.

Sounds like the OP is fine with replcacing the tx when it breaks so- the course of action has been set.

(Because you need to "read" depth on a screen (while wot on plane) on a river that requires a jet pump- wasted words- like I had said many posts previous)


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## Jim (Mar 25, 2013)

Everyone gave their opinion and as we can read it went way off topic. Lets either get back to the original topic or move on. This back and forth stuff does not fly here. Take it via PM.

Thanks,
Jim


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## JoshKeller (Mar 25, 2013)

give me a shout if you need any help installing. i mount a piece of plywood with bolts to the transom, and screw the transducer to that in case any adjustments are needed. when the plywood gets wet, it does soften and if you hit anything shallow (i fish the same water as you) the screws pull out of the plywood, leaving the transducer in tact.


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## BigTerp (Mar 26, 2013)

Thanks Josh. That makes sense using a piece of plywood for the transducer. Do you treat your plywood? I have some exterior grade leftover from my transom rebuild as well as some epoxy.

How much cord from transducer to main unit can I expect? I'm planning on a stick steer setup for my boat so I'd like to have the main unit mounted up with the captains chair. Just a rough estimate, but I'm thinking about 10-11' from captains seat to the transom. If the unit doesn't come with enough am I able to buy longer cords?

Again, I've never used a FF before so bear with me. What am I actually seeing when I'm viewing the screen with the transducer mounted on the transom? Am I seeing what is directly below the transducer? For my setup a FF isn't really productive during WOT and general navigation to avoid rocks and other submerged structure, especially if I'm only seeing whats below the transom. By that time it shows up on the screen it's to late #-o . This is the reason I'm doing a stick steer setup. Gives me the sightline I need to see things out in front of the boat giving me time to maneuever. It will be more productive for me while trolling around looking for holes, submerged structure, etc. that could hold fish. Also will be nice to use while setting decoys to monitor depth ensuring I'm not setting decoys in water that my anchor lines would be to short to hold.


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## BigTerp (Mar 26, 2013)

Forgot to ask what you guys mean by needing to adjust the transducer? I thought you just set it up according to the directions and are good to go. What am I looking for that would warrant adjustment?


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## Loggerhead Mike (Mar 26, 2013)

Get on YouTube and search how fish finders work. There are also several videos on your specific model graph. 

It really helped me when I was in your shoes

Poor readings on your screen will let you know if the ducer needs tweaked


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## BigTerp (Mar 26, 2013)

Thanks


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## JoshKeller (Mar 26, 2013)

I dont use any treated plywood that comes in contact with an aluminum boat. I just coat regular plywood with fiberglass resin. As for the cable, it should be around 20' long. I have a 1648 and I had plenty of cable left over to follow the ribs and corners on my boat. 

as for adjusting, various postitions may be required to get a bottom depth reading on plane. Air pockets, turbulent water, or just simply not having it in the right spot can cause erratic readings. i set mine on an area that has a clean path (no ribs, chines, pad, rivets, etc) and set the center line on the side of the transducer flush with the bottom of the hull and it works 99.9% of the time.

Since my fishfinder has gps as well as sonar, if I'm in an area for the first time, I'll idle up and mark on the map and ledges that could be hazardous. On plane, you can see the contour of the bottom, and will have enough time to react if you watch the sonar and read the river's water (ledges create current swirls in moving water).


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## walleyejoe (Mar 27, 2013)

JoshKeller said:


> I dont use any treated plywood that comes in contact with an aluminum boat. I just coat regular plywood with fiberglass resin. As for the cable, it should be around 20' long. I have a 1648 and I had plenty of cable left over to follow the ribs and corners on my boat.
> 
> as for adjusting, various postitions may be required to get a bottom depth reading on plane. Air pockets, turbulent water, or just simply not having it in the right spot can cause erratic readings. i set mine on an area that has a clean path (no ribs, chines, pad, rivets, etc) and set the center line on the side of the transducer flush with the bottom of the hull and it works 99.9% of the time.
> 
> Since my fishfinder has gps as well as sonar, if I'm in an area for the first time, I'll idle up and mark on the map and ledges that could be hazardous. On plane, you can see the contour of the bottom, and will have enough time to react if you watch the sonar and read the river's water (ledges create current swirls in moving water).


If your going to mount on a peice of wood I wouldn't use ply wood I'd get a piece of oak or some kind of hard wood


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## MNHunter505 (Mar 27, 2013)

So, I just want to understand something because I just got a 5x Pro and will be mounting the transducer on the transom. If I go the plastic cutting board or hardwood...won't I be screwing through the transom to attach that? So how is it saving you holes through the transom? Whether you are screwing in your transducer mounting bracket or screwing in the board...there are still holes. And if you use the wood or cutting board idea..then you have to screw into that. Double the holes and double the fasteners. I don't get it, please help.


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## BassBlaster (Mar 27, 2013)

I think the idea is that you attach the board to the boat and you could move the transducer around on the board without having to drill even more holes in the hull. I didnt use a board. I followed the instructions with my unit and mounted it directly to the boat with a small aluminum backer plate for added strength. Theres plenty of vertical adjustment in the bracket itself just no horizontal adjustment. I hope it will be fine.


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## MNHunter505 (Mar 27, 2013)

ok, I think that makes sense. I will probably mount it directly to the transom as well.


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## johnnybassboat (Mar 27, 2013)

I use the cutting board on all my boats, part of the idea is the holes that attach the board to the null are above the waterline. At least thats how I set mine up. This way you can mount your transducer to the board without drilling multiple holes in your hull below waterline. It also makes it easier to move and adjust your transducer to get perfect readings. Hope this helps


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## JoshKeller (Mar 27, 2013)

actually, in order for my method to work, it needs to be a soft wood or plywood. the idea is for the screws to pull out of the wood if the transducer hits something. i carry a few extra 3/4" screws, in a size 6, two in a 8, two in a 10 and a phillips screw driver to replace it if its ever needed. just use the next bigger size screw and use the same holes. 

Ive only had it pull one time and that was on a log just under the surface.


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## BigTerp (Mar 28, 2013)

JoshKeller said:


> I dont use any treated plywood that comes in contact with an aluminum boat. I just coat regular plywood with fiberglass resin. As for the cable, it should be around 20' long. I have a 1648 and I had plenty of cable left over to follow the ribs and corners on my boat.
> 
> as for adjusting, various postitions may be required to get a bottom depth reading on plane. Air pockets, turbulent water, or just simply not having it in the right spot can cause erratic readings. i set mine on an area that has a clean path (no ribs, chines, pad, rivets, etc) and set the center line on the side of the transducer flush with the bottom of the hull and it works 99.9% of the time.
> 
> Since my fishfinder has gps as well as sonar, if I'm in an area for the first time, I'll idle up and mark on the map and ledges that could be hazardous. On plane, you can see the contour of the bottom, and will have enough time to react if you watch the sonar and read the river's water (ledges create current swirls in moving water).



I wasn't referring to pressure treated, I meant treating with something like epoxy resin before installing. But you answered my question regardless. Thanks!!


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## Gotem (Mar 28, 2013)

Make sure you adjust the settings the first time you use it or you may get some strange readings. Bring the manual with you. Some of those units start off in demo mode until you turn the demo mode off or adjust the settings.


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