Lowrance ghost bracket creaking and popping

[TNReb]

Hope yours runs well when you get it. Keep us posted.

Update on mine...

Service guy compared it to his own Ghost and another on a new boat in the showroom. He said mine flexes/moves a lot, and it shouldn't. He tightened all of the bolts, checked the bushings, etc. Lowrance asked the service guy to send videos/pictures of my boat on the water. So he took it out and did all of that.

Lowrance saw the photos/videos, and noticed the trolling motor is mounted to the boat with 4 bolts instead of the recommended 6. They said that the trolling motor must be installed with 6 bolts before they would do anything else. Local guy is trying to work with Bass Cat and get that addressed. They're a BassCat dealer anyway, so it works out well. BassCat typically over-engineers things, so it seems strange to me that they went with 4 bolts instead of 6. I know they aren't the only manufacturer doing this though, and it doesn't seem like it's the root of the problem.

Service guy said he doesn't think adding two more bolts is going to make a difference, because the bottom of the bracket that is bolted isn't what's flexing. It's just the first step in getting Lowrance to play ball and acknowledge another underlying issue.

[78Staff]

Yeah I have 6 bolts in, even oversized them from the wimpy bolts Lowrance provides. I'm going to try the moleskin trick mentioned earlier as well, and hope that the 360 spring/bracket being replaced makes a difference. I thought about making a change, but really just not in a place drop drop $4-5K on a new TM right now.

[bman5150]

I used all 6 of the supplied bolts for my installation for what it’s worth.

[78Staff]

Lowrance saw the photos/videos, and noticed the trolling motor is mounted to the boat with 4 bolts instead of the recommended 6. They said that the trolling motor must be installed with 6 bolts before they would do anything else. Local guy is trying to work with Bass Cat and get that addressed. They're a BassCat dealer anyway, so it works out well. BassCat typically over-engineers things, so it seems strange to me that they went with 4 bolts instead of 6. I know they aren't the only manufacturer doing this though, and it doesn't seem like it's the root of the problem.

Service guy said he doesn't think adding two more bolts is going to make a difference, because the bottom of the bracket that is bolted isn't what's flexing. It's just the first step in getting Lowrance to play ball and acknowledge another underlying issue.

Yeah sounds more like Lowrance posturing than anything else... those two bolts aren't going to make any difference in the noise level, unless the other four bolts were loose or all stacked at one end maybe. Just another hurdle they are making you jump though before offering actual help.

The ASC said they could not reproduce the problem I described, but also said they can't put enough torque on that bracket like a TM under power in the water would). But they replaced the coil spring/bracket assembly anyway. Said if it's still noisly then look at the bottom mount's bearings. I think I posted on that earlier in the thread - Lowrance told me not to send the lower mount :(. So all this might have been a waste of time if I wind up having to send it back again. But most of the noise seemed to be coming from the head end, so fingers crossed.

[TNReb]

Yeah sounds more like Lowrance posturing than anything else... those two bolts aren't going to make any difference in the noise level, unless the other four bolts were loose or all stacked at one end maybe. Just another hurdle they are making you jump though before offering actual help.

The ASC said they could not reproduce the problem I described, but also said they can't put enough torque on that bracket like a TM under power in the water would). But they replaced the coil spring/bracket assembly anyway. Said if it's still noisly then look at the bottom mount's bearings. I think I posted on that earlier in the thread - Lowrance told me not to send the lower mount :(. So all this might have been a waste of time if I wind up having to send it back again. But most of the noise seemed to be coming from the head end, so fingers crossed.

It stinks that you had to remove the trolling motor. I was fortunate enough that a certified service place was about an hour and a half away, so I was able to just drop off my boat.

[78Staff]

We used to have one locally, but it closed. New owners opened that shop back up but they never got recertified :(. Closest one was about a 2.5 hour drive. Kinda wish I had made the trip now (but really, didn't want too make the 5 hour drive twice), although Wacky Riggers did turn mine around in one day. Just waiting on shipping bascially.

[bman5150]

@tnreb - for the four bolts used for your installation, are the outer-most bolt holes utilized on the mount? Meaning the two closest to the trolling motor prop?

[78Staff]

We used to have one locally, but it closed. New owners opened that shop back up but they never got recertified :(. Closest one was about a 2.5 hour drive. Kinda wish I had made the trip now (but really, didn't want too make the 5 hour drive twice), although Wacky Riggers did turn mine around in one day. Just waiting on shipping bascially.

So they shipped mine back Friday, figure I will get it Wed or Thurs most likely. He reminded me that replacing the 360 coil what just a guess since they could not reproduce the issue on the bench :( Doesn't sound good.

They also asked if I used the rubber washers when I mounted it, to which I replied no as my Skeeter deck is level so didn't need to use any of them. They said they use them on every install regardless - that the rubber washers let the base mount better level itself out and they have less issues with torquing down the mounting bolts, etc.
I mean I guess it makes sense, but first I had heard of that. Of course I have no idea where those stupid little rubber washers are. Actually I do have one b/c I used it for something else, so measured and it's 1"ODx1/4"IDx1/4"tall. Not a common rubber washer, at least not at HD or Lowes. 1/8" seems to be the thickest I have been able to find locally. I guess you could stack two 1/8" thick ones and get the same benefit...

[78Staff]

So, to follow up. Got the Ghost back from Wacky Riggers. Mounted it up this week along with some electronics changes, and got it on the water today. It is much, much quieter than before - so I guess that coil spring bracket was the trick. Based on thier "this is just a shot in the dark" comment I didn't have much faith, tbh. Anyway, it's all remounted, evenly torqued, lubed, etc. I do notice the shaft has a bit of lean back to the rear (I did not reinstall with the pucks this time). I may consider getting a wedge - I didn't think the Skeeters needed them but I guess the combination of all Lithiums in back and 3 head units up front shifted the angle a bit.

EDIT - OMG $225 for a wedge? I though they were like $50 or somethign like that :(.

[bman5150]

That’s great @78staff. Glad your Ghost is working well now.

[Marc Marcantonio]

I would fix the lean, especially since you fish shallow water so you get the best performance with Active Target.