Tired of slipping balls?

[bassboogieman]

Well I am. After putting up with it for well over a year I swapped out my RAM 2.25" ball mount that just would not hold up my Humminbird 1197. When I hit rough water conditions or went over a wake, it was often as not time to try and get the ball mount "just a little more tighter". I refuse to crank that sucker down with a wrench - that was the only way to get it tight enough but a PITA if I wanted to adjust the angle when the sun conditions change. I had a RAM swing arm mount on my previous boat and that SOB will not move once you snug it down, the heavy weight of the big electronics won't budge it, so I installed one on my boat and got rid of that slipping, sagging ball.

I really think the swing arm mount is the way-to-go on the large electronics. I know guys use the ball mounts and I don't know why, at least in my experience they are not equal when it comes to supporting the weight of a large GPS/SONAR.


Now with a ball mount I could get the unit a couple inches lower, but this is about the position I prefer my unit to be set. I do not have to lower my eyes from the water to see it when running.


If you think it's too high, RAM also makes a similar mount in a vertical base that would mount on the side rail rather on the console.


The other big advantage to this style is that is makes it east to "swing" it around and view from the front deck, it won't drop down when you loosen it like a ball mount would. Anyway, that's one nagging problem SOLVED.

[MallenManson]

Looks great!
I don't tend to have the slipping problem, as much as the sagging.....

[nobass]

Look good from my house I have a ball type ram on mine but it is not as big or heavy as your unit

[bassinbob]

"Balls" said the Queen "If I had two I'd be the King"

[keithdog]

I like the look of that setup. Hope it works out better for you in rough water. The only thing that would make it look better would be if the whole rig was parked in my driveway.

[nofearengineer]

Bruce, I have the ball-mount RAM like yours, and honestly, I have never had it slip. Are you sure it isn't your Fred Sanford Arthur-itis acting up?

[MallenManson]

Originally Posted by nofearengineer

Bruce, I have the ball-mount RAM like yours, and honestly, I have never had it slip. Are you sure it isn't your Fred Sanford Arthur-itis acting up?

Only if he hooks a bass and yells "It's the big one, Elizabeth!"

[bassboogieman]

Bruce, I have the ball-mount RAM like yours, and honestly, I have never had it slip.

HA! If you ever get your boat on plane and take a wake and go airborne, or spear a wave - you'll know what I'm talking about. But seriously, several guys have told me I just don't tighten it up enough, so I let them give it their best shot and same result, and I did put a pipe wrench on it but couldn't loosen it up again without the wrench, PITA. It was fine in calm (flat) water, but let me hit some little two footers and I don't think a bottle of Viagra would keep it up for 4 minutes not to mention 4 hours. Heck, if I spend $100+ on a piece of equipment I expect it to work perfect right out of the box not have to sand it or install some crappy looking tape. The swing arm I now have was $65 and works MUCH better and, as mentioned, doesn't drop down like a ball mount if you want to turn it around to view from the front deck - that is a major improvement over a ball mount, not to mention saving the price of an additional "big unit" up front.