4500X Included Mounting Wings or Brackets

[Ryan Dutton]

Our environment had been purchasing the 4500X-16 switches to run as campus core switches before I joined the team.  I recently discovered that the shipped mounting wings cannot be flipped around or installed on the 4500X to allow for a rear-mount or center-mount installation on a two-post rack.  I can only mount the switch to the front of a two-post rack.  This results in the back of the 4500X hanging at an angle in the two-post rack because of the weight of the power supplies at the back of the switch.   There are no other kits shipped with the switch to do a center-mount or rear-mount installation of the switch and I have had to improvise with metal shelves to have the switch sit properly in the rack.   Has anybody else had problems with the mounting wings?   Are there options available to allow for a center-mount or rear-mount installation of the 4500X in a two-post rack?

You can see the attached picture to see how the switches hang at an angle because of the weight.   I had two 4500X switches in my server cabinet that can only be installed in this fashion with the provided mounting wings....

[Leo Laohoo]

When attaching the mounting brackets for the first time, make sure all four s_crews (per bracket) are tight.  The "sag" normally occurs when the s_crews are not tightened properly or less than four s_crews are used.  

Also use all four cage nuts and cage nut bots and make sure they are secure.

[Marvin Rhoads · Accepted solution]

I've seen the same thing - even when using four properly secured bolts with the front-only ears. 

There's an kit you can buy that was originally created for use with the 4900 family (but will also work with the 4500-X) for a center mounting option. It's mentioned in Table 7 of the 4500-X Installation notes and described in detail here.

[Ryan Dutton]

Hello Marvin.

I was able to procure the part I needed:  the WS-X4948E-19CNTR=

These seem to have resolved my problem and concern but there is a bend at the front of the wings to support the plastic cable managers (which I never use).  They make a rear-mount installation awkward in a fully-occupied two-post rack.

[LloydG]

Hi, I release this was from 2015 - but i think the part number you were looking for was: C4948E-BKT-KIT=

This gives you the rare rack mount kits.

as per:

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/lan/catalyst4500x/installation/notes/OL_24795.html#pgfId-42945