Havent heard of any changes. As fr as the coil ers go - yeah, they're thn and weak. Do NOT tighten your coil bolt very tight as it bends the ears in and stresses them. Bang your coil against a rock, tree, stubble; whatever, and you could crack an ear. Tighten the bolt just enough so that the coil is not floppy when you raise it off the ground. You want just enough tension to hold it in position. That said, there are many people selling ear stiffeners. Its basically a 3d printed frame that fits around the ears and keeps the ears from being bent inward. About $15 for one, or $25 for a set of three. Or go to thingiverse and do a search for Equinox and find the 3d printing code yourself (its free code) Take to your local library and 3d print yourself if they have printers you can use.