Menu
What's new
Find's Treasure Forums

Welcome to Find's Treasure Forums, Guests!

You are viewing this forums as a guest which limits you to read only status.

Only registered members may post stories, questions, classifieds, reply to other posts, contact other members using built in messaging and use many other features found on these forums.

Why not register and join us today? It's free! (We don't share your email addresses with anyone.) We keep email addresses of our users to protect them and others from bad people posting things they shouldn't.

Click here to register!

Need Support Help?

Cannot log in?, click here to have new password emailed to you

Changed email? Forgot to update your account with new email address? Need assistance with something else?, click here to go to Find's Support Form and fill out the form.

Cam locks / twist locks - will they seize up from salt, sand and silt?

Ytcoinshooter

Ytcoinshooter

Well-known member
I expect this EQ to see plenty of time in the saltwater. My expireince (and that of others I know here ) is that a cam lock design can be problematic. I know a few work arounds but they don't compare to just cutting off the cam locks and replacing them with pluggers locks :thumbup:as I have done on some shafts. Maybe an aftermarket shaft will be the easiest, if the control unit is removable or the upper can be adapted to another shaft with minimal fuss. Even in fresh water silt has caused me grief but saltwater and sand have a nasty effect. I clean my detectors extremely well but extended water hunts just promote problems. I've even taken to occasionally pausing to work the shafts free in the water then re-tightening, then repeating just before I exit the water.
Oh boy...I just read the maintenance section...the twist locks will be an issue for me...insert "explicative" word! Oh fish cakes!
 
Here is my answer to camlocks:
12VDC power washer - holds 3 gallons of water.
Plugger's may be the best answer, still have to take the shaft apart.
WaterWalker
 
Ytcoinshooter said:
I expect this EQ to see plenty of time in the saltwater. My expireince (and that of others I know here ) is that a cam lock design can be problematic. I know a few work arounds but they don't compare to just cutting off the cam locks and replacing them with pluggers locks :thumbup:as I have done on some shafts. Maybe an aftermarket shaft will be the easiest, if the control unit is removable or the upper can be adapted to another shaft with minimal fuss. Even in fresh water silt has caused me grief but saltwater and sand have a nasty effect. I clean my detectors extremely well but extended water hunts just promote problems. I've even taken to occasionally pausing to work the shafts free in the water then re-tightening, then repeating just before I exit the water.
Oh boy...I just read the maintenance section...the twist locks will be an issue for me...insert "explicative" word! Oh fish cakes!
Click to expand...

I been non-stop with my Equinox after I got it Friday. I am a beach hunter only. Up so far no problems. After each hunt I do spray down the detector with water. Maybe there using something different in the cam locks??? I had a Sovereign GT and hated the cam locks on the shaft. Theses cam locks "feel" different. But up so far so good!!!
 
I have used a lot of cam-lock detector rods in the surf over the years. I never had a single problem with the lock, but on my old Whites I occasionally had problems with sand binding up the inner/outer poles. This normally showed itsself a day or 2 later. I collaps the rods to put them in my car, then salt and sand lock it up. Never had it so bad that I couldnt get it back apart.
 
WaterWalker said:
Here is my answer to camlocks:
12VDC power washer - holds 3 gallons of water.
Plugger's may be the best answer, still have to take the shaft apart.
WaterWalker
Click to expand...
Oh I've seen your setup on Cape...you take no shortcuts. Guess I'm ready for a bigger SUV!
 
The Whites camlocks (cut off and replaced w/pluggers) and the Garrett AT series (used only in fresh water) are terrible. I do an immediate rinse and or spray and still had trouble freeing them up. My original Whites PI rod is frozen - but AT the right length. Took a 3 piece whites rod and did the plugger mod - perfecto!
 
Bud ... if you are a water hunter then you know aluminum will blister. Takes attention after EVERY hunt. I prefer CF...and Plungers got some good locks. Salt water is as bad as it gets on equipment.
 
My thoughts were and Anderson rod will be great for the Nox and considering how many people use them for the Excalibur I have to image they must work well in the salt/sand.
 
Someone I know, has fitted the Anderson top section and a Minelab X-terra fibre bottom shaft to his brand new Equinox.

He also replaced the coil cover with a tough Tesoro one that he had lying about.

That done he is off to the Beach tomorrow.

I watch with great interest as he knows is stuff.;) Jerry.
 
Yes they will if not flushed and cleaned

The length adjustment holes in the shaft are also an entry point when the detector is put down in soft fluffy sand
I had sand in the shaft & cams after my first beach hunt
 
What I also do is drill a hole just above the lower shaft head. It lets sand and water out. Pete was waiting on an EQ last time I talked to him so he could make them.
 
I have not seen a rod yet that you do not have to clean to prevent the sections from "freezing up".
The worst of the camlocks are the ATX's and the best are the Plugger kind.
In their defense, the camlocks do a nice job of removing any rod movement due to the hole/pin stop locks.
 
dewcon4414 said:
Bud ... if you are a water hunter then you know aluminum will blister. Takes attention after EVERY hunt. I prefer CF...and Plungers got some good locks. Salt water is as bad as it gets on equipment.
Click to expand...
Yes I do. I use a CF Anderson rod on my modded Excalibur 2 but it's not suitable for travel. I use a pluggers 3 piece for airline travel and those always come apart with ease. The modded Whites with plugger locks is good. Maybe I can adapt something I have. I thought I read you were up around Vero Beach recently (one other poster was I read), I was trying in Ft. Lauderdale the day before yesterday with a PI but red flag conditions and rip tides killed. Back to the Gulf soon. Gotta get my finds from MX the last 2 weeks was posted up...been lazy, need to get my 3rd party photo hosting straightened out.
 
I've been able to use rods with SS snap pins and pluggers locks. On my modded whites 3 piece break down rod the middle upper section works good without the snap pin.
 
Those pluggers look nice. I wonder if they will make one that works with the Nox arm rest?

I would rather have the Nox rest than the metal ones without the stand.
 
TN Mike said:
Those pluggers look nice. I wonder if they will make one that works with the Nox arm rest?

I would rather have the Nox rest than the metal ones without the stand.
Click to expand...
My Personal preference in the water is no stand, on turf I usually like the stand type cuff if they work on uneven ground.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top