Makro Racer issues

[sulik84]

Today upper shaft of my MR2 fell apart in my hand during metal detecting. Also found out that upper pin is cracking. Makro still has some quality issues. Still I think software of this metal detector is great, but quality is not so good
P.S. My MR2 is 8 months old.

 

[DanielSR]

n/t

 

[pasttom]

SO MANY VARIABLES can be at work here. There are some flaws in every item mass produced. For every weak or damaged component there are thousands that are fine. I have 3 Makro units and they are just fine. Quality control seems better than average and service is very good. Contact the manufacturer if you can't reach the vendor who sold you the unit. It is under warranty, give them a chance to make it right.

 

[Monte]

Today upper shaft of my MR2 fell apart in my hand during metal detecting.

I have a smart phone like most folks do these days, but I carry it in a shirt pocket, sometimes secured, and I have a screen and body protector on it. I do not drop it (or try not to) or get it wet, or handle it if my hands are dirty, greasy, muddy, etc. It is an electronic device and I pamper it

I have been metal detecting for fifty-two years, avidly, and I own and use many detectors, but very seldom have I experienced a physical package design failure. I did have a Teknetics G2 and Omega control housing break, but they were a weak and very flimsy, flexible design secured to the handle with one small screw, Too much outside pressure on the control housing cracked the mounting stud. As a dealer I received a Tesoro Inca back in '86 that had a loose and rattily circuit board. When I opened it I found the rivets/screws hadn't been properly done to attach the circuit board to the lower control housing. Other than that I have never experienced any serious physical design/build flaw.

I have had several search coils, however, that had a defect, but like pasttom mentioned, any manufacturer can have a few things crop up, but those are incidental and not a mass design issue. The defective search coils I had from Garrett, White's [size=small](quite a few of those)[/size], Tesoro, and yes, even Makro and Nokta, were all quickly repaired or replaced as needed.

But as I mentioned earlier, I have used metal detectors for over five decades, but they are electronic devices, and that means I am going to treat them well. Pamper them you could say. I use my right hand to hold and work my detectors and pinpointers, and all my target recovery is done with my left had. I started using that method by 1971 so I'm well practiced at it, and that means my target recovery hand gets dirty and muddy, which I then clean off, but my detector and pinpointer handling hand stays clean. The result is a clean detector. Most any time mine could almost pass as 'showroom condition' in appearance.

Also, they are devices that are built out of thin metal, plastics, and usually secured with small screws or rivets. My two Relics, CoRe, Racer 2, and any others that travel with me, ride on the back seat of my pick-up, covered with a lightweight white hospital blanket to keep sun from heating them up and also keep dirt off of them. After a detecting jaunt where they might get slightly dirty, I clean them as soon as I get back home. Pampered, like any other electronic device.

I have seen quite a few broken detectors over the years, from budget detector makers to top-end, high-dollar detector manufacturers, but the devices were handled haphazardly, not treated well. Muddy, dirty, a bit scared up from bumping and banging around, and their owners sort of tossed them in the back of their rig with all sorts of detecting equipment, rakes, shovels, tool boxes, and many other things that caused bumping, bending, scratching, and otherwise mistreated an electronic device.

So when I see any detector that has a lot of dirt or mud all over the grip, armcup, rod, control housing and, well, just everywhere, it makes me wonder how the detector is treated overall. How often is it dropped, banged around, carried unprotected, cleaned, etc. Was there some sort of excessive force applied that broke the designed fit or attachment? This was your first post on the Findmall Forum here for Makro so I don't know much about your experience and time of use with detectors, the type of hunting you do or what might have contributed to the issue at hand.

Also found out that upper pin is cracking.

By "upper pin" are you referring to the bright, shiny button called a 'snap-lock' to help position a shaft? That's the only "crack" I see, and that is a very normal design in making the snap-lock button. It assures a proper size and proper fit for the hole it will secure to, so there's no "cracking" issue or flaw there. Every manufacturer who uses 'snap-locks' or 'spring clips' knows they are all made that way.

Makro still has some quality issues. Still I think software of this metal detector is great, but quality is not so good
P.S. My MR2 is 8 months old.

I'm with pasttom on this because I haven't seen Makro or Nokta flaws other than the hollow coil bolts they used to use, or the search coil rod-mounting 'ears' that cracked which they have also taken care of. My Racer 2's and Gold Racers are a very solid build design and I haven't had any issues with them. I use them, especially the Racer 2, quite often, but as I stated, I treat them well and as they should be.

Monte

 

[sulik84]

Ofcourse I will give company a chance. My dealer will send it to Turkey.
I think people have right to know that issue that Makro Racer 1 had is still here.

I think this is great machine, that suited me like no other I hope to still use it

Or I will buy Nokta Force Relic - seems better made.

Monte
I treat my detector like egg, carry it in special bag on a back seat of my car, keep it in my room. It is dirty because photo was taken on a field (muddy one) just after it fell apart and my hands and gloves weren't very clean. I use it quite often - 20-30 hours a week. Also I use Nel hunter coil with it (which is heavier than standard coil). Also I use covers for its electronics (removed to take photos).
During MD I treat it like I treated my previous metal detectors - none of them fell apart.

Disintegrating upper shaft was a common problem with Makro Racer 1 - I have seen dozens posts about that issue.

"Pin" isn't really a problem here (I don't know proper name for it in English - I'm from Poland)

 

[Nokta Detectors]

Today upper shaft of my MR2 fell apart in my hand during metal detecting. Also found out that upper pin is cracking. Makro still has some quality issues. Still I think software of this metal detector is great, but quality is not so good
P.S. My MR2 is 8 months old.

Hello. This is to inform you that we have NOT received any breakage claims on the Racer 2 and we shipped thousands of them. The shaft breakage happened with Racer 1 in one batch and we fixed the issue long time ago and replaced all so far that had an issue. Therefore, let's not make generalizations and mislead people.

My engineering team reviewed the pictures you sent and informed me that the breakage clearly happened due to a major twist in the unit as a result of an impact or some kind of force. Actually the shaft not breaking completely with such a twist shows the strength of the shaft. Please contact our repair center in Germany for repairs.

Thank you!

 

[Monte]

Ofcourse I will give company a chance. My dealer will send it to Turkey.
I think people have right to know that issue that Makro Racer 1 had is still here.

I think this is great machine, that suited me like no other I hope to still use it

Or I will buy Nokta Force Relic - seems better made.

I see you received a reply from Dilek at Makro/Nokta and a trip to Germany for service would be a good idea.

As Dilek mentioned, it was just a problem with one batch, which can happen, and to tell you the truth, I had never heard of or seen that particular problem here in the USA. They had thr soulution and took care of the production as needed.

The Racer 2 is performing superbly for me, and while it can work for almost any application, it is my main Coin Hunting detector for city environments. The Nokta FORS Relic, however, is still my #1 all-purpose detector that I can use anywhere also, but I mainly Relic Hunt when I have the opportunity and it works great, as does my FORS CoRe.

Hang in there and enjoy the Racer once repaired. A very good detector!

Monte

 

[sulik84]

Today upper shaft of my MR2 fell apart in my hand during metal detecting. Also found out that upper pin is cracking. Makro still has some quality issues. Still I think software of this metal detector is great, but quality is not so good
P.S. My MR2 is 8 months old.

Hello. This is to inform you that we have NOT received any breakage claims on the Racer 2 and we shipped thousands of them. The shaft breakage happened with Racer 1 in one batch and we fixed the issue long time ago and replaced all so far that had an issue. Therefore, let's not make generalizations and mislead people.

My engineering team reviewed the pictures you sent and informed me that the breakage clearly happened due to a major twist in the unit as a result of an impact or some kind of force. Actually the shaft not breaking completely with such a twist shows the strength of the shaft. Please contact our repair center in Germany for repairs.

Thank you!

I apologise for generalizations . It was badly written. Posting my message here I didn't want to make Makro/Nokta look bad. I still think that MR2 is the greatest machine I have seen so far, maybe the best in the world. I was defending MR2 reputation on polish detecting forums since I got mine.

Only wanted to inform that something happened to my MR2, and I was looking for some help and information (here is a lot more users than in Poland). Probably my detector is the only one with some failure - I do not say that there is anything wrong with other units.

How I mention in e-mail the shaft is not twisted, it is broken completely and hanging on cables. I didn't want to take it out of the screen box,because I was afraid it would damage cables and electronics. So you cannot see this on photos.
I can assure you there wasn't any impact (neither Nokta Impact ). I was swinging over the ground when I felt that detector is shaking, then I have noticed it is under strange angle. That's the whole story.
Hopefully everything will work out

 

[Nokta Detectors]

Today upper shaft of my MR2 fell apart in my hand during metal detecting. Also found out that upper pin is cracking. Makro still has some quality issues. Still I think software of this metal detector is great, but quality is not so good
P.S. My MR2 is 8 months old.

Hello. This is to inform you that we have NOT received any breakage claims on the Racer 2 and we shipped thousands of them. The shaft breakage happened with Racer 1 in one batch and we fixed the issue long time ago and replaced all so far that had an issue. Therefore, let's not make generalizations and mislead people.

My engineering team reviewed the pictures you sent and informed me that the breakage clearly happened due to a major twist in the unit as a result of an impact or some kind of force. Actually the shaft not breaking completely with such a twist shows the strength of the shaft. Please contact our repair center in Germany for repairs.

Thank you!

I apologise for generalizations . It was badly written. Posting my message here I didn't want to make Makro/Nokta look bad. I still think that MR2 is the greatest machine I have seen so far, maybe the best in the world. I was defending MR2 reputation on polish detecting forums since I got mine.

Only wanted to inform that something happened to my MR2, and I was looking for some help and information (here is a lot more users than in Poland). Probably my detector is the only one with some failure - I do not say that there is anything wrong with other units.

How I mention in e-mail the shaft is not twisted, it is broken completely and hanging on cables. I didn't want to take it out of the screen box,because I was afraid it would damage cables and electronics. So you cannot see this on photos.
I can assure you there wasn't any impact (neither Nokta Impact ). I was swinging over the ground when I felt that detector is shaking, then I have noticed it is under strange angle. That's the whole story.
Hopefully everything will work out

Hello and thank you for your kind words. We are just going off of pictures you sent and cannot come to an absolute conclusion unless we see the unit so please send it to our Germany repair center to be evaluated.