beachreaper
New member
Yes, I bought a 3 piece silver shaft from Steve very happy. Thanks so much !!! Carl
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Minelab Americas Customer Care
- Thread starter jayhop
- Start date
sgoss66
Well-known member
Carl,
Thank YOU! I'm glad you are happy with it, and it's very much appreciated!
Steve
Florida Son
Active member
I imagine once the machine/coil repair is out of warranty some may sell it and buy something else. But maybe that is why Minelab “approved” coiltek?
And yes Steve’s Detector Rods have made the 800 a wobble-less, jam free dream to swing!
And yes Steve’s Detector Rods have made the 800 a wobble-less, jam free dream to swing!
I'm not denying there is a coil ear breakage issue, but it's strange some people never have a problem. As soon I heard about the issue I put a ear protector on my 11" coil. Anybody who has not put coil ear protection on the 11" or larger coil by now only has themself to blame if a coil ear breaks. That's not to say Minelab should not remedy the situation. I'm not really sure why they have not offered a coil ear stiffner free of charge. It seems like that would be cheaper than replacing coils. That is unless the issue is actually rarer than the forums make it out to be. As far as the service goes I had a fantastic experience when I used them. They called me within hours of my initial contact, and emailed a shipping label. I had the detector back a week from the time I shipped it to them. I have zero complaints with Minelab products or their service dept..
jayhop
Well-known member
I would have said the same about the customer service before this experience.
They never returned my calls or replied to my email. It was only after I had called for several days that I was able to talk to someone.
As far as the coil ears, I also would of said the same as you until a few weeks ago. Mine lasted over 2 years and yes I was using coil ear stiffeners on all coils. I paid $25 each for them.
COIL EAR STIFFENERS don't keep the ears from breaking.
When Mine runs out of warranty I will glue and epoxy one on. That will make a difference I think. But it has to be like its part of the coil.
I hope there Customer service gets back to the way it was in the past. But even one of there representatives talked about them being over loaded with work at this time. That was recently on a metal detecting show on YouTube.
kschae4
Well-known member
After many hours of hunting at FH7 this past January, my coil ears broke off into many pieces due to my own laziness of not completely loosening nut and bolt before collapsing the detector and calling it a day. Not enough large parts to salvage for an epoxy remedy. I did purchase a new 11' coil...Any suggestions on the broken one?
Shortly after I got my first Equinox 800 I put one of Steve's carbon shafts on it. I'm not sure if the attachment point or the rubber grommets are better on his rods although they could be. I put an ear protector on at least a year ago. This detector has seen very heavy use. It has all been on dry land. Blazing hot to freezing conditions. In yards, fields, parks, and woods with no breaking or cracking of the coil ears. I do not run the bolt and plastic nut very tight. I'm not rough with my detectors but don't baby them either. The epoxy is probably a good idea and may do the same myself.
relicmeister
Well-known member
Never had one break but jic I bought a coil stiffener and keep the coil bolt loose. And I NEVER use the detector as a crutch.
Mark kus
Well-known member
Send it back if it's still under warranty
Mark
jayhop
Well-known member
My story was the same as yours, until the coil fell off. I did have my bolt snug enough that the coil wasn't flopping but it was still moving enough that I had to keep adjusting it level. The stiffeners don't keep the ears from breaking. I had the best one I could find on and they still broke.
My stiffeners are now off each coil until the warranty is out. Then they will be welded to the coils with plenty of epoxy.
sgoss66
Well-known member
jayhop --
"Welding" a "stiffener" onto a coil that is out of warranty makes alot of sense to me. I agree with you that something that physically attaches (i.e. is "bonded) to both the coil ears, AND to the coil body itself, is the best option. However, I'm not sure I would use 3D-printed plastic, to be my "stiffener," if I were planning to epoxy something to my coil ears to ensure they don't break. I would be looking for something with the maximum strength/rigidity that I could find...
Steve
"Welding" a "stiffener" onto a coil that is out of warranty makes alot of sense to me. I agree with you that something that physically attaches (i.e. is "bonded) to both the coil ears, AND to the coil body itself, is the best option. However, I'm not sure I would use 3D-printed plastic, to be my "stiffener," if I were planning to epoxy something to my coil ears to ensure they don't break. I would be looking for something with the maximum strength/rigidity that I could find...
Steve
jayhop
Well-known member
Sounds like another project for you.
Maybe a tray with a release agent to set the coil in to form a dam. Then epoxy, then the stiffener, then more epoxy.
I'm sure I'm over thinking it but that's something like I'm planning on doing.
sgoss66
Well-known member
Jayhop --
Project, LOL! It's funny, WAY back before any of these coil ear stiffeners were on the market, a fellow detectorist and one of my customers, who frequents many forums under the name "Colonel Dan," suggested to me that I might want to look into making something for Equinox users, that would serve to strengthen their coil ears. I looked at it, thought about it, pondered it -- and while I dreamed up some ideas that I thought would do the trick, none of them were going to be "easy," or feasible. My conclusion at the time is exactly what I posted above -- that in my opinion a reliable solution would have to involve a very strong/stiff material, and EPOXY. SO -- since many people don't have experience working with epoxy, since epoxy cannot be sent through many shipping services ("hazardous" material), and a few other complicating factors, I decided there just wasn't a feasible way for me to design and sell something that I could feel fully confident in, and that would be easy for a majority of customers to achieve/accomplish (given some "DIY" skills that are necessary). In other words, I just couldn't come up with something I could fully stand behind/endorse. Shortly thereafter, the proliferation of "coil ear stiffeners" began!
In summary, it's definitely something needed, and Colonel Dan was on the right track. Especially now that Minelab users are starting to see their 3-year warranties expire, this is only going to become more of a need. But -- while I can certainly see in my mind some good solutions, none of them (as was the case before) are easy to market/sell in a "DIY kit" of sorts, for the reasons mentioned above...
Steve
Project, LOL! It's funny, WAY back before any of these coil ear stiffeners were on the market, a fellow detectorist and one of my customers, who frequents many forums under the name "Colonel Dan," suggested to me that I might want to look into making something for Equinox users, that would serve to strengthen their coil ears. I looked at it, thought about it, pondered it -- and while I dreamed up some ideas that I thought would do the trick, none of them were going to be "easy," or feasible. My conclusion at the time is exactly what I posted above -- that in my opinion a reliable solution would have to involve a very strong/stiff material, and EPOXY. SO -- since many people don't have experience working with epoxy, since epoxy cannot be sent through many shipping services ("hazardous" material), and a few other complicating factors, I decided there just wasn't a feasible way for me to design and sell something that I could feel fully confident in, and that would be easy for a majority of customers to achieve/accomplish (given some "DIY" skills that are necessary). In other words, I just couldn't come up with something I could fully stand behind/endorse. Shortly thereafter, the proliferation of "coil ear stiffeners" began!
In summary, it's definitely something needed, and Colonel Dan was on the right track. Especially now that Minelab users are starting to see their 3-year warranties expire, this is only going to become more of a need. But -- while I can certainly see in my mind some good solutions, none of them (as was the case before) are easy to market/sell in a "DIY kit" of sorts, for the reasons mentioned above...
Steve
jayhop
Well-known member
I just checked, a new coil is $230.
Somebody could have a nice little side job repairing coils for maybe $75 plus shipping both ways.
If I was retired I'd look into it, but I have at least 3 years to go.
sgoss66
Well-known member
IowaRelic
Well-known member
does anyone know if coil ears are breaking on aftermarket lower shafts? Minelab claimed the issue is the rubber washers wearing. Should we just change them every couple hundred hours? I will be keeping a close eye on mine. It’s at about the 10-12 hour mark. I actually have avoided a couple spots and used the DEUS instead because of the rough terrain. Sounds like it’s not the issue...as some have went out of their way and they still broke.
jayhop
Well-known member
I don't know about the after market lower shaft but I can see where worn washers could cause them to break sooner. But mine had very little wear.
I'm one of those that thought some people must have been abusing or misusing their detectors and that mine probably would never break. I was dead wrong.
Maybe if you leave your coil floppy loose, never hunt stubble and just don't hunt much at all it will last you for ever.
But I have seen guys on YouTube that had theirs break while filming and they only hunted yards and such.