You would think Minelab would fix this by now...

[bob.oz]

I've had my XT705, bought the gold pack new, going on 5 years now. Yesterday I sent back my 4th 18.75 Elliptical coil for the ears (mounting brackets) breaking. Yes, it is still under warranty, but you would think they would of remedied the problem by now. Of all the coils they have this one has the thinnest/weakest mounting connection of all ML coils I have. I use this coil 95% of the time on the beach in the dry sand. It does get bumped on the sides when working around cabanas and lounges, and it does take a hit in the sand on the swing once in a great while..... but it's a Minelab, so they are mostly slow swings with gentle bumps.
This coil came with their XT705 Gold package and you would think they would make it suitable for rough terrain (rocks/boulders) never considering the open beach usage. The coil is by far the best coil for my use and I have the finds to prove it, it is also the lightest in weight (can swing it for hours) and easiest to PP without going to PP, which I seldom do! I have all the other HF coils as well as the standard 7.5 I got with my X30 11 years ago. All of these coils still work fine and have a nice beefy, thick mounting bracket compared to the Elliptical.
Turn around time is usually a week, which is nice, but still cost me $7.00 bucks shipping each time. It broke within the first 5 minutes of my sunrise hunt yesterday morning, which would of been a wasted trip had I not had the 6" HF coil in the truck......At least I found enough coin to cover the shipping. GL ALL

 

[Old Longhair]

You would think so Bob. Really, the 9" concentric coils all suffer from the same thing. I sometimes wonder why this series is viewed and treated like Minelab's redheaded stepchild.

 

[argyle1]

You would seriously think by now, and we are getting close to 27 years, that the same weak cracking mounting has been on Minelab 8" round DD's and 10x5 elliptical's.

The bracket system is still on the Commander 8" series for the PI's ....and they are put through more punishment than we can dish out with the XTerra's.

I doubt we will ever see a better mount made now, as there are still a gazillion in stock.

Maybe when the new models comes out soon, a stronger made coil range will come with them.

 

[Steve in Idaho]

I always put a thin plastic washer by the stem when I put the screw through the coil ears. I have never broken a coil yet and I use them all the time.

 

[basstrackerman]

Do you put that plastic washer on after bolt is pushed through the coil/stem? Then install wingnut? I have this coil and use it and just wanna be safe.

 

[Old Longhair]

Do you put that plastic washer on after bolt is pushed through the coil/stem? Then install wingnut? I have this coil and use it and just wanna be safe.

Really, you just need to make sure that the ears stay parallel. Don't over tighten the bolt, and if a small spacer is needed to prevent the bolt from pinching the top together (putting stress on the ears) then make it so.

 

[Steve in Idaho]

Put the washer on with the stem and then put the bolt through it then install the wing nut. The washer has to be thin.

 

[basstrackerman]

oh ok gotcha makes sense.. thanks guys.

Do you put that plastic washer on after bolt is pushed through the coil/stem? Then install wingnut? I have this coil and use it and just wanna be safe.

Really, you just need to make sure that the ears stay parallel. Don't over tighten the bolt, and if a small spacer is needed to prevent the bolt from pinching the top together (putting stress on the ears) then make it so.

 

[Mark in S.E. IA]

Something else you guys can do, DO NOT use the MDer to help you to get up off the ground. That puts a lot of stress on those coil ears. I'm a 100% positive that's why I broke the ears off my first coil. After that I never used the MDer to help me to get up off the ground.

 

[bob.oz]

So it took a little over a week, but I found my newly replaced/favorite coil on the front porch this afternoon. I mailed it on a Wednesday (priority mail) ML received it Friday and it was shipped UPS Tuesday.
*I've tried the washer route, soft ones cut out of rubber, thin ones cut out of plastic soda bottles, used a longer nylon bolt so all fit snug and the coil doesn't flop around but not so tight that it pinches the coil ears inward. When the ears break the coil is left dangling like a fish at the end of the cable.
* I use this coil 3/4 times a week for an average of 3 hours at a time.
*As long as they keep breaking b4 the warranty is up, I'm good,............ when it happens after the warranty, I'll go MacGyver on it and MEK all the pieces I've saved up and try my luck at repairing it myself.
*I used the standard concentric while waiting for the Elliptical to be returned.....Got fooled way to many times on the pull tabs, with the elliptical that rarely happens.
*Hey Mark, using the detector to get up, is like you say....not good. I would be guilty of that if I were a dirt hunter more often than I am. In the beach sand I'm a foot digger or finger rake my targets.....Glad I can still bend over to retrieve my finds, cause my knees are feeling much older than I am these days.GL ALL

 

[Digger 45]

I have 3 to 4 hundred hours on this coil and with no problems with breakage, must be doing something wrong, tighten coil just so it doesn't flop and don't lean on unit or hit the ground. Haven't heard of this coil breaking, the larger one has had problems because the ears are a little off center.

 

[hunter12]

I always put a thin plastic washer by the stem when I put the screw through the coil ears. I have never broken a coil yet and I use them all the time.

X 2. I do the same thing after first coil ears broke. Takes up the slack so ear's wont crack.