Equinox 900 coil supports. Was i first ????

Well The day has come. I broke the coil support on my Nox 900 eqx11 coil. Does anyone here make or recommend the coil stiffener for these yet ????
In 35+ years I* have never broken a coil ear UNTILL I had the EQ 800. I did mend it with a strong glue and a set of coil stiffeners. I had since bought a EQ 900, and the coil ears seemed to be thicker, and that the 900 was built better overall?, and now you have a broken coil ear on your 900? Well, that's just dandy, perhaps Minelab should include a set with every machine they sell? What I did this time around was to buy a second lower shaft, one for the standard coil and one for the 6", so as not to overstress? Minelabs coils. The Nox coils are the only ones I have ever heard of breaking. Well...they did get me to spend more for a second lower shaft.
 

Yeahhhh they are wider at base. Flarmed out but seem about same gauge thickness. Phil over at meyers did solve my problem. After i cried it was my bday detecting trip. (Like i need a special occasion to detect). Lol. he truly went over and beyond. Fixed me up, back on beach. With that said. I am on wet sand and in water 80% the time. I’m not soft and/or delicate with tools or instruments. I will need a set stiffeners foe my 6” and 11” stat tho….
 

In 35+ years I* have never broken a coil ear UNTILL I had the EQ 800. I did mend it with a strong glue and a set of coil stiffeners. I had since bought a EQ 900, and the coil ears seemed to be thicker, and that the 900 was built better overall?, and now you have a broken coil ear on your 900? Well, that's just dandy, perhaps Minelab should include a set with every machine they sell? What I did this time around was to buy a second lower shaft, one for the standard coil and one for the 6", so as not to overstress? Minelabs coils. The Nox coils are the only ones I have ever heard of breaking. Well...they did get me to spend more for a second lower shaft.
Maybe they should include a lower shaft and 2 sets of hardware with each coil like XP does(?)

It really does make changing coils a snap. 😉
 

Hard use on my 800 took it's toll on the coil ears. I almost wore through them completely. I added the stiffiners supplied by a well known outfit and recently discovered they were cracking as well. A copious amount of epoxy has delayed the inevitable. I imagine that someone with a capable 3d printer could make something that would be more bullet proof. I don't care about a bit more weight or a Frankenstein appearance. Any suggestions out there?
 

Does anyone make the stiffness for the 900??
Yes, Minelab provides the stiffness... As you have found out.
While I have not messed up the coil ears on my 800, they are extremely frail. It's pretty sad when a rubber washer wears less than coil ears. Just scandalous.
Shame Minelab continues selling weak flimsy things to turn even more profit because you will need to replace the coil. A mistake or oversight on their part? No, it's all about the $$$$$$. I won't be buying anymore Minelab stuff. This story about your 900 tells me everything I need to know and that is the fact nothing has changed about them. A shame.
 

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Wish they could of built the 8 & 900 as well as the Safari. Built like a tank, enclosed cable, Great Balance, deep seeking, but a slow recovery speed, which came with a "Full Band Spectrum" detector. My view? Even though it's dated, the Safari still stands up there. If only the build of the EQ's could have followed.
 

Wish they could of built the 8 & 900 as well as the Safari. Built like a tank, enclosed cable, Great Balance, deep seeking, but a slow recovery speed, which came with a "Full Band Spectrum" detector. My view? Even though it's dated, the Safari still stands up there. If only the build of the EQ's could have followed.
Yeah that Safari was a tank. I agree 100%. I handled one of those years ago. The Explorer I had for a short bit also featured that internal coil cabling. Heavy though. I guess all this weight reduction in detectors today is coming with a reliability hit. The Tesoro detectors were light but yet built to last. Dunno why Minelab can't do that. It has to be their choice to make them these days to fail- like everything else we pay big money for.
 

Yes, Minelab provides the stiffness... As you have found out.
While I have not messed up the coil ears on my 800, they are extremely frail. It's pretty sad when a rubber washer wears less than coil ears. Just scandalous.
Shame Minelab continues selling weak flimsy things to turn even more profit because you will need to replace the coil. A mistake or oversight on their part? No, it's all about the $$$$$$. I won't be buying anymore Minelab stuff. This story about your 900 tells me everything I need to know and that is the fact nothing has changed about them. A shame.
I’ve owned two 900 and two Excalibur detectors from Minelab over the years and I agree they make their equipment flimsy. Both the ears snapped off of my coil last time out when it snagged on a bush with very little force. Also both the wire sheathing to my coils on the Excaliburs crumbled apart exposing the wires the entire length. The rubber does not hold up in heat, humidity and salt air conditions unlike other detectors I have. Way too expensive for such failures to occur. My Pulse 8
is still going good after 20 years aside from a new battery.
 

Hard use on my 800 took it's toll on the coil ears. I almost wore through them completely. I added the stiffiners supplied by a well known outfit and recently discovered they were cracking as well. A copious amount of epoxy has delayed the inevitable. I imagine that someone with a capable 3d printer could make something that would be more bullet proof. I don't care about a bit more weight or a Frankenstein appearance. Any suggestions out there?

Just saw this.... I have a 3d printer. We can use a carbon fiber filament for extra strength.
 

I found some on online but already snapped 1 side off. the print was cheap and design is bad. Can see on the bottom edges it’s very thin and thge thick up around ear that required me to use the longer ear bolts. . I would like to try that carbon material also seen a repair and/or protect style. Where the ear slide in a protective sleeve. Not just added material to outside of ear. Not sure i can share the other links here. But I’ll message it to whoever wants to try n make these.
 

I found some on online but already snapped 1 side off. the print was cheap and design is bad. Can see on the bottom edges it’s very thin and thge thick up around ear that required me to use the longer ear bolts. . I would like to try that carbon material also seen a repair and/or protect style. Where the ear slide in a protective sleeve. Not just added material to outside of ear. Not sure i can share the other links here. But I’ll message it to whoever wants to try n make these.
I have my own designs, they are on thingaverse, printables and cults. Some of my designs I charge for ,can be found on cults, they are for the legend, manticore and others.
 

Wish they could of built the 8 & 900 as well as the Safari. Built like a tank, enclosed cable, Great Balance, deep seeking, but a slow recovery speed, which came with a "Full Band Spectrum" detector. My view? Even though it's dated, the Safari still stands up there. If only the build of the EQ's could have followed.
When the early genius engineers or founders like Bruce Candy leave the firm, the financial people start having the final say on build designs. Bruce Candy of Minelab, Alain Loubet of XP Detectors, Ken White of Whites Electronics and Charles Garrett of Garrett Metal Detectors seemed to want to build the best metal detectors in the world for their customers. A lot changes for the worse when these founders leave the firm or retire.
 

I think if you contact Minelab they will ship new coil under warranty
 

Minelab did already replace my coil. I snapped the cheap 3d printed stiffeners I purchased to avoid same issue.
Perhaps you are using it like a weed whacker, or a crutch, or perhaps over tightening the bolt. 1 to break could be a accident, 2 there is an issue that should be addressed.
 

I use it. Hard and couple times a week. In the rough surf,wet sand. 1st time I broke the coil ear. Was replaced by Minelab. I still have that coil with good ears/supports. What broke now was the 3d printed coil protector,cheap and sand gets caught between ears and the printed plastic base. So the bottom corner snapped. Its not over tightened because i leave loose enough i can change the angle of coil on the fly as the sand is usually all diff .. can’t say I’m gentle. But I’m not using it as a club or in brush . The surf is harsh, riptides push and pull your coil around. I even try to walk up/down with that pull of current. Just easier all around not fighting that tide. I use a low recovery speed so I’m not a speed walker/swinger. Does it get bumped,yeah but I’m not going Mach 1 like i see some guys swing. I just want a better quality coil support.
 

These don’t apply to the 11” or an already broken set of ears but I printed these for the EQX 15" coil to be installed before the ears break. Installed on outside of ears with a high quality epoxy, no longer worried about breaking the ears. Printed with petg filament, storage in a hot car is a non issue but don't do that with my equipment anyway. Simple and effective.
IMG_8904.jpegIMG_8853.jpeg
 

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