Folks with Plugger shafts on their Equinox units -weigh in please

tnsharpshooter

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For those that indeed have the plugger shafts on their Equinox units.
Please share your experiences with plugger rod length to your overall body dimensions.

How tall you are?
Are your arms shorter for your height, average or longer?
What length plugger shaft do you use?

Your general opinion of how you feel the rod feels and fits you.

For the record, I don’t have one currently.
 
For those that indeed have the plugger shafts on their Equinox units.
Please share your experiences with plugger rod length to your overall body dimensions.

How tall you are?
Are your arms shorter for your height, average or longer?
What length plugger shaft do you use?

Your general opinion of how you feel the rod feels and fits you.

I'm 6'4" tall, and the tip of my middle fingers with arms down to my side come down a little over halfway to my knees.

I ordered the 39" one piece. I had 3 holes drilled for the handle at 13", 14" & 15", and 4 holes at the lower end for the coil rod adjustment spaced 2" apart. I had three arm cuff holes drilled 1" apart.

The rod feels amazing, leaps better than stock. Before the detector performed like a $1,000 detector but felt like a $200 detector. Now it feels and performs like a $1,000 detector.
 
Here was an email William from Plugger sent me about other Plugger Equinox customers:

"I just sent a 39" shaft to a gentleman who was 6-5 and he had measured the full length and determined that he needed 57" (I had him use a long broom handle for the overall length and also measure the arm from the back of the elbow to the middle of his palm). 39" plus 18" of the 24" coil rod should be enough for you with 6" or more inside of the shaft. Maximum length available is about 61" He had me drill just two holes at the bottom end for the coil rod (I think you should have 3 or 4) 2" apart from the end, he also wanted two holes for the handle at 14 & 15" from the butt end. Still drilled 3 holes 1" apart for the stock arm cuff. If you want longer, it will have to be a 2pc shaft and I can do that as long as you like. My hunting buddy is almost 6-8 and he only needs 59" Take your own measurements if you like so you feel comfortable with the shaft length."
 
I’m 6’1 with and have the 34” Plugger one pc shaft. Works perfect for me.

I believe the stock shaft is 34.5”, so if the stock shaft length was ok, then a 34” Plugger should work for you. If you were adjusting length to the last notch on the stock shaft, then you might want to try a 36” or 39” Plugger.

I agree with what Chris said about how the Plugger improves the feel of the Nox.




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I see that a lot of people here like custom rods.

I'm perfectly fine with the stock rod, but I am new to this I don't know better, so I am curious whether there is a quantifiable way of demonstrating the "improvement", or it's purely qualitative in that people like the feel of it.

Is it lighter, more balanced, more sturdy, etc.?
 
I see that a lot of people here like custom rods.



I'm perfectly fine with the stock rod, but I am new to this I don't know better, so I am curious whether there is a quantifiable way of demonstrating the "improvement", or it's purely qualitative in that people like the feel of it.



Is it lighter, more balanced, more sturdy, etc.?



The stock Equinox shaft is wobbly. You can feel it moving as you swing. The Plugger shaft gets rid of the wobble. Makes it feel more rigid and balanced when swinging. It may be a little lighter too but would be difficult to notice the weight difference since it’s so minor.


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The stock Equinox shaft is wobbly. You can feel it moving as you swing. The Plugger shaft gets rid of the wobble. Makes it feel more rigid and balanced when swinging. It may be a little lighter too but would be difficult to notice the weight difference since it’s so minor.


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I don't find my Nox shaft to be wobbly. Is it a common issue, or just some units are affected?
 
I don't find my Nox shaft to be wobbly. Is it a common issue, or just some units are affected?



Mine started out wobble free for the most part, but after putting about 75-100 hours on it, it developed a noticeable wobble.

Seems to be a common issue.


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I will say instead of blowing your money just look for a deal on feebay on carbon fiber. I bought two 22mm OD x 20mmID x 1000mm tubes for $36.99 shipped and just took an hour to drill the holes. So one shaft was under 19 bucks:shock: Once you use carbon fiber you will learn that ML doesn't need to be designing detector shafts. The stock one should be recalled for junk.:lol: I am 5'11'' and have an extra piece of the shaft that was spare. You got like an extra foot to work with.
 
Mine started out wobble free for the most part, but after putting about 75-100 hours on it, it developed a noticeable wobble.

Seems to be a common issue.


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Mine didnt last long. But just wait til the 15" coil comes out. ML will be flooded with shafts under warranty wobbling in days after release of the coil. You will really notice and feel the wobble on the 15" coil. I think my friends Nox was wobbling and he didnt notice. That was until the lower rod broke in two:shock:
 
That's a bummer. Is it not covered by warranty? ML will be the first to hear if mine starts wobbling. I guess I should read the warranty, first.
 
I was looking at the Anderson shaft, does anyone know if there's a difference?
One better than the other? My stock shaft started to wobble a little after 30 hrs.
I'm at about 65 hrs. now with no signs of it getting any worse,
I'm sure that will change though when I get some longer lake hunts in.
 
I wouldn't bother you'll just end up with a new set of the same lousy cam locks.

Then we should all send them in instead of upgrading at own cost, so ML decides it's cheaper to improve the design of the shaft than keep replacing it.
 
Then we should all send them in instead of upgrading at own cost, so ML decides it's cheaper to improve the design of the shaft than keep replacing it.

I opted for just new Cam locks. I sawed the old ones off and put two on from Plugger. 24 bucks. I'm done with the issue. Bad shafts from the lousy S shafts to cam locks to whatever are a part of the hobby. Most people customize their detector to suit their needs. New cuff....padding for the cuff...replace S shaft with straight shaft.....go carbon fiber.....whatever. Detector companies would just increase the price of their detectors. Any way you look at it we pay.
 
I opted for just new Cam locks. I sawed the old ones off and put two on from Plugger. 24 bucks. I'm done with the issue. Bad shafts from the lousy S shafts to cam locks to whatever are a part of the hobby. Most people customize their detector to suit their needs. New cuff....padding for the cuff...replace S shaft with straight shaft.....go carbon fiber.....whatever. Detector companies would just increase the price of their detectors. Any way you look at it we pay.

I understand why someone would want to customize. But it shouldn't be a necessity due to a faulty product. Do all detector shafts except custom ones begin to wobble after the first 1-2 months of normal use? To me that looks like a bad design. If an essential part of car would start coming loose after driving for a couple of months, there would be a mass recall.

Regarding paying more, I don't think we're paying less for a poor design. Neither Equinox is cheap, by any stretch of the imagination. I don't think ML intended for their shafts to wobble when they designed them and reduced the price accordingly. I'm pretty sure they wanted to make good product. I think ML either didn't test them enough, or they're not using the same production line/supplier that they used for the prototypes. Either way, I doubt that any ML rep will tell you that, "yeah, it costs $10 to make Nox 800 shaft not wobble, and we wanted to keep the price under $900, so we opted for the shaft to wobble."
 
Dave

I am 6 ft 3, the 36 inch is plenty , the One piece is solid, you use the stock cuff, and stock lower rod, the lock down will not rust, and he uses a nylon bolt and wing nut, happy hunting , Earl
 
I understand why someone would want to customize. But it shouldn't be a necessity due to a faulty product. Do all detector shafts except custom ones begin to wobble after the first 1-2 months of normal use? To me that looks like a bad design. If an essential part of car would start coming loose after driving for a couple of months, there would be a mass recall.

Regarding paying more, I don't think we're paying less for a poor design. Neither Equinox is cheap, by any stretch of the imagination. I don't think ML intended for their shafts to wobble when they designed them and reduced the price accordingly. I'm pretty sure they wanted to make good product. I think ML either didn't test them enough, or they're not using the same production line/supplier that they used for the prototypes. Either way, I doubt that any ML rep will tell you that, "yeah, it costs $10 to make Nox 800 shaft not wobble, and we wanted to keep the price under $900, so we opted for the shaft to wobble."


No not all detector shafts wobble after time. But many do have other flaws From lousy shafts with horrible balance and foams grips that spin in your hands to extra wide arm cuffs that flap on your arms, to bad padding in the cuffs, to the shaft not being long enough out the back (AT Pro release). The twist cams themselves on detector shafts are a lousy design because they seize with sand and dirt over time. The one spring button instead of two? The point is detector companies build and design their detectors for a great number of people with a great number of different needs and opinions. Their philosophy? Change it to suit you. Wonder why they made the head removable? Ask the Excalibur users out there how long they have been putting up with the S shaft on that. Oh Minelab knows.
 
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