Equinox Rod Mod

[Tom Slick]

Decided to mod the 800 rod by switching out the straight middle rod to the White's S rod. I know a lot of folks like a straight rod but by switching it out, it eliminates the detector's handgrip from wanting to twist at the end of each swing. In a side by side comparison, both myself and a buddy with an 800 both like the feel of the modified version. The mod requires the middle rod from a White's DFX, or MXT. The rod needs to be drilled on the upper top end for the spring plunger and again adjustment holes need to be drilled on the bottom for length adjustment. The Lower rod from a Makro Racer or Kruzer is used as the lower rod from the Nox is larger in diameter. The top of the S rod also needs to be shimmed about .040" in diameter to fit snug into the Nox upper rod. Now it swings about as close to an F75 as you can get.

[Rick K - First Member]

There’s an excellent reason why detectors are laid out the way the vast majority of them are - straight shafts mean the the handgrip twists at each swing reversal.  

[GB_Amateur]

Nice solution.  I'd like to try myself but I have none of those detectors.

Are these lower rod sections (DFX/MXT and Racer/Kruzer) available standalone or do you need the entire detectors to pull off this mod?  Just this afternoon I tried the F75 S-section but unfortunately the Eqx rod has too large of a diameter to fit into the F75 S-shaft.  That would have been a killer combo.

Given the popularity of the Eqx, I'm wondering if an aftermarket supplier might be seeing an opportunity here....

 

[Tom Slick]

I understand the Xterra 705 rod will fit without mods. $41.40. The White's rod is available for $19.95. Both are available thru Kellyco. 

[Cal_Cobra]

Nice mod.  I'd like to try both versions before making the swap, as I haven't really had any issues with the straight shaft due to it's lightweight.  I bet with the 15" coil on it, it would be a totally different ballgame. 

The F75 is probably the most ergonomic detector I've used, an S-rod with a pistol grip.  I will say though, that after swing the EQ800, Racer or Kruzer, the F75 is feeling a little heavy these days 

[Steve Herschbach]

My White's S rod was quite sloppy so you are not kidding about the shimming.

S rod on White's website

 

[Norm S]

I have a small hydraulic conduit bender I used to use to bend steel for go-kart frames and an offset rod would be easy to make.in the right diameter. Can buy tube online fairly cheap.