My buddy from the metal detector service center told me a useful thing. The coil ears in themselves don’t break down and… 7 out of 10 broken ears are due to rubber washers!
If there are no washers between the lower shaft and coil ears – it’s the first step towards breaking them! According to the service center statistics, 70% of broken ears didn’t have the washers (or the latter were worn). The repair expert specifies: without them, any ears break down whatever reliable they are.
When the coil ears don’t have the rubber washers, you start to over-tighten the coil bolt. The coil can hardly change its angle, however, and the bolt is overloaded because of over-tightening.
The first sign that problems have started is when the coil bolt breaks down. Well, it’s broken – ok, you buy a new one. And someone, being clever, has the wit to screw in a strengthened bolt. So you hunt further. The second sign is when severe scuff marks appear on the coil ears. These marks turn into real furrows. And… the coil ears break down.
Concerning the fact that everything is connected when you are on a hunt… Do you know how a small metal detecting backpack can get these your rubbers to be lost?