Watch you SHAFT, I never saw it coming

[WaterWalker]

I have not heard of this happening to another ATX, a split middle shaft section.

My lower shaft started slipping into the middle shaft. At home I took the cam-lock apart with the help of Garrett's spanner wrench, and noticed a 1-2 inch split that is shown in the picture. A three minute call to Garrett and a new shaft was on its way to me. It arrived with instructions on how to remove and replace the lower shaft with coil attached to the middle shaft.

Wonderful customer service!

A quick fix that I used until the new shaft arrived was to put a hose clamp round the shaft, just above the cam-lock.

 

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[fsa46]

That's a good heads-up WW. Pirates need to check ALL the wear areas on their machines.

I had a similar thing happen on my DFPI and caught it before serious damage was done. I have a Plexiglas stabilizer on the coil, attached to my rod. Looking over my machine one day I noticed it was wearing on the top of the coil and on the rod, ( both places where contact its ). I removed the stabilizer and applied Loctite Marine Epoxy to both the top area of wear and the lower rod area of wear. Both are chaffing areas and now have the extra protection.

 

[OBN]

I agree, If you hunt a lot check the machine often. Maybe I have to much time but I check mine just about ever hunt. And Garrett and Whites.. The Best in Customer service..

 

[WaterWalker]

The ATX has almost 500 hours in the water, mostly salt water. I take the cam-locks apart about 3-4 times a year. The shaft is rinsed in the water and when I get to the car I have a portable pressure washer with fresh water I rinsed the cam-locks, my scoop and waders with. At home the detector is dried and the cam-locks are blown out with compressed air. There was no sign of the split in January when I last took the cam-locks apart. Yes periodic maintenance has caught several tragic beginnings before they became a problem. Yes, for all your toys.