Has anyone ever taken an Etrac/Explorer housing off the handle?

I want to chest mount it and need to remove the housing to do it. I need to lighten the unit up because my shoulder is jacked right now.

Yes, it has been done. No, its not a something you really want to do. Its not like the old-school detectors that could be easily hip-mounted. I only know of 1 person who did it and IIRC he wasnt really thrilled with the total outcome. Remember, the battery pack sits in the upper shaft behind the head.

Just a BTW, taking the control head off will only make it worse to swing your coil. After you remove the battery and control head, you lose all counter-balance to the coil. Its only going to feel worse.

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You can see my videos here: [www.youtube.com]
My blog is here: [thesilverfiend.com]

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silverfiend Wrote:
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> Yes, it has been done. No, its not a something yo
> u really want to do. Its not like the old-school
> detectors that could be easily hip-mounted. I onl
> y know of 1 person who did it and IIRC he wasnt re
> ally thrilled with the total outcome. Remember, t
> he battery pack sits in the upper shaft behind the
> head.
>
> Just a BTW, taking the control head off will only
> make it worse to swing your coil. After you remov
> e the battery and control head, you lose all count
> er-balance to the coil. Its only going to feel wo
> rse.

I want to mount the housing on a Go-Pro chesty and have the battery in my pocket and mount the coil on an s-rod. I saw the set-up on You-tube and it's a very slick set-up. Guy goes by Monster Tube, but, I'm not sure how to contact him.

[www.youtube.com]

sounds like a nightmare setup, but hey, its you doing the hunting, so chop away! Good luck

======================================================

You can see my videos here: [www.youtube.com]
My blog is here: [thesilverfiend.com]

======================================================

silverfiend Wrote:
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> sounds like a nightmare setup, but hey, its you do
> ing the hunting, so chop away! Good luck


Lol....will do, thank for the warning

I’m right here Dan-O. I met up with a guy over by Milwaukee this fall and had the chest mount EX2 with me, coil mounted on a Compadre chassis. You’ve seen it....what did he do with his old Explorer XS? The same thing. He has his Detech Ultimate mounted on an old Red Baron chassis, he is quite happy he can use his Explorer again without his shoulder coming apart. The key in the balance is using an S-rod of some sort, a straight shaft with no counter balance will kill you, as Jason alluded to. The S-rod allows it to sit and swing perfectly. The Sunray X-8 is so light feeling it’s unbelievable.
As my first video about it states....getting the control housing free of the shaft itself is the hardest part. Once you get past that you can configure it any way you want.

Get in contact with Grave digger Max. He had the head unit of an Explorer mounted in a plastic case with a battery for years for beach hunting.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/16/2019 10:43AM by goodmore.

IDXMonster Wrote:
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> I’m right here Dan-O. I met up with a guy over by
> Milwaukee this fall and had the chest mount EX2 wi
> th me, coil mounted on a Compadre chassis. You’ve
> seen it....what did he do with his old Explorer XS
> ? The same thing. He has his Detech Ultimate mount
> ed on an old Red Baron chassis, he is quite happy
> he can use his Explorer again without his shoulder
> coming apart. The key in the balance is using an S
> -rod of some sort, a straight shaft with no counte
> r balance will kill you, as Jason alluded to. The
> S-rod allows it to sit and swing perfectly. The Su
> nray X-8 is so light feeling it’s unbelievable.
> As my first video about it states....getting the c
> ontrol housing free of the shaft itself is the har
> dest part. Once you get past that you can configur
> e it any way you want.


Thanks for the reply, I had no idea that you were the one, great videos BTW!!! No bsing around, I like that. I looked that housing over all afternoon trying figure out where in the hell to begin without destroying it. I thought about splitting the case, move the wiring and then cut it flush with the front. I've got to mount it different because my shoulder is going to hell in a hurry. I have an S-rod on the way in the next day or so and the 3' coil extension cable Monday. If I can't get the housing off, I have an idea of slinging the housing on my left side with a pair of adjustable straps with hooks on the ends. I can use the s- rod configuration the way you did. I'm not shooting videos like you, so it doesn't matter if it in front or off to the side......I'm impressed you were able to figure out how to remove the housing!!?

Dan, like I said in the first video....you wouldn’t believe it but the housing and handle are held together with some type of bionic GLUE. Nothing else. If you can pry it, chip at it...defeat it...your job will be all gravy from there. I wish I had about 10 of these things so I could perfect the process. But I don’t...yet.

IDXMonster Wrote:
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> Dan, like I said in the first video....you wouldn’
> t believe it but the housing and handle are held t
> ogether with some type of bionic GLUE. Nothing els
> e. If you can pry it, chip at it...defeat it...you
> r job will be all gravy from there. I wish I had a
> bout 10 of these things so I could perfect the pro
> cess. But I don’t...yet.


Ok, I'll do what I need to to make it happen, thanks again for the informational video's!!

Goodys got the guy ...... MAX and his waterproof box. Hes on U-tube still doing his thing. If you need his Email PM me.

Their was a hip mount kit available for the Explorer. I can't remember who made it. One might be able to find a photo of it online.

Arkansas Wrote:
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> Their was a hip mount kit available for the Explor
> er. I can't remember who made it. One might be abl
> e to find a photo of it online.


That may be my other option. I've got the s-rod all set-up.