How to install a Steve's complete shaft (12 minutes, 4 tools)
This walkthrough applies directly to the Equinox 600/800 complete shaft but is almost identical for the Manticore, Gold Monster, and GPX series. Budget about 12 minutes the first time.
What you need
- 2.5mm hex key
- Small flathead screwdriver
- Soft cloth or microfiber
- Our complete shaft + your detector
Steps
1. Strip the factory shaft
Loosen both cam locks and pull the coil cable free. Remove the arm cuff bolt, slide the cuff off the upper, and lay the factory pieces aside. Nothing here is being discarded — keep the lock hardware as spares.
2. Mount the cuff to our upper
Our upper has the same 4 cuff-adjustment holes as the factory shaft, plus the control-box mount hole. Slide your stock cuff onto the upper and bolt it at your preferred position.
3. Thread the cable through the lower
Feed the coil cable up through the lower rod, out the top. Tuck any excess back into the coil pivot.
4. Assemble upper + lower with cam lock
Slide the upper over the lower, set your preferred length, and tighten the cam lock. The lock should snug against the rod without crushing — our cam geometry generates even radial pressure.
5. Mount the control box
Clip the control box onto the upper at the standard hole position. Plug in the coil cable. You're done.
Tips
- If the cam lock feels loose, check that the rod is clean and dry. Nylon can slip on very slick surfaces — one wipe with a microfiber usually solves it.
- For Tall Man builds, start 1 inch shorter than you think you want. It's much easier to shorten than lengthen.
- Keep the factory shaft around. The aftermarket community sometimes asks questions about the stock build you can only answer by pulling it apart.