Minelab PRO-SWING 45 Metal Detector Harness tips and questions

[Reg Wilson]

Proswing works well, but you will still be trussed up like a Christmas turkey. A consequence of heavy, poorly designed detectors. It beats me why the most popular PI detector has not had a design update since the SD2000. 25 years of still using the same configuration is the result of very poor competition.
How many car manufacturers are still using the same body and chassis for so long with just a few engine, transmission and paint changes?

 

[RM Outback]

The pro swing are the best harness I've used :Y: never had the issue BigWave said regarding the strut separating :| the only problem is I've ripped the top stitching because I hadn't adjusted it when taking it off one day and the next time I went to put it on the stitching tore apart my fault nothing to do with the manufacturer. Running dual external speakers does cramp your head space a bit (as Reg said trussed up like a Christmas turkey) using a single speaker is by far more comfortable and headphones don't really create any more bother than normal no matter what harness you use. I only run wireless now and would imagine if you are plugged to the machine it will have the same irritation as with any harness

 

[Nightjar]

Add a cord loop to each shoulder "D" buckle, long enough so you can attach bungee hook to both so the anchor point is centre of chest, this method also distributes weight to both shoulders. Position the bungee on the stick so when you pick it up by the bungee it hangs in your detecting position. ie: the coil is parallel to ground,.
Now adjust the bungee so when you remove your arm from the rest it hovers in swing position with coil just above ground.
Adjusted correctly you can actually swing the coil with arm out of rest, not that you would detect this way, purely an example.

A Pro swing came with our GPZ, after first outing I removed all the struts and cups. Felt like a gorilla walking around. :lol: One thing we did retain was the cross strut (don't require the cord loops on harness.) If you have one, try with your 45.

 

[Ded Driver]

The Prospectors Pick in Bunbury (WA) have a harness that they developed.
I dont know of anyone using one tho'
Maybe Moneybox might know?
https://prospectorspick.com.au/store/#!/The-Prospector-Harness/p/125680011/category=14860389

 

[PhaseTech]

Proswing works well, but you will still be trussed up like a Christmas turkey. A consequence of heavy, poorly designed detectors. It beats me why the most popular PI detector has not had a design update since the SD2000. 25 years of still using the same configuration is the result of very poor competition.
How many car manufacturers are still using the same body and chassis for so long with just a few engine, transmission and paint changes?

It is actually a design that works. Very quick to change coils. Sliding handle accommodates different arm lengths. Armrest is wide enough so that when you have a few layers of clothing on you can still push it through.

The GPX series saw a significant drop in weight on the control box due to being able to go to one main electronics board. Not to mention the massive drop in weight on the battery pack. The weight of the control box also counter balances the weight of larger coils. So the design has definitely been improved over the years.

The Pro-Swing is the best harness I've used, and that includes any aftermarket options. The J-struts did keep coming undone for me, I glued mine together with Araldite after my first day out.

 

[Reg Wilson]

As RM pointed out, the stitching on the Pro-swing is very poor and rots in a couple of seasons. It is not even nylon. I had to hand stitch mine with a stronger nylon cord. The struts come apart, and you can actually lose one half quite easily as has happened to me. Gluing them solved that problem, but then they can't be adjusted for different operators, and you need to get the lengths right before you make them a permanent fixture.
Your product loyalty is is obvious Phase Technical, but the change in battery and control board is hardly a quantum leap in usability. There is no reason why the PI detector needs to be so heavy and cumbersome. Just look at how light the VLF detectors have become in comparison, and there is not one single reason why PI detectors (or ZVT for that matter) need to be different.
The reason is simple. These detectors are built for company convenience, and consumer considerations come second. Why? Lack of competition.

 

[PhaseTech]

When you Glue the strut, you are just gluing the centre joiner, which has a left or right position. The screw in adjusters are still functional. I don't loan my harness to anyone, as I have it set up perfectly for myself. I have a couple other harnesses I can loan out if required.

 

[old hand]

This may help i find it good just made out of some wire :Y:

 

[BigWave]

I always clip my 4500 bungee to the RHS shoulder strap as I have a metal left knee.
This way it holds the detector more to my RHS and doesn't often give me grief, and fully takes the weight (even though not as heavy as the GPZ) from my shoulder!

 

[user 5286]

So, I've got the pro-swing setup as directed by instructions and the video on youtube.

BUT, every time i bend down to dig a damn target the son of a B!@#H support arm comes apart in the middle, I've adjusted the SOB every witch way and it just pops open every mother fluffing time i bend down, I'm ready to go on a man hunt for the engineer that designed it and shove every part of it directly up his d!@# hole.

Seriously did i waste $137 or am i just stupid?

Currently its duct taped, and if it comes apart tomorrow I'm going to 2 part epoxy it..

 

[BigWave]

Elijah
I know many who have the same problem - it's not just you.
Me, I've put a small bolt through the joint.
Hasn't had that problem for over a year.
If you use this approach, just make sure you orientate the bolts so that they don't rub on your arm as you swing the detector.

 

[HarryHoudini]

Yes I super glued in place. It drove me nuts

cheers hh

 

[Nightjar]

After trying it once and feeling like a gorilla walking around I made the decision. Removed the mongel invention including the cups in the harness. Now use the harness with out the add ons, fitted a 1 1/2L camel back. Don't know how why anyone encumbers themselves with this uncomfortable useless device? Have found with bungee correctly fitted and adjusted and using the swing arm on the GPZ the weight is not a problem. 74 yo here.

 

[Jin]

I took the J struts out. What a terrible design. Even tried setting it up like this guy recommends. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYLhEtoYiuo

I found the design tends to shift the weight evenly but pulls you forward slightly causing lower back pain after a day detecting. Riped out those struts and went back to using the hipstick with the harness. No back pain at all now. I can even swing my 20" X-COIL on the zed for most of the day with no problems.

 

[user 5286]

Figured it couldn't just be me, what a terrible design, and for over the $100 mark its pretty bad.

I'll go the epoxy route, glue it up see how it goes, but like Jin said, i'll probably go back to the hip stick too..

 

[Rockhunter62]

Mine sits in a cupboard somewhere brand new still. I just use a bungee to my camelback and the guidearm.

Cheers

Doug

 

[Feral]

And here I was thinking it was me. Even bought the extra J Strut to center the load.

 

[user 5286]

And here I was thinking it was me. Even bought the extra J Strut to center the load.

Yep me too, things terrible.

 

[Feral]

The way my back is at the moment I'm flat out swinging the Deus for 1 hour. Rules out the GPX totally harness or not 8.(

 

[limpalot]

I did what Big Wave did and put some cloth tape around the bolt, no problems with it coming apart. I did screw the rods out to max, and found that better.