# History of Hoyt recurve risers



## Robert43

Hi I have searched over the web & cant find it but can any 1 give me the run down on the list from 1st Hoyt TD risers & the TD4 that is the same as the GM? & what was the 1st Tec riser thanks


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## Stash

I can start you off.

The original TD came out in 1971, just in time for Wilbur and Williams to win the Olympic gold medals with it in 1972. This bow had an integral grip, and 1/4-20 stabilizer threads and 8-32 sight mount holes. 

This riser was available in 24" target, 20" short target and 16" hunter lengths. If you see old limbs you'll find on them something like H24-36# H20-38# H16-40# and that gives you the draw weight of those limbs @28" with the various risers.

The TD2 came out in 1975 and was used by Darrel Pace to shoot the first 1300 score and win the 1976 Olympics. Similar to the original TD (now called the TD1), it had a plastic changeable grip, and the stabilizer bushings were beefed up to 5/16-24 and the sight holes to 10-24. The first version was subject to cracks in the limb pockets, and it was improved to thicken these. One problem was that the original limbs were too wide at the base to fit the new pockets, but a few minutes on a sanding machine could easily fix that. The TD2 also came in 3 lengths.

The next "improvement" was the adjustable tiller TD3, about 1980-1, which turned out to be a failure. The tillering mechanism was faulty and the bow was replaced by the TD2B which was the same riser without the tiller adjustment mechanism.

The GM, also called the TD4, came out in 1984, and was the first successful Hoyt adjustable tiller bow, using the same ILF fittings being used now by most manufacturers. It also had a vertical adjustment for the rest. The first riser version was prone to bending and occasional cracks, so they came out with an improved model with a thicker sight window and radiused curve. 

That was their last cast riser - Hoyt started with the machined models right after, although they kept the GM for several years as a low-cost option. There was also a short riser version people called the TD5, but I don't know much about it.

I switched to compound shooting in the late '80s and I never owned any later models, so I'll let someone else take over.


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## Viper1

Robert -

T/D
T/D2
T/D3
T/D4/GM (First Factory ILF, the T/D3 was fairly easy to convert)
Radian (No lateral adjustments)
Avalon
Avalon Plus
Elan
Axis (First TEC riser, technically not ILF, but again the conversion was do-able))
Aerotec (First factory ILF TEC riser)
Matrix
Helix 
Nexus
Eclipse (Only for one year)
GMX
Excel
Eclipse (RE-introduced)
Horizon
Formula stuff

The above is off the top of my head, so it's possible I missed or mis-ordered one or two.

Viper1 out.


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## Jurasic Archer

Stash and Viper 1........................very very good. This may be the most accurate info I have seen on the net in years! The only thing I could find is that the TD2 first came in a 1/4 20 version for stabilizer bushings and later went to 5/16 24 to follow the new AMO standard. TD 3 came shortly after and was responsible for the loss of momentum that caused Hoyt to seek investors which turned out to be a disaster. I can remember being at Nationals when the TD3 came out and the talk of the line was that the tiller was changing or moving or not staying in place. The funny part was that prior to that, bows were not adjustable in tiller and people rarely looked at it. Now that it could be adjusted, nobody could leave it alone!!! The funny part was that if you looked at the tiller on non adjustable bows back in those days, they moved too. A full FITA on a hot day could move it a bunch, but nobody noticed or even checked because it was not adjustable. The only thing we noticed was having to move our sights. I remember showing Tommy Stevenson that my non adjustable bow had moved as much as his adjustable bow. We laughed and kept it our secret while the rest of the line went nuts with allen wrenches chasing the new adjustment system. The tough part about this is was that it is not easy or cheap to modify the dies the risers were cast in. I spoke with Earl in the parking lot at the end of the first day and he was a mess over the issue. It cheered him up when discussing that it moved plenty without any adjustment at all. He became so interested in the conversation that he locked his keys in his rental car and I had to break into it for him! The good ol days..................


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## titanium man

Great information on basically the history of modern archery. Thanks

My first TD2 had the 1/4-20 threads, and I remember leaving it with Ann to have them retro fit it with 5/16". Yes Mike, the good ol days..............


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## Vittorio

TD5 is missing in the list... 23" version of TD4 plus. I have shot some PB with it in early 90's ...


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## Robert43

Thanks all for that any 1 know the years ? thanks & what 1 are the tec risers I know Axis Aerotec Eclipse Helix ??Thanks


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## Beastmaster

Very nice reference. Thank you all!


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## whiz-Oz

http://www.archerywiki.com/index.php?title=Hoyt_Recurve_history

There was more before the hosting service got wiped out.. The extra bits need to be re written.


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## LoveMyHoyt

whiz-Oz said:


> http://www.archerywiki.com/index.php?title=Hoyt_Recurve_history
> 
> There was more before the hosting service got wiped out.. The extra bits need to be re written.


That's a great page Whiz -- glad you found it. What do the red and blue names distinguish? Also, I believe the Formula Excel came out a year after the Formula RX.


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## Robert43

Red no link or missing blue has a link


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## whiz-Oz

LoveMyHoyt said:


> That's a great page Whiz -- glad you found it. What do the red and blue names distinguish? Also, I believe the Formula Excel came out a year after the Formula RX.


Aha. Thanks, but I didn't have to find it. I've assembled most of the site with information and illustrations given by other people. 
That's why there's red names left as we try to fill in the details. 
Yes, the formula Excel came out last year.


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## Jim C

Hoyt had a couple other risers. one was a kids riser for some reason sprint or spirit comes to mind. It was a cast riser circa 1998-2000

We have another Hoyt riser with a similar name called "Spirit" that we got from George Helwig's estate or his defunct Miami U team. It was a cast riser dating to the 70's that was similar to a TD 2. I will try to find it tonight. It might have been a cheaper version of a TD 2 or 4. It may have come out at the time the first adjustable tiller Hoyt did because I recall DP telling us a story when he was at TWAC and had one of the first adjustable tiller bows and another archer-who did well at Olympics later on noted DP had an advantage with the new bow after DP won a tournament at TWAC. DP apparently called Earl and had him send one of these basic bows up with special order heavy limbs which DP then cranked out a 1300+ score with


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## lastickbow

How about the bow that started it all the Pro Medalist a great shooting bow hanging on my wall. Mine was given to me by Frank Marston my first coach and the father of the legendary Ann Marston.


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## Robert43

Jim C said:


> Hoyt had a couple other risers. one was a kids riser for some reason sprint or spirit comes to mind. It was a cast riser circa 1998-2000
> Hi do mean this 1 on ebay ?
> 
> http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250854782397&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT


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## Jim C

Robert43 said:


> Jim C said:
> 
> 
> 
> Hoyt had a couple other risers. one was a kids riser for some reason sprint or spirit comes to mind. It was a cast riser circa 1998-2000
> Hi do mean this 1 on ebay ?
> 
> http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250854782397&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah that is the kids bow I was talking about and the other one was a SPIRIT I believe
Click to expand...


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## Robert43

Jim C said:


> Robert43 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Hi so the Spirit was same just longer & stronger limb weight I presume. Where they just compound risers modified to take recurve limbs ie like the Martin Jag recurve? thanks I presume Hoyt made no TD bows before the TD1 ie wooden riser etc
Click to expand...


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## Vittorio

Really, how I could forgive the Spirit? 
It was my daughter's bow around 1996 .... It was clearly a riser from a very short compound bow, with very short limbs adapted to it. Beacause of the compound window, I had to make a special plate to fit a rest and a cliker to it. Perfect for a very small girl.


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## jmvargas

i had 2 GMs, 3 elans, 2 matrixes and 2 warfed TD2s or 3??......i still have one 23" elan and one of the warfs both of which i pair with short sky conquests carbons for hunting...

loved all my hoyt risers!!


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## Robert43

Hi what does warfs stand for I know its using a compound riser & modify it to a recurve. Also any links to people that have done this step by step thanks


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## jmvargas

Robert43 said:


> Hi what does warfs stand for I know its using a compound riser & modify it to a recurve. Also any links to people that have done this step by step thanks


a warf is actually any riser that can be modified to accept ILF limbs...the black bear compound riser and the TD2s/3s were the most popular of the warf risers although other risers were also warfable depending on the design and angles on their limb pockets including the amount of deflex/reflex of the riser itself..

IIRC bob gordon was the one credited with warfing and both of my warfs were done by him...

bob gordon has since retired due to a medical condition but i think there are still some guys who can warf risers and even a conversion kit is available for this purpose..

warfed risers are very popular among the hunting and traditional archery community as it enabled them to use all the high tech and latest recurve ILF limbs normally used in olympic archery which were much better performance wise than their normal hunting limbs...


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## DBrewer

Hoyt also made a “JOAD Medalist” in the late 80’s based of the T/D3, similar to the Sky. Check out the link for photos.

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1533148


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## Jim C

I actually have some of those limbs that I got from SKY


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## Jurasic Archer

Joad Medalist was a TD2 with the pocket cut away! Was a solid youth or low end bow. I owned several of them and my was my son's First bow. I wish I still had them. The Spirit riser was first a recurve riser first and then made to be a compound riser. Ann used that riser and can be seen in catalog photos shooting it. I missed it in the line up too!!


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## tbarefoot

*Hoyt TD-3*

Hoyt TD-3:

Yes, the TD-3 was seen as a failure by many when it first came out, but I never did. It was my favorite version along with the TD2B, both of which had heavier, stronger risers than the previous versions. Many of us recognized the biggest issue was the 2 "cones," which stuck out about 1" on the top and bottom stabilizer mounts on the back of the bow (paradoxically the front or business end) tended to loosen. This was easily remedied by removing them, then reinstalling with a good epoxy. I did this with both of my TD3's right out of the box, and never had a problem. I easily put over 100,000 shots on them.

The other was that the internal mechanism COULD move if not tightened well. I never had any problem with it because I tightened the set screw as hard as I could, then backtightened the adjustment screw into it. These "tillering" adjusters would also allow 3-4 pounds of weight adjustment.

As mentioned, the tiller on these older wood/glass takedown bows would naturally vary in different weather conditions, regardless of which brand or version of bow. Some limb sets did it more than others. One just had to be aware, and make slight adjustments to your sight throughout the day. It was really no big deal, and didn't really affect your sight settings that much at all. You might notice you were shooting a few inches high after being dead center for 5 or 6 ends. Was it the shooter, the bow, or the change in wind direction, or the change in temperature or humidity? I never bothered worrying and just made the sight correction and continued shooting.


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## w8lon

I own a TD4+ with radiused shelf purchased around 89-90 and found a later version without the adjustable rest plate and a different style grip with radiused bottom instead of square. Earlier riser has snap on grip, newer is a screw on. The casting also is thinned down in the area near stabilizer bushing. SO calling the latter the TD4++.


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## Bob Furman

Also check out this page:

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m012lpEXle1qiu7zso1_1280.jpg

or










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