# Stabilizer washers?



## Viper1 (Aug 21, 2003)

Bob -

Both Beiter and Apple make "compression" washers for stabs. The Apple washers have a largr OD. Yes, you can fabricate some as well, and I've used Home Depot "O" rings in the past.

Viper1 out.


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## Crunch (Nov 28, 2002)

Thanks Viper.
I tried rubber washers from Home Depot. My V bars kept changing position slightly. I didn't really think anything of it initially, but got to wondering if the slight change in position could lead to inconsistency. I took the washer out between the short extender and the V-bar bracket and noticed a difference right away. The other rods have more of a nylon/fibre washer, rather than rubber. They don't move, but I can still get them apart easily.


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## Hank D Thoreau (Dec 9, 2008)

I tried both the Beiter, Apple and some from the hardware with my barebow weights and stabilizers and like the Beiter the best. My barebow weights do not budge.


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## DBrewer (Jul 17, 2010)

I found there to be too much "play" when using rubber washers with my extender and v-bar, for them I used standard nylon washers. I use the rubber ones on my long and side bars, that was I can crank them down good. Whatever works I guess.


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## Pete M. (Jan 2, 2009)

Leather washers are ok, and easy to make. Personally, i don't use washers in my setup...


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## Matt Z (Jul 22, 2003)

I've used rubber washers from the hardware store for years. Work great!


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## Crunch (Nov 28, 2002)

I found too much play with the rubber washers too. I guess I'll try leather and or nylon before I order Beiters.

Thanks everyone


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## caspian (Jan 13, 2009)

I have used leather, nylon and Beiter, and found the Beiters superior. I am still using the factory washers on my Easton rods at the moment though as they seem to perform OK.


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## clash (Jul 15, 2003)

Personally I prefer the Beiter washers they are designed to "expand" after you screw them down so they take up any slack and hold everything tight


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## Crunch (Nov 28, 2002)

Beiters seem to win out.


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## caspian (Jan 13, 2009)

clash said:


> Personally I prefer the Beiter washers they are designed to "expand" after you screw them down so they take up any slack and hold everything tight


I don't know about that, but they certainly don't crush and take a set that way.

I agree that the slightly more flexible characteristic of the plastic they use means they continue to try to return to a normal shape even while compressed, so they exert a little pressure on the rod faces which is a good thing for helping deal with vibration related loosening. that's my biggest criticism of leather, it seems to crush and stay that way.

they're not expensive, chuck a handfull in your next Alternative Services order and you won't regret it.


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## Viper1 (Aug 21, 2003)

Crunch -

The problem with the Beiter washers is that even when the collapse, their base (diameter) is still smaller than the Apple washers, and the smaller base can allow for more pivoting movement. The suggestion for leather is also viable and I've even made "washers" from discarded soft plastic vanes in a pinch - the theory is the same.

Viper1 out.


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## Vittorio (Jul 17, 2003)

Crunch said:


> What type of washer goes in between the extender, v bar bracket, short rods etc?
> Thanks,
> Bob


Extender, V-bar and long rod must be assembled without any sort of washer, to keep the stabilizer system solid to the riser.
Side rods can have washers of any kind, if you really need them.


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## Greg Bouras (Nov 17, 2006)

Vittorio said:


> Extender, V-bar and long rod must be assembled without any sort of washer, to keep the stabilizer system solid to the riser.
> Side rods can have washers of any kind, if you really need them.


You do not want to create a flexible joint where a rigid joint is intended. To keep joint solid and prevent v-bar smooth joints from coming loose I have had good luck with stamped metal "star" type lock washers. They are available at the NAPA store and are available in the external or internal type. I have found the internal type do not require any periodic maintenance (retightening).


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## Crunch (Nov 28, 2002)

Thanks, I'm learning a lot. Sometimes best intentions are not always the way to go.

Bob


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## caspian (Jan 13, 2009)

Greg Bouras said:


> I have had good luck with stamped metal "star" type lock washers.


at the expense of their chewing up the face of your rod and bar. no thanks.


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## Greg Bouras (Nov 17, 2006)

caspian said:


> at the expense of their chewing up the face of your rod and bar. no thanks.


Don't be afraid they do not eat much. As indicated on smooth surfaces these washers preserve a rigid joint by biting into the smooth mating serfaces. Once sufficiently torqued they remain rigid.


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## caspian (Jan 13, 2009)

and how about after connecting and disconnecting the rods a few hundred times?

I think I'll stick with my Beiter washers. they work, provide a more than sufficiently solid coupling between the faces, are reasonably priced and accessible, and don't mar.


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## ArcCaster (Oct 29, 2003)

Vittorio said:


> Extender, V-bar and long rod must be assembled without any sort of washer, to keep the stabilizer system solid to the riser.
> Side rods can have washers of any kind, if you really need them.


Vittorio, that makes sense. But does that mean that you use some kind of loc tite? Or check the stabilizers periodically during a shoot to make sure they are tight? What steps do you take to keep them from shaking loose?

Thanks,
Rob


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## julle (Mar 1, 2009)

huh? why make it so hard.... I always remove all the washers and just tighten them by hand and be done with it. If it starts to rattle that means it's loose..... then you tighten it again....


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## ArcCaster (Oct 29, 2003)

julle said:


> huh? why make it so hard.... I always remove all the washers and just tighten them by hand and be done with it. If it starts to rattle that means it's loose..... then you tighten it again....


Why make it so hard? My plunger button comes loose unless I take steps to prevent it. My stabilizer comes loose unless I take steps to prevent it. Personally, I would like to focus on shooting when I am shooting, not on possible equipment problems (I would like to save them for before and after a shoot, not during).

If your shooting is so rock solid that you need something else to think about, your approach would be good. I am not there yet


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## lksseven (Mar 21, 2010)

Not to say that people will not have fitment issues with some of their gear from time to time, but just to throw another variable into the conversation shade: ) ...

My experience - with my equipment - is that if I'm having issues with stuff coming loose, it almost always indicates that I don't have a good enough tune yet (too much vibration as a result of the shot). Once my tune is dialed in, nothing ever vibrates loose.


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## ArcCaster (Oct 29, 2003)

lksseven said:


> Not to say that people will not have fitment issues with some of their gear from time to time, but just to throw another variable into the conversation shade: ) ...
> 
> My experience - with my equipment - is that if I'm having issues with stuff coming loose, it almost always indicates that I don't have a good enough tune yet (too much vibration as a result of the shot). Once my tune is dialed in, nothing ever vibrates loose.


Good one. My equipment is new and is NOT completely dialed in yet. I plan on repeating my bareshaft tuning, then adding walk back tuning. Do you find that is sufficient to give you the results you want?

Thanks,
Rob


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## dchan (Jun 29, 2004)

ArcCaster said:


> Good one. My equipment is new and is NOT completely dialed in yet. I plan on repeating my bareshaft tuning, then adding walk back tuning. Do you find that is sufficient to give you the results you want?
> 
> Thanks,
> Rob


BH tune has to be done as well.


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## bobnikon (Jun 10, 2012)

Also, you can throw a little teflon tape or wax on the stab threads. Should keep them from loosening up quite so quickly.
Cheers


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## TER (Jul 5, 2003)

bobnikon said:


> Also, you can throw a little teflon tape or wax on the stab threads. Should keep them from loosening up quite so quickly.
> Cheers


Yes, I've been doing teflon tape for a few years and really like it. I stopped using washers years ago because of what Vittorio has written about the need for the stabilizer system being directly connected to the riser. But of course, I have to wonder if the teflon tape interferes with the connection just as much as washers would. I hope that the teflon tape just fills tiny gaps in the thread, but the body of the stabilizer still directly touches the riser.

Concerning stabilizer loosening in general, could it be that the manufacturing tolerances of different companies affects the quality of the threads? Poorly cut threads don't much up well and loosen easier?


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## w8lon (Jun 2, 2012)

String wax on stab threads helps with vibration loosening, copper washers from the little bins at the local hardware also work great as they have some give yet keep your rods from fusing to the riser/vbar. I suppose a galvanic reaction could occur in a salt air climate though if left unchecked.


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## DWAA Archer (Oct 14, 2011)

I use beiter O-Rings on the short rods.

The Extender to riser I use a hard nylon washer 

V-Bar to extender I use nothing.

long rod to V-bar I use a Beiter O-Ring this has produced the most stable setup for my 51# Bow.

My V-Bar and twins have 9 weights on them in total and my top damper is a DS2 which I use the supplied hard washer.

The only other way to reduce vibration in your bow is to clean up your form avoid the string torquing fly away releases and make sure your bow is setup correctly.


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