Bear TD limbs

[thumper15]

I've read a lot online about people having problems with the newer made Bear TD bows and limbs. Everything from noise to sloppy fit of the limbs that allow the limbs to move side to side. Have also seen the suggestions of the locating pin, hinges, moleskin, ect. to fix the various issues. That got me thinking and wondering if anyone has tried to fix the loose fit and noise problem by bedding the groove in the limbs with either hot glue or glass bed.

[Orion]

That wold probably work, but I've never had a set of limbs that needed that much adjustment.  I do sometimes run a strip of duct tape or mole skin along the bottom limb butt channels to snug (and quiet) the fit.  Or sometimes, I put very thin felt pads right at the but tips, mimicking the rubber bumpers in the old mag risers. 

[Gun]

I've done moleskin just to help. Only had one set squeak a bit.

I have to agree on the quality of Bear lately. I just sent a pair of 90th anniversary green limbs back that had blemish in the glass. Looked like cracks to me. Three Rivers said they try to filter out those with rough finish, yet wouldn't want out take them out of the plastic to check actual weight. Huh?!

[thumper15]

That makes no sense how can you see the finish if you don't take them out to inspect? I wouldn't think it'd take much side to side movement in the fit to cause problems with limb twisting or cracking limbs.

[Kirkll]

I've read a lot online about people having problems with the newer made Bear TD bows and limbs. Everything from noise to sloppy fit of the limbs that allow the limbs to move side to side. Have also seen the suggestions of the locating pin, hinges, moleskin, ect. to fix the various issues. That got me thinking and wondering if anyone has tried to fix the loose fit and noise problem by bedding the groove in the limbs with either hot glue or glass bed.

I’ve been building aftermarket Bare limbs for years, and the risers are quite a bit different sometimes. Typically I use a 1/4” cutter for the limb slot and over size the location pin hole. But even then, some need adjustment to fit the riser properly.

Addressing your idea for bedding the limb in glass or epoxy…. The idea is sound, but with a sloppy limb you would need to somehow get the limb alignment correct before doing it….and…. That isn’t as easy as it sounds either…. The only way I’ve found that works is laminating a very thin piece of maple inside the limb slot, and carefully sanding it until the fit is good, then check your limb alignment.

The stock Bear limbs are a bit more forgiving in the alignment dept than the high performance limbs I build for them. I have my customers send me their riser and I custom fit them to THAT riser and set the limb alignment while shaping the width profile.

But…. You cannot switch the limbs from one riser to the next and expect the limb alignment to be the same. The Bear risers are just not consistent enough to do that successfully for higher performance limbs. They may work fine on some, but typically not….

Kirk