Plastic Limb Spacers Moving

[Rocketman]

My exocet's plastic limb spacers slid out probably 1/4" towards the center. I guess this was from vibration. Has anyone else experienced this with their Excalibur? If they get out there far enough they could interfere with vane clearance. I loosened up the limb bolts slid them back in and tightened the bolts back down, all this after unstringing the bow. Some improvements in vibration dampening probably could be made if they would integrate harmonic dampeners throughout the stock and one on each side of the riser. Maybe even a limbsaver s-coil stabilizer that would extend forward by a bolt on bracket underneath the stock. What do you guys think?

[shurite44]

The plumbers tape you use to fix high pressure hose works better than the stock plastic, just cut a strip and trim it the same size as the stock one, tear off the backing and punch a whole in it. It will not move.

[Grizzly Adam]

"I guess this was from vibration ... some impovements in vibration dampening probably could be made if they would integrate harmonic dampeners throughout the stock and one on each side of the riser ... what do you guys think?

Hey, Rocketman ... there is no doubt whatsoever that harmonic dampeners of the sort employed by Mathews in their compound bows do indeed drastically reduce vibration throughout the riser. As a former Mathews owner, I know whereof I speak, and I'm not just beating the drum for that brand. There really is a very noticeable difference, and I'd challenge anyone whose senses are too dull to pick it up to go have a Mathews dealer perform that drop test where they let a bare riser fall to a hard floor and then let one with harmonic dampeners follow ... the difference is night and day.

Doubtless steps COULD be taken by Excalibur to control vibration and quiet noise ... I believe the question is SHOULD they? True, we'd all enjoy a quieter, more shock-free shooting experience, but I wonder whether it would make any effective difference in the hunting efficiency of their crossbows. The deer I shot this year didn't even move before the bolt was in them and on it's way through. Since Excalibur's aim is to produce hunting crossbows for hunters, and since they seem to be very practical and efficient hunting tools as they now are, I question whether Excalibur would be able to justify the trouble and expense of retooling to install harmonic dampeners. As always, the dollar and the bottom line determine some things, and they seem to be pouring money into providing a solid and workable basic crossbow, sans bells and whistles.

I wonder if your spacer problem is an isolated one too. I've had no such trouble myself.

[Rocketman]

Shurite 44 and Grizzly Adam, Thanks for the response. I'll try the plumbers tape if this continues to happen. The harmonic dampeners would greatly reduce the noise and vibration and probably keep screws from working loose as often. I have'nt shot at a deer yet with the excalibur but I know from past experience that even a seemingly calm deer can drop down and swap ends quickly even with a Mathews. At a distance of 40yds thats a big difference in where the arrow or bolt strikes the animal. The cost of the Excalibur crossbows are reasonable. I got mine brand new in the box on E-bay $390 shipped. I've seen them in BPS and Cabela's for $520+ shipping! Everyone talks about speed, but I'd trade 20fps for a bow that is much quieter. Would you shoot an arrow ths 2grs. per pound out of a Matthews? I shoot roughly a 540 gr. arrow out of my matthews. Can you go that heavy with a crossbow bolt?

[shurite44]

By the way sandwich the stock plastic with the plumbers tape. That way you still have the plastic protecting the limb where in bends over the aluminum edge on the riser. That soft rubber on the plumbers tape sort of glues it in place, but it peels off easy. I did this initially to dampen the xbow a little. You can also do the same on the other side of the limb to dampen it a little more. To be honest not sure if it really dampens it, but it gave me a warm and fuzzy.

You could get fairly heavy, try a barnett 22 inch bolt with a 125 grain broad head, that should weigh around 500 grains, fairly cheaply. I have some 20 inch thunderbolts with 125 grain muzzy's that weigh around 460-470, I shoot those out of my maxpoint xbow. 100 grains will slow you down 20-25 fps. By the way if you use the barnett bolt you need to get it with flat nocks, they come with the half moon knocks.

But I like the lighter gold tips with 100 grain nitron's for my excals'.
Both my excal's shoot like tack drivers with these bolts. They weigh 245 grains without the 100 grain nitrons, and have 5 inch plastic vanes, I bought them on ebay I think. So basically 345 grain bolt. I can group 3 inches at 50 yards with these.


I am the opposite, I like speed over noise. But I see your point also. My exomag has these things called limb savers, it does help a little with noise, and of course I have the dampening system that comes on the xbow. It does make a difference because I have the vixen's forward swept riser and limbs with no dampening device on my exomag today shooting and it was much louder in this configuration. I wish I could get those limb savers off my limbs but whatever the previous owner glued them on with is like cement.

[Rocketman]

Shurite44, Yeah that sounds like it would do the trick. I thought about trying a sorbathane rubber pad trimmed to the same size if I can find this material and it is'nt too thick I'll give it a try. Ive seen this material between the limb and limb pockets on some compound ,I think it was a High Country bow. The plumbers tape sounds like it will work too. Thanks again.

[XbowMisiu]

Rocketman, I had the same issue with the spacers moving to the center of the riser. I had two Exocets200 and it happened on both of them. I am about to remove limbs on my second one and move spacers... and maybe use the tape to keep them in place.

[BUCKSHOT]

Sounds like the clearance hole in the spacer is too big!

[Doe Master]

Is it possible the washers were already sticking out from assembly, then that would mean that the limb bolts were not loose enough to allow the movement of the spacers .

[shurite44]

Sounds like the clearance hole in the spacer is too big!

That is what happens actually. The pressure eventually elongates that hole and squeezes the plastic piece. It is really not a huge deal but it looks funny after a while.