Question about Hoyt Graphite & Wood Limbs

[The Gray Fox]

A question for anyone who might know about Hoyt limbs. I have a 10+ year old Hoyt GM with a set of limbs that are labeled "Graphite" which have a maple core, what appear to be graphite/carbon lams on each side of that with white glass over that. The limbs are 42# @28 with an overall length of 68", which I guess makes them medium limbs. My question is, how do these limbs compare with current carbon Hoyt limbs, or with the W&W carbon limbs that Lancaster sells for $200?

I've got a Hoyt TD-3 20" riser and I want to build a 3-D rig that has some smooth speed shooting carbons. I doubt that I'd have much luck selling the GM so I'm considering modifying the limbs to fit the TD. It would give me a 63" bow, and how much draw weight increase at 28" should I expect--4-6#?

Based on comments from Bob and Limbwalker even someone with my average skill with tools should be able to do the mods OK, and any info on the limbs will be greatly appreciated.

[thisbucks4u]

In my humble uneducated opinion, you have the makins for a fine shooting bow. No matter what anyone says, newer is not always better. Hoyt makes good stuff always has.

With the TD3 riser and those limbs @28"inches you should be right around 48-50 pounds. give or take a couple. It would make a very nice addition to any bow rack, and I say go for it.

[Limbwalker]

Those limbs are likely an early set of "Carbon Plus" limbs that Earl was working on. I've seen quite a few old sets of GM limbs that defied explanation. I have one pair in my garage that was made to fit a TD-2 riser, of all things! Never seen another pair like it. Earl experimented a lot, and made a lot of custom limbs too.

I think they would compare very favorably with today's carbon/wood limbs. Not much has changed since Earl first started making Carbon/wood limbs.

Your idea of using them to make a 63" 3-D killer is a good one. I've done exactly that many times before, always with excellent results. The conversion is easy, depending on the model of your riser. Not all TD-3's are alike, however.

Does it have the open limb pockets or closed ones? Send me a picture (jmagera@shawneelink.net) of the riser, and I can help. I have several 20" TD-3 risers in my garage that I've converted limbs for.

You can expect about 3-5# increase at 28" going to a 20" riser. That would give you a 45-47# bow.

John.

[Lane Puckett]

Don't be so sure you can't unload that GM. I've been watching them on ebay and they aren't going for peanuts. There is a huge loyal following of folks interested in them.

But I think you are better off following through on your thought and using them yourself.

[Bob Gordon]

Those early limbs you have are carbon/wood, no glass in them. The white or silver outer coating is a epoxy paint to protect the black carbon and to keep the dark carbon from absorbing heat on a sunny day. They are excellent limbs. Hoyt took the same early limb, painted them silver and called them Carbon Plus then went to carbon foam cores and used the same name. Not much speed difference between the foam and wood cores, at least not over my cronograph. They will shoot with most of the Oly limbs on the market not much has really has changed in the design or construction over the years. Old Earl Hoyt really had it together when he designed those limbs back in the seventies, they were and still are the limb to copy for a good, hi-performance limb....warf

[The Gray Fox]

Limbwalker:

I have three of the 20" risers, two with the maple leaf hunter camo and 49# factory-camoed white limbs @63" overall, and one that is dark metalic gray from my wife's JOAD Medalist. All three are open limb pockets with a washered limb bolt, and a cast rounded nub in the bottom of the pocket that sort of indexes with the limb cut. All have the thumb screw on the belly of the bow, and all say TD-3 under the removable grip.

Last fall in a telephone conversation you mentioned that you had found a Hillman threaded fastener at an Ace Hardware store, and that you cut it in two to form replacement hardware for the ILF dovetail fitting. Could you ID that fitting for me and possibly email me a photo at Jwilsonphoto@cs.com? Also, does the star shaped metal fitting on the back side of the Hoyt limbs unscrew to facilitate pressing the ILF fitting out, and if so, what took should I use to unscrew it-some sort of two pronged spanner wrench?

Now that I've gotten the info on these limbs I think that I will make the limb conversions and then sell the GM riser, the Check-It sight and the Graphite Hoyt Easton stabilizer. The resulting draw weight should make a great 3-D rig and also should be more than enough for the average Georgia whitetail. Thanks to all of you for the fast info on my diamond in the rough limbs. TGF

[Bob Gordon]

Gray Fox...For the limb fittings I use a pair of needle nosed pliers laying sideways on the limb and break the fitting loose, be careful not to scratch the limb. Then unscrew carefully and remove the little spring and plunger. I use a aluminum piece of 1/4" rod and a small hammer and tap out the lower fitting and put the spring and plunger and cap back on, small parts and easy to loose if left lying around....warf

[Viper]

Grey -

Never tried the "graphite" limbs, but Earl never made a bad limb. It's been my experience that the older limbs do, as Limbwalker said, hold up VERY favorably to the newer ones. For example, on my GM, #48 Carbonplus limbs avg about 1 fps slower than #54 FX limbs, and Hoyt conceeds that the G3 limbs aren't as fast as the FX, go figure. The newer limbs are reportedly smoother, and that's a big plus, but for the guys who don't regularly use clickers, the difference is minimal, if at all.

Warf is correct, the basic geometery has been around since the days of the wooden PMs, still the best there is. Comparing wood core to carbon limbs, guess I've seen a little more of a difference, the wood/glass core limbs are fast, but the carbons are wicked! Anybody who want to sell ya some "old" Hoyt carbon limbs, GRAB 'EM!!!

Viper out.

[Limbwalker]

G.F.,

I'll try to get you some pic's today or tommorrow.

The fastners are called "Archetectural Posts and Screws" and are stainless 3/8" O.D. with a 1/4x20 screw (same as the thumb screws on the riser). They have a nice looking head, and are grooved near the head to grab the wood in the limb just perfect.

The pictures will explain a lot.

However, the problem I've had with some TD-3 risers with the open limb pockets is that the limb bolt is too close to the thumbscrew to use a straight fita limb conversion. What I ended up doing with an old pair of carbon plus limbs was deepening the groove at the limb base to fit. Didn't take much, but I can't use the limb on an international riser again. So it's a trade-off, but I still think it's worth it. Esp. for what you want it for. I shot two deer last season with my TD-3 risers and converted C+ limbs. I actually used two different risers, the first was a black JOAD Medalist like you mentioned, the second was a maple leaf camo TD-3 riser that I got off an old Hoyt "Buck" compound bow. Once I took off the fiberglass limbs, block and tackle, that riser made a dandy hunting recurve! :D

John

[The Gray Fox]

Bob:

Thanks for the disassembly tip. I think I'll mask the area with tape to help avoid scratching the limb. I don't want to seem overly dense here, but assuming I'm going to replace the ILF fitting with some sort of 1/4x25 threaded insert for the belly thumb screws to engage, would I still re-install the cap, spring and plunger as you described? If so, why? Perhaps I just need to take this one apart and it will become more obvious.

[Unregistered]

Gray Fox...Nope...Just save them, Linbwalker fount the perfect gizmo that just fits in the hole like a mushroom and had the threaded hole in the center for the thumbscrew. You will have to cut it to the right length as they come to long. When you cut one make sure you leave it long eneugh, it needs to hang down a little below the bottom of the limb to fit into the 3/8" recess in the bottom of the limb pocket, then it will look like the limb came that way...It's a little hard to explain to you without having the parts on hand but once you push out the fittings you have and you see the 3/8" hole in the limb lined up over the recess in the limb you will see what is needed to make it work. Just get a big hammer and go for it!!..lol....Bob

[The Gray Fox]

Well, guys, I'm off to Lowes and Home Depot to try to find the architectural posts and screws. Bob, I had noticed the slight bevelled protrusion of the standard threaded hardware on the TD-3 limbs. It almost seems to serve the function of a plumbing ground joint connection and helps to center the fitting in the riser pocket so the belly screw can find it easier. I have to agree that Earl and his crew sure managed to engineer in some small, but effective details in almost everything they designed. He will be remembered and missed by many in the archerey community.

[The Gray Fox]

Limbwalker:

I just returned from a futile trip to both Lowes and Home Deport. They both seem to be supplied by the same pre-binned screw and fastener vendor, and neither had anything close, and nothing in their special order listings either.

Here in the Atlanta metro area the Ace Hardware stores are small town old main street places that sell expensive paint and toilet repair kits. Any chance I could get you to pick up a pair of the fasteners for me? If so, just let me know how much to send you for the parts and shipping. Thanks, TGF

[Limbwalker]

Yea, I could probably do that. I've actually sent those to several folks already! :D

Just PM me with your address and I'll get them on the way as soon as I can.

John.

[badger]

Hi all

I'm sorry to Hi Jack this thread but I have a Hoyt "Pro Medalist" I'm told from around 70's or 80's, and one of the limbs has gone (twists when you brace it.)
I am led to believe that these are TD1/TD2 limbs.

From the content of this thread it looks as though someone here may well know if I can get any replacements (preferably in the lower poundage 40# or so.)

Thanks