How to install limbsaver on crossbow?

How to Install Limbsaver on Crossbow - Installing Limbsaver Broadbands

1. Grab your limbsaver.
2. Determine if the gap between your limbs is big or small. The gap is big if it's bigger than 13/16".
3. Determine the location for your limbsaver. The ideal position is near the cam, with a safe distance between the saver and the cam. Take note though:
   1. If you install it nearer the riser it will dampen less, but will take away less speed from your bolts too.
   2. If you install it nearer the cam, it will dampen more but will eat more arrow speed too.
   3. If the limbsaver is too near either to the cam or the riser, your bow will get damaged when shooting, so always keep proper distance.
4. Next rotate the limbsaver such that the narrower side will go between the limbs.
5. 

   CHANGEME

   Grab the limbsaver, and with one hand pushing and the other hand pulling fix it in place. This is easier said than done, but you do not have to be nice to these pesky little savers, so use a bit of force.
6. If you have a hard time pushing them through try to push through one edge and the prongs through, after that grabbing the prongs will be easier.
7. 

   If you have a small gap between the limbs you are done!

   Now your limbsaver is in place and you are almost ready!
8. 

   If you have large limb gaps rotate the savers by 90 degrees for a good fit.

   If the gap between your limbs are big it's time to rotate the limbsaver by 90 degrees. This is needed so the saver stays in place properly during shooting. If your gap is small there's no need to rotate it.

Where to Put Limbsavers on Your Crossbow?

Conventionally, Limbsavers are installed on the crossbow's limbs. But depending on how large your crossbow is, you may install more than one on each. Just make sure that your are spacing these dampeners apart from each other (and that it's not messing up your crossbow's configuration).

A rule of thumb that you may want to always have in mind is that you'd want to position your Limbsaver dampeners as close to the cam as possible. Remember, it has to be close - not sticking to the cam! This is because placing the Limbsavers in this location will help reduce cam wobble, which is essentially the root cause of vibration whenever a shot has been released. Note though that while this setup will improve vibration a lot, this will also eat away some speed from your arrows. This is because with the limbsavers installed your bow now has to speed up the savers too - much as if you used heavier arrows.

Take note that when installing dampeners on your crossbow, you may need to sight your configuration again. As subtle or miniscule these attachments are, one slight change on your gear may mean a whole different experience (for better or worse, that is!). As such, please take the time to tune and sight your crossbow once you have these dampeners attached!

Silence is Powerful: Some Insights on Why You Need Limbsaver on Your Crossbow

Why is There a Need to Silence Your Crossbow?

When out hunting you'll want to make as little noise as possible. The noise from your crossbow moves through the air faster than your bolt, so your game could hear your shot and react before the arrow hits.

Also making the most out of your gear means you need to get a good and accurate shot. But you wouldn't be able to get this kind of momentum going if you get irritated by the sound of your shots.

And these issues, as small as they can be, do add up. Regardless if it's the noise generated when shooting an arrow or the vibration caused whenever you're shooting, all these factors will affect your shot.

Other Limbsaver Crossbow Essentials

Limbsaver (the company) does offer other nice products to efficiently make your crossbow shoot in a nice and silent manner. Here are some:

Stirrup Dampeners

Stirrup dampeners reduce stirrup vibration.

Included in the Limbsaver crossbow broadband and/or superquad kits, these dampeners essentially are installed to a crossbow's foot stirrup to reduce sound and vibration.

Super String Leeches and Bolt Retention Dampeners

String leeches reduce vibration on the strings.

Also found in the Limbsaver crossbow broadband and/or superquad kits, these focus on crossbow string and crossbow bolt noise and vibration. Please take note that you will need to use a crossbow press to properly install the string dampeners.

Summary and Conclusions

As a recap, installing Limbsavers dampeners is not only easy, but important to bring out the full potential of your crossbow. Some helpful reminders are:

• Have your limbsavers positioned near the crossbow's cam as possible. This way, optimum vibration is absorbed at the price of slower arrow speed.
• Consider the alignment how wide the split limb gap is. It'll fit – you just need to know which end needs go in first!
• You can even install multiple dampeners on your limbs for an even greater noise absorption effect.
• Knowing how many dampeners is needed for a crossbow all boils down on your needs or preference. Try and test which configuration will best work for you.
• After installing the dampeners, always take the time to sight your crossbow again. Technically, you're working with a new configuration, so changes (even miniscule ones) are bound to happen. Go for some test shots to see if you need to make any further adjustments!

Read More

Here are some really nice references when it comes to learning more about Limbsavers on your crossbow:

This nice forum discusses why it's recommended to have your Limbsavers placed near the cam as possible!

A blast from the past! The discussion in this 2011 forum shows that limbsavers had (and still has) a strong following even then!