Noisy Stand Problems?!?!

[PackerBacker12]

Does anyone else hang a stand and it never seems to settle into the tree very well and it moves around when you shift your weight on it or is it only me!? Its so frustrating when i stand up or sit down and it creaks a little bit. I put a ratchet strap on it and crank it tight because I dont like the pull strap deal that is with it but it still moves slightly and makes noise. Does anyone else have this problem and what modifications have you done to your portable stand to keep it quiet???

[Musky hunter 82]

I added a piece of aluminum to the back of my stand right above the platform on the uprights that the seat is attached to. the piece is about 5" tall and the width of the 2 uprights, I painted it flat black and drill 2 hole in it about 3-4" apart. Then when I get it strapped to the tree I anchor it with long lag bolts, have never had a problem with it moving since it also gives me a warm fuzzy feeling knowing that if a strap breaks the stand isn't going anywhere. Also I hunt private land but you never know if someone is cruising looking to steal something and by having 2 bolts with different size heads should throw a wrench in there plans.

[FishLocker]

I use Jig-A-Loo spray on all joints one week prior to the season. No odor, dry finish, so does not attract dirt, and silences my stands.

I also change all metal washers to nylon, and insert nylon washers where ever there is metal to metal contact if they will fit.

Although a buddy is convinced he has to pressure wash everything with plain hot water, then uses Olive oil in a hypodermic needle (originally stolen from his fishing tackle box to blow up worms) and injects a tiny amount of the Olive oil into each contact point. He thinks natural oil is better, but has to clean it every year because the oil goes rancid by the next hunting season, and it will attract dirt on windy days.

[NELS-BELLS]

I picked up a small camo ratchet strap for each of my hang on stands. Once I have the stand hanging with the factory strap, I put the ratchet strap around it and crank it tight. Doesn't move and doesn't creek.

Nels

[Wanderer]

After you get your stand squared up to the tree trunk the best you can, strap your stand tight to the tree with the platform tilted up. When you tilt it down to the "In Use" position the back digs into the tree and tightens the straps more than what you can do by hand. You want both upper and lower contact points sitting as snugly into the tree bark as you can get them.

Some times you have to play with it a bit to get the right balance of contact and tension but doing this will reduce quite a bit of the squeaks and pings in just about any stand. They just don't move much when properly seated to the tree.

[Dkoy]

I was in a situation opening morning, stood up to get in position to draw back and instead caused 3 sets of eyes to lock on me because the stand squeaked. After the morning hunt, took my time to readjust the stand by cutting grooves on the tree at the point of contacts and doublechecking all the connects were snug. If you can flush/square your stand up as close as possible to the tree, it does help when eliminating any stand movement. I use pull straps and with the aid of a linemans belt, i can get it pretty tight.

[nbadger23]

I've had that problem before and the answer has depended on the time of season. If I'm having the problem this time of year then it's usually been a contact point problem and I've had to re-adjust the stand. I just did that to a stand that became "tilted" last year and it was incredibly uncomfortable and creaky but now it's great.

Later in the year, when the cold starts to impact things I bring a bottle of wd-40 with me and spray the spots that make noise when I get up in the stand. Some might say the smell of WD-40 might be an issue but I've never worried about it.

[Powerstroke]

Quality makes a difference. I struggled with this problem for years and I've found some stands creak more simply by design because they are poorly engineered and don't use the best parts because it costs more.

I'm not saying that is your problem, but that is something that I've found when trying to build a collection of stands to use. I only have 1 stand that doesn't creak and squeek and that's my Lone Wolf. Unfortunately, at $250 or more each, its hard to buy a few.

I would follow Wanderer's tips. Thats what has worked best for me.

[mainbutter]

I get a little bit of creaking while the stand bites into the tree, but after I wiggle a bit and get settled it's fine. I think the initial scraping and squeezing of the bark is all the noise I'm getting, not the joints of my climbing stand.

[Bear55]

I'm not saying that is your problem, but that is something that I've found when trying to build a collection of stands to use. I only have 1 stand that doesn't creak and squeek and that's my Lone Wolf. Unfortunately, at $250 or more each, its hard to buy a few.

Was just going to post buy a lone wolf.

Wanderer also has solid advice, you have to tighten with the platform up and bend it down once or twice to lock it in. I think they call it cam-locking.

[Wanderer]

Cam locking is the best description for it. There really shouldn't be any need to add straps to any stand to tighten it up. I have a couple Lone Wolf Alphas which are great but I also have a couple Big Game steel stands that are really quiet and I enjoy using those too.