3DJoes investigates the optimal o-ring for 1982 and beyond

The original 1982 G.I.Joes featured much less room in the torso for the o-ring (the rubber band that pulls the legs, crotch, and torso together) than the following years. They also used more brittle plastic. This is a dangerous combination – use the wrong o-ring, and you increase the odds that your Joes will break, especially at the shoulders!

For this reason, it is imperative that collectors know the optimal o-ring for 1982 figures. We gathered input from the community and set out to test 5 possible o-rings with slight differences. Watch the video to see the investigation, or save yourselves 40+ minutes, and trust the results shared below.

We’ve determined that the optimal o-ring for 1982 figures is the
#41 O-Ring (AS568B# 013):
9/16 inch OD x 7/16 inch ID x 1/16 inch wall thickness

The plastic used for 1983 was less brittle, but the inner volume was still small. We’d recommend sticking with the #41 o-ring for this year too.

1984 and above seem to be more forgiving of larger o-rings. While several folks reported using #8 and #9, we tested both and prefer the
#9 O-Ring:
5/8 inch OD x 7/16 inch ID x 3/32 inch wall thickness

Our final observation is this: why not use #41 for all figures? One can assume that the thicker the band, the more stress it gives when stretched. #41 and #9 have the same interior diameter.
#41 is thinner and as a result has a smaller outer diameter.
So #41 may put less stress on the metal hook, which also tends to snap over time.

A big thanks to G.I.Gary, whos blog says "-013 9/16″OD x 7/16″ID (1/16″ cross section)" is ideal for 1982 figures, and his measurements match the #41 o-ring above. Have a look at his article here:


Please add your thoughts in the comments!

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P.S. The #7 O-Ring (AS568B# 012):
1/2 inch OD x 3/8 inch ID x 1/16 inch wall thickness
MIGHT be a good fit for 1982 Scarlett. It features the same 1/16 inch wall thickness but is a smaller band. You may need to stretch it first with pliers. Jaws closed, slip the ring over. Then open the pliers to ~1". Thanks to Joseph Fangsrud von Esch for the tip!

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