ARC AA hard twisting solved

Hi guys. I have an ARC AA that has been very hard to twist since I got it. I was using it tonight and it seemed to be even harder than normal. When I took the head off to examine the inside of the flashlight, I saw that the foam washer was all bent out of shape, like it was binding against the battery. I reinstalled the head to try the light again and it was even harder to twist. When I removed the head once again, the foam washer unglued from the head and stayed inside the battery tube. I took it out with pliers and tried the light without the foam washer. Presto! It now turns nice and smooth. Obviously the foam was the cause for the hard twisting. I'm thinking of not putting it back on as it turns so nicely now, almost as well as my Arc AAA. Will the warranty be voided if I leave the foam out and more importantly, can any damage be caused? Thanks guys.

It won't void the warranty and we can send you a new retainer if you would like. It sounds like it might have been displaced and binding in the threads.

Peter