Abstract
This article details a scheme for evaluating the stability of motions of a system consisting of a rigid body connected at one point to a rotating arm. The nonlinear equations of motion for the system are formulated, and a method for finding exact solutions representing motions that resemble a state of rest is presented. The equations are then linearized and roots of the eigensystem are classified and used to construct stability diagrams that facilitate the assessment of effects of varying the body's mass properties and system geometry, changing the position of the attachment joint, and adding energy dissipation in the joint.