Bowtech Cam Timing

hunthikecamp

Lil-Rokslider
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Just recently installed new strings on my SS34, and have been spending the last few days getting it set up and i've got a question i'm hoping some folks can answer when it comes to timing these bows. A lot of references i am finding online are dated and/or just kindof vague "adjust cables". Being a relative noob, the question I have is what's the nitty gritty details on cable twisting, specifically when it comes to cam timing?

Currently my bottom cam draw stop is lagging about 1/16" behind when my top touches the cable on the draw board, so it seems like I need to advance the bottom cam just a hair. Which cable am I adjusting for this, is it only one cable on one end, or both sides of one cam, or both ends of one cable? A lot of videos and articles leave it somewhat vague with "adjust that cable" so I am curious if i'm on the right track before i jump in and just start twisting stuff around. I'm struggling to visualize which individual cable change will mainly impact one cam since the whole assy is tied together.
Some background on my bow and the cables:

There are 2 cables, and they run from the left side (right handed bow) of one cam to the right hand side of the other cam.
1752677044050.png

On the left side, they attach like below, looping around the axle and coming back around to the post.
1752676796985.png

On the right side of each cam, they attach differently, like so
1752676920423.png
 
Half twist into cable where it attaches to top cam, if you are within a 1/16th it will likely flip flop and make the bottom hit first by a 1/16th.

Frustrating to say the least, a lot of guys prefer the feel of top cam hitting first, I like my Bowtechs are close to even as possible. You can put a piece of loop material into the cable to fine tune it or buy the little dumbbell set from conquest archery if you want it perfect.

If you set the bow in the press and secure it but do not press, then simply pull on a cable and it will show you how the cams rotate, keep track of any twist and you can easily put it back where you started!
 
Half twist into cable where it attaches to top cam, if you are within a 1/16th it will likely flip flop and make the bottom hit first by a 1/16th.

Frustrating to say the least, a lot of guys prefer the feel of top cam hitting first, I like my Bowtechs are close to even as possible. You can put a piece of loop material into the cable to fine tune it or buy the little dumbbell set from conquest archery if you want it perfect.

If you set the bow in the press and secure it but do not press, then simply pull on a cable and it will show you how the cams rotate, keep track of any twist and you can easily put it back where you started!
I've got notes on every twist I've made since the cables went on, definitely glad I did that.

Thanks for the tip on pulling on the cables. That was exactly what I was after and went a long way towards helping me visualize things, just tried it.🍻

I'll try adding the half twist after work and report back.
 
I've got notes on every twist I've made since the cables went on, definitely glad I did that.

Thanks for the tip on pulling on the cables. That was exactly what I was after and went a long way towards helping me visualize things, just tried it.🍻

I'll try adding the half twist after work and report back.
So I made a couple changes but kept track and ended up with .5 twist added to the top relative ti where i left off this morning. That left me with a flip flop, yes. Top cam lagging behind by probably about 1/8. I've since added 3.5 twists to the cable on the bottom and it hasn't budged, still lagging behind by about 1/8...I feel like im chasing my tail now and not sure if should keep adding twists to this cable. Per my notes im about +4 twists on that cable from where I received it at +/-.5 twist
 
If it is not responding to the twist you put in that is surprising.

May want to start from scratch, if you remove both cables and have a way to anchor them, like to your draw board for example, put tension on them and get them even.

If you can get them back within a 1/16th I would call that good and put 100 arrows through them, the servings will break/settle in and you may be spot on.

Otherwise try a short piece of d loop material in one cable, it will shorten it slightly! Just get it in the middle, east enough with a two color string.


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So I took both cables off and measured them, not exactly official but I hooked them on a couple nails on one end and used a carabiner/bungee combo to pull the other end and put tension on by hand. I'm fairly confident I got north of 50-75lb but doubt i got to the full 100. Regardless, even at that lower tension i was measuring 39" based on some marks i put on the bench. Bowtech spec is 38.9. I know my measurement setup is far from precise but I got both strings to where they would stretch to the same exact 39" mark under 'roughly' the same tension applied by me.

If i tried to twist them up to get them down to the 38.9 mark i saw some extra twisting showing up in the cables which i wasn't sure was ok or not so I elected to leave them at 39.0 and start from there knowing they are even, or as even as i can get them at least.

the timing marks seem to line up pretty well (not centered but at least even) we'll see what the draw board says...

The pics are of the 38.9" cable that i thought looked a little too overtwisted (not under much tension, couple lb) and the one with my hand in it is the 39" cable on the bow under tension.

That one on the bench is too much twist, right? or am i just being overly cautious?
 

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I wouldn't want them bunched up, but if that is with no tension it may not be an issue. I would assume under more tension that would come out, .1 is pretty close and as long as you are getting max draw weight I wouldn't worry about it.
 
and the draw board says....the cams are in time. both posts hitting the cable within <1/32" of each other. (sorry no pics, i should have snapped a couple...

I'm gonna be 100% honest when i took the cables off to measure them I lost track of twists one way or the other which kindof sucks so i don't know exactly what changed from before i re measured them, but the bottom line out of that was I got them as close to even as possible at that 39" length. Going with the 39" over the 38.9" spec based on what i saw with what looked like excessive twist in the cables to get them to 38.9. My measurement was far from precise so I certainly don't fault the cables over my methodology. I'll hvae to get a more solid cable and string stretching setup made, doesn't look hard to do...

With my limbs maxed out my ATA is 34.25" (spec is 34), I may back the limbs off a bit just for the sake of draw weight and that should help the ATA out.

Either way, I'm done touching cables for now. on to paper.
 
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