# Hoyt Cam Lean



## srcarlso (Mar 3, 2005)

My Hoyt Vectrix XL has the standard cable configuration with the buss cable having a split yoke (Winner's choice). With everything set just right, the cam on the limb without the yoke leans pretty heavy...at least by my standards. When I check the cams with a string to check cam lean, I would guess it is out by at least 1/8" from one end of the cam to the other.

Have any of you guys shimmed your limb pockets to correct this? I have played with it a little just for fun and was able to get the lean out but have not decided whether or not to leave it this way. I have not shot the bow this way.

Any input would be appreciated!


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## theWilly (Sep 27, 2008)

There are many things that can cause you to have cam lean. If you are using a split yoke on your buss cable that isn't adjusted properly, that's one cause. If one of the split limbs is weaker/stronger than the one next to it, that's another. If your bow has been shot extensively for years, your cam bearings may be getting some wear that allows the cams to start leaning, and you may need a new set of washers. A warped or slightly bent axle doesn't help, either. I don't think changing anything with the limb pockets is the place to start with correcting this problem. I would start by checking/replacing the axles and washers and maybe switch the limbs from one side to the other and see if that changes things. And carefully adjust the buss cable yoke to even things out. With the top cam, make sure you have ALL of the washers installed. Without the thin black washers in between the e clips and the yoke cable bushings, the axle (and the top cam, also) is free to move from side to side, which doesn't help your cam lean problem. If all this doesn't fix the problem, you may need to buy new cams


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## srcarlso (Mar 3, 2005)

*Looked at all this*



theWilly said:


> There are many things that can cause you to have cam lean. If you are using a split yoke on your buss cable that isn't adjusted properly, that's one cause. If one of the split limbs is weaker/stronger than the one next to it, that's another. If your bow has been shot extensively for years, your cam bearings may be getting some wear that allows the cams to start leaning, and you may need a new set of washers. A warped or slightly bent axle doesn't help, either. I don't think changing anything with the limb pockets is the place to start with correcting this problem. I would start by checking/replacing the axles and washers and maybe switch the limbs from one side to the other and see if that changes things. And carefully adjust the buss cable yoke to even things out. With the top cam, make sure you have ALL of the washers installed. Without the thin black washers in between the e clips and the yoke cable bushings, the axle (and the top cam, also) is free to move from side to side, which doesn't help your cam lean problem. If all this doesn't fix the problem, you may need to buy new cams



All the washers are in place an everything seems to be just fine as far as axles go. I can easily adjust out the cam lean with the split yoke for one cam, just not the other for obvious reasons.

It almost seems like one limb is weaker than the other.


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## SonnyThomas (Sep 10, 2006)

srcarlso said:


> It almost seems like one limb is weaker than the other.


Look somewhere else for the problem. Weak limb on a Hoyt is right next to impossible. With new strings (as I take) improper twisting can create bottom cam lean. Top cam can be straightened with twisting one side or the other of the static yoke.


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## theWilly (Sep 27, 2008)

Which direction does the cam lean?


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## srcarlso (Mar 3, 2005)

*Lean*



theWilly said:


> Which direction does the cam lean?


Leans toward the side the cables are on...the side pull on the cam is not being offset by the limbs much.

I have checked, double checked, the ATA, cam timing, etc. Draw weight is good (71#). DL is good.


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## srcarlso (Mar 3, 2005)

*Checked*

Since writing this, I have swapped limbs side to side, checked the axle (no bend), all the washers are in good shape, bearings in the cam are tight.

Still a lean toward the side the cables are on. Looking at it, it would seem the side pull would correct the lean but it does not.

Any thoughts? Could this be a bad limb pocket? It has been this way since I bought it...just never worried about it as I did not have time to shoot competitively anyway this past year.

Thanks!


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## theWilly (Sep 27, 2008)

It is possible that your bottom limb pocket may not be lined up right. The only other thing I can think of to try other than trying a fresh set of cams and looking into the possible limb pocket issue is to REMOVE a few twists EQUALLY to both the control and the buss cables, and then ADD a few twists to the string. If the cam starts straightening up after this, then it was a string/tuning problem. I'm sure you've probably worked extensively with your bow to make sure everything is in spec and in time. One thing, though, with the draw length specific cams you can't lengthen or shorten the draw length by twisting/untwisting the string and cables excessively. You can only go about 1/4" or 3/8" tops either direction before you start running into trouble.


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## AKRuss (Jan 10, 2003)

The only time I've had cam lean was due to a bent axle. I easily replaced it.


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## possum trapper (Nov 24, 2005)

srcarlso said:


> Since writing this, I have swapped limbs side to side, checked the axle (no bend), all the washers are in good shape, bearings in the cam are tight.
> 
> Still a lean toward the side the cables are on. Looking at it, it would seem the side pull would correct the lean but it does not.
> 
> ...


from the times i have seen this swapping the limbs around from top to bottom has taken care of it otherwise contact hoyt and they will get you a new set of limbs


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## archeryadict (Jan 17, 2009)

Out of the last two bows from Hoyt I have had bottom cam lean as you are stating, the same exact problem. Bottom cam leans torward the cables.
I had the bow to 5 different Proshops they all told me that they could fix it, moving my rest, changing timing on cams, ect, nothing worked. I ask about twisting of the strings, they said there is nothing you can do to bottom cam lean it is very uncommon. It seemed to be very common from where I was sitting for the last two bows had the same problem; Vulcan & Katera.
No one would touch it, myself not knowing much about string tuning or twisting strings gave it a whirl. I had the bow all jacked up in about 5 minutes. 3 hours later giving myself string twisting 101 I finially got the lean out of the cam and was able to shoot bullet holes thru paper from 5' to 25'. Twisting of the cables, power and bus, will get the lean out. You do have to be careful due to twisting or untwisting of cables can change your draw length. My second bow the Katera, had same problem. Dont use a portable press as I did, thats why it took 3 hours. I bought a bow press.


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## dwagoner (Sep 27, 2007)

archeryadict said:


> I had the bow to 5 different Proshops they all told me that they could fix it, moving my rest, changing timing on cams, ect, nothing worked.


LOL if your going to a shop and there messing with the rest when you have a cam lean problem i prolly would stay away from them! HEHE

Did your roll the axles on a piece of glass to see if they are straight? howd you check em? How old is the bow and are you original owner?


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## srcarlso (Mar 3, 2005)

*Axle*



dwagoner said:


> LOL if your going to a shop and there messing with the rest when you have a cam lean problem i prolly would stay away from them! HEHE
> 
> Did your roll the axles on a piece of glass to see if they are straight? howd you check em? How old is the bow and are you original owner?


Did not put on glass...looked at it and turned it. (I am used to looking at machinery parts for straightness...part of my job).

The bow is 2 years old and no, I am not the origonal owner.


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## archeryadict (Jan 17, 2009)

Take it to a pro shop and see if they can adjust your cables to get the lean out of it. For what it's worth.


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## srcarlso (Mar 3, 2005)

*home*



archeryadict said:


> Take it to a pro shop and see if they can adjust your cables to get the lean out of it. For what it's worth.


Thanks...I don't trust most shops...which is why I have learned to work on my own bows. I have spent quite a bit of time twisting/untwisting cables with little improvement. 

This doesn't mean there are not good shops out there...I know of a few but none close.


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## dwagoner (Sep 27, 2007)

i would possibly look into the bearings on the cams since you have already swapped limbs around, or possibly taking down completely to look at limb pockets and swap top limbs to bottom while checking that out also. kinda a crappy problem to deal with LOL hope you find it asap.


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## srcarlso (Mar 3, 2005)

*Shim*

Just for fun, I started shimming one limb pocket using metal feeler guage blades. In order to even get close to having the cam right, I added 0.114" of shims...probably 0.120" would have been about right. 

I shot it once this way and it sounded fine but my poundage went up about 3 pounds. I would need to adjust ATA again as well (slightly)

Anybody have any other experience with this? 

BTW..I took the shims back out. Not ready to committ to this yet.


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## dwagoner (Sep 27, 2007)

a shim of .100 and more is pretty excessive, thats alot of difference. when you shimmed did you measure ATA with shim and without???


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## srcarlso (Mar 3, 2005)

*Yup*



dwagoner said:


> a shim of .100 and more is pretty excessive, thats alot of difference. when you shimmed did you measure ATA with shim and without???


Yup...ATA before was 35 1/2 and 35 9/16+,.

ATA after was 35 9/16+ even both sides.

The shim pack seemed really excessive!!! BTW, I was shimming between the outer part of the limb pocket and the limb in various amounts. Anything less than 0.030" made little to no difference.


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## Hoyt Thompson (May 7, 2007)

have you taken the cables away from the cable guard bar to see if this corrects it?

There is no way to equalize the bottom cam like the top (yoke).

There will always be some lean the bottom cam.

If removing tha cables from the cable guard correct this issue then you will be fine.


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## Devilfan (Dec 11, 2004)

Don't know if this would contribute to cam lean, but when you took the limbs off, did you put the washers back on correctly? I believe they are different thicknesses.


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## bass-n-bucks95 (Dec 5, 2008)

I had the same problem whith my bowtech gardian. I found out that my draw length (26inches) was too short for this bow. So if your draw lengh is to short this will be the problem. All I did to fix it was I ordered a screw from bowtech put it in my cam and it was fine.


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## Hoyt Thompson (May 7, 2007)

bass-n-bucks95 said:


> I had the same problem whith my bowtech gardian. I found out that my draw length (26inches) was too short for this bow. So if your draw lengh is to short this will be the problem. All I did to fix it was I ordered a screw from bowtech put it in my cam and it was fine.


the HOyt cams are nothing like the Bowtech cams


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## srcarlso (Mar 3, 2005)

*Washers*



Devilfan said:


> Don't know if this would contribute to cam lean, but when you took the limbs off, did you put the washers back on correctly? I believe they are different thicknesses.


When I take stuff apart I always lay the parts on a clean surface in the order they were removed so I can be sure to put them back in the same place...unelss I drop the parts


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## Hoyt Thompson (May 7, 2007)

have you taken the cables away from the cable guard bar to see if this corrects it?

There is no way to equalize the bottom cam like the top (yoke).

There will always be some lean the bottom cam.

If removing tha cables from the cable guard correct this issue then you will be fine.


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## bearhunt (Jan 16, 2008)

*Bottom cam lean??*

I heard that you can help bottom cam lean by the number and location of the spacers. ie thinner on the cam side, so it is more in line with the cables. Have any of you heard anything like this?


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