# Questions about my new Martin Firecat



## brudawg (Jul 30, 2009)

Hello,

Getting my new Firecat TR1 setup and I have a few questions.

1. It's shooting ok, but has a bit of a twang. maybe a stab will take care of that.

2. The specs say it should have a 34.5" cable on it, but tag on bow says 34.25":confused2:

3. ATA measures 32 1/8" from center to center of axles. Is that the right way to measure it? Spec is 32 1/2 ". 

4. And finally, the cam appears to not be rotated "out" far enough. Can I put some twist in and or take some out of the string and cable without screwing it up. My bow shop guy said to bring it back in after I got it shot in a bit also.

I appreciate everyones expertise. I'm fairly saavy, but just starting out.


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## BarneySlayer (Feb 28, 2009)

I'd shoot it a few hundred times, then bring it back for them to dial in.

If you want to do it yourself, that's good too.


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## bassman409 (Jul 19, 2006)

Yes, shoot it a couple hundred times and give that 90 inch or longer string time to settle or stretch. Then check a-a and also check max DW and DL.


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## bfisher (Nov 30, 2002)

For usre the cam is under rotated, as you suspect. The string should be coming off closer to the top of the "A" in the bottom [picture. You can shoot it a while, but the string isn't going to stretch that far. 

To change the cam "orientation" you need to twists up the cable and/or take a few out of the string. This is going to make the draw length longer so be aware that you may have to change to a shorter module. You'll also have to play with the draw stop, too. Oh, yeah, nocking point is going to change, too.

After you get the cam oriented close to where it should be then play with both the cable and string to put the bow to specs. Specs don't have to be right on, close is close. Shoot for proper brace height and draw weight. If the A2A is off a little it won't matter---1/4" is close enough. Don't forget to check for draw weight.


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## brudawg (Jul 30, 2009)

So just to be sure, ATA is measured from center to center of axles? If so, it's about 3/8" short. Also, refresh my memory what part of grip to measure BH from. Will this tuning help with the twang I'm getting right now?

Thanks again,

Kurt


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## bassman409 (Jul 19, 2006)

a-a is measured from center to center, and BH is string to deepest part of grip.
I was looking at tuning chart and you should have 7 1/8. Again if you can measure max draw weight , it will tell you if string or cable needs to be adjusted. It looks like your string is twisted a lot already and by taking out a few twists the cam alignment will be better. Twang could be the string or the string stopper.


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## bfisher (Nov 30, 2002)

bassman409 said:


> a-a is measured from center to center, and BH is string to deepest part of grip.
> I was looking at tuning chart and you should have 7 1/8. Again if you can measure max draw weight , it will tell you if string or cable needs to be adjusted. It looks like your string is twisted a lot already and by taking out a few twists the cam alignment will be better. Twang could be the string or the string stopper.


 I did notice what bassman is saying about the twists in the string. Looks like a lot. I'd take about 10 twists out just for starters. Then maybe add some to the cable. Believe me, a twist here or there isn't going to change things much.

As for measuring A-A, it is center to center, but it's just as easy to measure outside to inside. It's the same distance.

Something else I'm trying to see is what module is on the cam right now, but I don't see it. What module is on the cam?


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## brudawg (Jul 30, 2009)

bfisher,

I was a bit optimistic with my DL. Ordered it at 29" with F5 module, but ended up putting in the F-4 to make it 28" DL, which is what is shown in picture. Also looks like the 1/2" peg went away on the new cam.

Thanks,

Kurt


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## bfisher (Nov 30, 2002)

brudawg said:


> bfisher,
> 
> I was a bit optimistic with my DL. Ordered it at 29" with F5 module, but ended up putting in the F-4 to make it 28" DL, which is what is shown in picture. Also looks like the 1/2" peg went away on the new cam.
> 
> ...




Nice to know about the peg. I haven't seen any of the 2010 bows yet, let along the cams. Of course that didn't stop me from ordering one. I'll have to get over to see my rep this weekend. He should have all his samples by now.
I'll bet he has a Titanium ShadowCat.


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## brudawg (Jul 30, 2009)

Took it to the shop today. He took 5 turns out of the string. That didn't rotate cam out much, BH still almost 7 1/2 inches, and ATA still about 32 1/8 inches. He was concerned that going out anymore on the string in would get loose. Don't the limbs take up the slack some, in turn lowering the poundage a bit. It still pulled 60.1 lbs with the limbs backed off 1.5 turns (45-60lb) He said shoot it some more and we can adjust it a bit more later. What do you guys think?

Kurt


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## bassman409 (Jul 19, 2006)

My thought is that it should pull 60# with the bolts cranked in all the way and then you can slack off both the cable and the string. Now that I reread your measurements , you should be able to get both BH to 7 1/8 and A-A to 32 1/2 by untwisting both. Did the tuner realize that your bolts were 1 1/2 turns from max.
To answer the question about the limbs taking up the slack you are correct. Also the cable will pull opposite the string and both will keep the same tension, at least until you get the cam rotation set!


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## bfisher (Nov 30, 2002)

I agree with bassman now that I've reread the specs. Sounds to me like you need another trip back to the shop and get it right this time. Tell the guy at the shop that tahing twists out of the string and cable isn't going to make a loose rubber band out of the bow. It'll stay together as long as the limb bolts are turned in.

I do stuff like this a lot and it becomes a matter of trial and error. You gain experience from this trial and error stuff. I'd take about 20 twists out of the string and see where it's at. Bottom the limb bolts, too.

I told you a few twists doesn't do much and those five twists just confirm what I already know. A few twists does nothing.


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## brudawg (Jul 30, 2009)

Yea, I really get it. I just need to get a bowmaster press and do it myself. He didn't want to twist te cable because of my rest cord. I said take it off, I can redo it, but no, "shoot it like it is for now". We'll get it right at some point.

Kurt


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## Spikealot (May 27, 2009)

brudawg said:


> Yea, I really get it. I just need to get a bowmaster press and do it myself. He didn't want to twist te cable because of my rest cord. I said take it off, I can redo it, but no, "shoot it like it is for now". We'll get it right at some point.
> 
> Kurt


You dont need a press. Take the rest cord off, back off the limb bolts, and twist it up yourself. It really isn't that hard at all. There is a lot of threads on here and Martins site about setting it up. 
You can back the bolts off untill you can see daylight thru the barrel nuts which is more than enough to get the strings off and adjust...


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## bfisher (Nov 30, 2002)

Spikealot said:


> You dont need a press. Take the rest cord off, back off the limb bolts, and twist it up yourself. It really isn't that hard at all. There is a lot of threads on here and Martins site about setting it up.
> You can back the bolts off untill you can see daylight thru the barrel nuts which is more than enough to get the strings off and adjust...


 I must really be getting too old for this stuff. Spike just made a suggestion that I'm quite well aware of. You can back of the limb bolts as he said. Watch for daylight through the barrel nut.

And a Bowmaster isn't a bad idea either. I've got a bench mounted Apple I haven't used for years since I got a Bowmaster. I do most of my tinkering and adjusting when I'm pracricing at the archery club and the Bowmaster comes in real handy.


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## brudawg (Jul 30, 2009)

I've backed the bolts out a few times now already. Just don't want to "wear them out" and it takes a bit of time that I think I could save with the bowmaster.

Kurt


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## brudawg (Jul 30, 2009)

Well, I backed the bolts out and took ten more twists out of the string. This rolled the cam back just a bit more. I think I will stop for now, shoot it in a bit more, and see where it settles. BH is about 7 3/8" and ATA is just over 32 1/8". Is this close enough? Could probably take out a few more twists, but the strands are "loosening up" a bit though. Got them rubbed back together with wax. This is a fun work in progress. Fun to tinker and tune.

Kurt


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## brudawg (Jul 30, 2009)

Bump


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## BarneySlayer (Feb 28, 2009)

search for NutsAndBolts (or Nuts&Bolts) or something post on firecat.

I'm assuming, of course, that it applies to your model too.

Between what I learned from him and a couple of others, I much more enjoy the way my 2008 Firecat shoots.


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