Modifying cams

Hi all, my first post
i brought a Hoyt rampage xt from eBay as a 26" DL. When I got it to Africa where I work, it turned out to be 29" DL. The Hoyt guys in the states have recommended new limbs, cams and strings, costing over $600. I want to keep the bow if possible. Is it plausible to build the bow with or without Hoyt parts.
my first plee for help
many thanks
Titch
 

Shirt

Well-known member
That sort of amount of change in DL, if you want to keep your poundage you'll be down for new cams/limbs/strings. You won't get what you want out of it otherwise.

Try the Archerytalk.com classifieds, there's usually a lot of stuff in there so you should be able to source the bits on the cheap. Ask Hoyt what deflection limbs you need first because not all limbs are equal! :)
 
Thanks for the reply.. Will look on the classified and see what's out there. A shame not to keep it, as it puts a grin on my face every time I shoot it, even at 29" DL.
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
You could try a much shorter string. That would make the bow slower, but if the weight could be increased and if you could manage extra weight, it would allow you to continue.
 

AndyW

Well-known member
geoffretired - short stringing to get a 3 inch DL change will lead to big trouble. I had a compound short strung by a string maker many moons ago which resulted in delaminated limbs and an almighty bang. Luckily it was tucked away in my bow bag at the time.
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
AndyW, was the damage caused by the shorter string? If it blew apart in the bag, could it have been caused by something else?I am not saying you are wrong, but why should a short string be so damaging?
 

AndyW

Well-known member
It pretensions the limbs to a deflection they aren't designed for. So in effect when shot they are deflected beyond their normal range and pulled up short of the deflection they are designed to be at when at rest. Imagine short stringing something like a LB and then expecting it to survive as well as the correctly strung one - at best the bow will take a set or more likely have a short and interesting life.
No, it wasn't anything else as I was well and truly nobbled by the string maker in question. As my user name is not the most cryptic should you be in the NFAS I will leave it there. Poundage prior to being short strung was 60 and after was 46 - the bow didn't live long enough to get a replacement.
P.S. No doubt someone can explain better than me but hope that helps.
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
Thanks for your quick reply.
I am going to stick my neck out and say what I think. I find that brings out those who know more, and they correct me. I don't like mysteries.heehe.
With a shorter string, the slower power stroke should be gentler on the limbs, I think.
At full draw the limbs are bent by the same amount as normal, During the power stroke they unbend from the same deflection, but finish more bent than normal.
 

Shirt

Well-known member
At full draw the limbs are bent by the same amount as normal, During the power stroke they unbend from the same deflection, but finish more bent than normal.
Basically, yes. You can short string Hoyts by 1/2" fairly easily, more than that and you're actually rotating the cams as if you were drawing the bow. This means that the strings are under more tension at rest than normal (which may have caused AndyW's issue?) and also that the first couple of inches of draw will be a lot harder work than usual because you're effectively starting from a distance into the draw rather than zero... think of a draw force curve.

Geoff is technically correct, you could short string it to get your three inches. It'd shoot like an absolute bag of sh&t, but it could be done.
 
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