Cam shredding my serving

I have a 2014 Carbon Knight that I bought December 2015, within a month I noticed the serving on the cables fraying around the cams. I emailed Bowtech they advised me to take bow to store I bought it and have them look at it. Scheels in Omaha NE just redid the serving.

After awhile it started fraying a little again.

Move on I got a custom string, and last night when shooting I noticed what you can see in the pictures.



Bowtech said again just take back to where I bought it, maybe might need a new cam, possible burrs or something.

Archery season in Missouri where I hunt opens 09/15

Does this look in the least bit safe to use?





FYI Extreme Bowstrings, got Fury strings, amazing stuff, great guy at Extreme Bowstrings, I am not affiliated with them in any way shape or form but I am very impressed with him, his work, and his help via email with the above situation.

 

Since it did the same thing 3 different times, it is a cam issue. Maybe there is a burr on it.

 

Every Bowtech I have owned has been very hard on the serving. I think it is how the cables route around the cams or something. But there definitely could be a burr or other issue causing it. I would definitely get it looked at to be certain. If it is a problem I wouldn't trust shooting it because it will cut the cable/string eventually.

 

I had a single cam bow that did the same thing or something similar. The bend that the cable had to make was just too sharp. After a short time the serving would be gone in a spot. This was due to design and not something that could be fixed. However, it didn't seem to bother the string itself that much once the serving was out of the way.

If they will look at it and possibly fix it due to warranty then by all means take it in. If you are out of warranty then I would wait and watch it. Maybe the wear will stop after the serving gets pushed away. Keep a close eye on it though. If you start to see the string wear too then there is indeed something that needs fixing or replacing.

 

my old destroyer 340 was really hard on the servings. My opinion is because bowtechs cams are so aggressive they are just hard on servings. keep an eye on it and have your shop look at it. good luck

 

Hate to say it, but I don't think I trust it in the one pic it looks almost completely thru !

 

Wear servings faster -- yes.

Shred/tear/rip serving and string -- not normal.

 

I use a PSE Brute X (single cam) and it wears and separates the serving pretty hard. My bow tech said it was common in aggressive single cams and was "fairly" normal...just to watch it. As long as the actual bowstring wasn't getting frayed, he said it was ok. However, it does not look as aggressive as yours. Your serving looks to be torn or ripped. I would at minimum have the store you bought it at look at it. Couldn't hurt.

 

Stock strings on bows made in the last 3-4 years are crap, much better off to go with a high quality aftermarket string and cable.

 

the pictures are high quality after market strings

I took the bow back to where I bought it they looked at it and called bowtech
bowtech said that they know based on my serial number that I could have a burr on the top cam, but they don't think they could possibly be a burr on the bottom. Seems odd to me that they admit manufacturing defect on some cams but can't believe that it would happen with the bottom cam...

I had the tech put bow in press and take cable off so I could look at the cam.
I couldn't visible see a burr, but it was hard to see anything.
The next thing Bowtech came up with is that my aftermarket strings are too fat to fit in the rail the cable is supposed to ride in. Well I happened to have my old factory string with me so I got it out and looked at them side by side. The aftermarket string did NOT look any fatter, so we measured with calipers. Confirmed that my aftermarket string is NOT any wider than the factory one.

So bowtech has decided that since my cable on the bottom cam is getting destroyed that they will replace the top cam... yes.. the top cam

here is a picture of my cable that I took off the bottom cam.



The tech said he would check my cam axles too

 

Did you take a cotton ball and run it along the cam grooves? That would have confirmed a burr that you possibly couldn't see. I don't understand that logic to replace the top cam though. Is that because that is what Bowtech said on the phone? Weird.

 

That string is def not ok. That's crazy it would cut into it that much. At least they are working with you...but not plans to replace the bottom cam? Was there miscommunication?

 

bowtech is replacing the top cam because they only know of problems with the top cam on right handled models, therefore there just can't be something wrong with the bottom cam.

it doesn't make sense to me but that is what they are saying they are going to do.
I wouldn't be shocked if I got a call from the shop telling me the axle on the bottom cam is slightly off, that would make sense to me.

 

I have the same bow and about the same year and have the same result that you do. Now mine hasn't completely shredded the string like yours. Mine just chewed up the serving and the string is fine.

 

top or bottom cam?
Bowtech told me they have no issues with their bottom cams so this can't be caused by the cam.
I asked them how can they say that when there is no reasonable explanation as to how my cable got that bad.

I emailed in to Bowtech again yesterday with the most recent picture I put up here and pretty much said "look at this, I was told Bowtech will only replace the top cam, but this was caused by the bottom"

They did respond and said that they should replace the cam causing the issue. I'll have to go back to my pro shop and have them order the bottom cam now too.


Might just have to trade this bow in and get a new one....

 

Good news

 

I would be looking into a new bow. After the bow doing that a third time, I wouldn't feel comfortable shooting it at all.

 

As we are Custom String Builders we have come up with some solutions. We lower the strand count in the cables and use power grip serving. This gives the string or cable room to seat in the groove properly


HUTCH

 

Your not going to like this answer but here it goes. Some cam designs plan suck when it comes to cable wear. Like hutch said above there are way to minimize it however with some cams I have seen over the years excessive wear is just something you deal with. ....if you keep the bow.

 

The local Mathews shop is run by great people and I use their indoor range from time to time, I went in there yesterday looking at bows thinking I'll make this bowtech work through season then get something new in Dec or Jan.
My wallet got scared looking at the price tags in that store, but I think I want a No Cam HTX but wish they had a 30 inch draw.