A First-timer's String and Cable Swap Thread

Brewskis

Senior Member
That should look good. I almost went with red on red for my black bow, but ended up deciding to try red with black serving. It'll be cool to see both options.
 

Brewskis

Senior Member
First things first...take pics of your cable routing on the cams so you can reference them for your first time. Make note of which cable goes through which roller on the cable guard, and which cable is on top of the other. Take measurements of your current specs, ATA, BH, peep to center of nock point, speed nocks from edge of cams, take pics of the prelean the cams have if you want. You're going to have to retune from scratch, but it'll help if you at least have an idea.

Once you get everything installed, I'll go through my steps on what to do, and when to do. Its important not to do some steps before others, like tie on your loop right away to try and set nock height. There's reasons to wait. But get 'em on and get going. Good luck.

New strings should be here today. I should have already gotten this preliminary stuff out of the way, but I'll have to knock it out today.

In the meantime, I've thought of a few other questions before I get started:

  • I'm using a Bowmaster bow press. I'm guessing it's best to remove and replace one string/cable at a time?
  • If so, should this be done in any particular order?
  • I'm going to keep the factory strings as backups in a pinch. Is there a way to store the old string and cables so that they don't untwist from their current lengths after I take them off?
 

Kris87

Senior Member
For your first time, I'd definitely do the cables one at a time. Just know that you will probably have to give the press some more turns to get on a new set...you'll probably think they're short but they won't be. Doesn't matter which order you do them in either.

As for the old strings, just use the paper clips that are gonna come holding your new set to make sure they stay the same length. Since the old set is pretty well broken in, when you take them off, they're not gonna want to just untwist. They'll hold in place pretty well on their own.

Word of caution. Since the new strings won't have any bends formed, they'll naturally want to come off the posts and string tracks pretty easy until you unpress the bow. You will probably want to hold the cams somewhat with your hands to make sure they have some tension on them while you're fiddling with them. You'll know what I mean when you start. But.....before you unpress it fully, take the string and pull up on it to make sure it has some tension, while you untwist the bowmaster. Just keep an eye on all of the string and cable ends to make sure they're on good before you release everything.
 

Kris87

Senior Member
Oh one more thing. Hoyts are notorious for having sharp edges on the posts(same for the yoke bushings) where the end loops go. You can't really see the edges, but it is possible to cut the servings when you put them on. Don't try and force them over the edge is basically what I'm getting at. Just press it a little more to give yourself some room to fit them on.
 

Brewskis

Senior Member
Thanks, Kris. That's some good info to have before getting started.

Apparently Priority Mail 2-Day takes more than 2 days. As of this morning, USPS tracking still says the expected delivery day is Wednesday, June 3, 2015, and that it's somewhere in Atlanta. Maybe today..

I did encounter one question while taking measurements last night. When measuring from the speed nocks to the edge of the cam, I wasn't really sure where to measure at the cam. I noticed in the photo below that I should really measure from the weight under the shrink wrap (B) vs from the end of the shrink wrap (A) since the amount of shrink wrap varies from speed nock to speed nock. However, where do you measure to on the cam? Where it first makes contact with the cam on the inside edge (C) or completely disappears into the cam track on the outside edge (D)? Also, from which speed nock should I measure (I assumed the farthest one from the cam)?

IMG_0868c.jpg
 

Brewskis

Senior Member
Reading my last post, it probably sounds like I'm splitting hairs, and maybe I am, but I've heard that the placement of the speed nocks with the Z5 cams is pretty crucial to the bow tuning properly. I figure it's better to ask now rather than later.
 

Huntinfool

Senior Member
Glad this thread is here. I'll be changing out my first set of strings and cables this weekend on a '10 Z28 using a bowmaster press.
 

Kris87

Senior Member
Reading my last post, it probably sounds like I'm splitting hairs, and maybe I am, but I've heard that the placement of the speed nocks with the Z5 cams is pretty crucial to the bow tuning properly. I figure it's better to ask now rather than later.

All you want to do is make sure they're in the same spot. I take a pencil and make a mark on the cam, doesn't matter where, just somewhere you can measure from. Then measure to the middle of each of the nocks. Don't bother with measuring between the two nocks. All you care about is getting them back the same distance from the cam.

Measure it in mm too. I hate SAE crap. Wish we'd switch everything over to metric someday. :D
 

Brewskis

Senior Member
Huntinfool, looking forward to hearing about your upcoming string and cable swap.

Another good tip, man. A line drawn on the cam will definitely make it easier to measure.

Strings arrived today, but had to get yard work taken care of after all the rain we've had lately. Hopefully getting started tomorrow.

IMG_0889.JPG
 

Huntinfool

Senior Member
Mine actually came yesterday and I spent part of last night and this morning getting them installed, getting leeches in and tying on a d loop. Got the ultra rest attached to the down cable and I think I'm pretty well ready to let a few arrows fly before I install the peep.

So far everything has gone super smooth. I ended up putting a half twist in one of the cables to get the cams synced up pretty well.

Don't have a drawboard built (that'll be done either this afternoon or tomorrow). But the string cable swap seems to have gone pretty well so far. Brace height measures to specs and so does the ATA. I took measurements for the loop and peep before I took the old stuff off so that I would have a good starting point for the new string.

On thing that helped a ton was taking detailed pictures of everything before I pressed the bow. Then I just took one hook off at a time and replaced with the new one and ran the new string or cable down to where the other end was still attached so that I was sure to route everything correctly.

I'll take a few pics and post them up later.

The bow I'm swapping will end up being my backup this year because, for the first time in my life, I own two bows. Have a new Synergy coming in a few weeks.

So I had a little less pressure to get it perfect (even though that is the goal for sure).

I used 60X strings in case anybody is interested in the maker.
 

Huntinfool

Senior Member
So I have a Q.

I built the draw board this morning and actually also picked up the new Synergy this morning too.

Because I did not have the draw board or a bow scale before changing the string and cables, I did not check the poundage on the Z28. It's an 09 model with 70# limbs.

The cams are synced and they are timed well. But when I draw it on the draw board with the bow scale attached, it's maxing out at 59# and I checked to make sure the limb bolts are tightened all the way down.

Why would it be maxing out 11# low???

I know I have the right length on the strings and cables and i didn't let any twists out that I'm aware of when I installed them.

Do I need to repress the bow and twist everything tighter till I get to 70# when the bolts are maxed?

I'm pretty sure the scale is right because I just put the Synergy on it and it maxed at 58#. It's got 60# limbs and I backed them off a full turn.
 

Huntinfool

Senior Member
I should add that I just checked measurements and the ATA is long by about 3/4 of an inch. It's supposed to be 32 1/4 according to the specs and it's sitting right at 33. Weird thing is that the brace height seems to be smack on the specs.
 

Brewskis

Senior Member
Huntinfool, that's a good question. 11 pounds is pretty big difference. Especially if the strings and cables are the correct length. Wish I knew what could be causing that. Hopefully, someone who has an idea will chime in.
 

Huntinfool

Senior Member
From what I gather, ATA isn't an exact science and varies from draw length to draw length. I'm at a loss and the inter-webs don't seem to be any help.

I'm going to post the same Q on AT and see if there's any insight there.
 

Brewskis

Senior Member
I'm finally getting started. First, I took pics of my cable routing. I took pics of both sides of the bow overall, as well as close-ups of the cams. I figured it's better to have too many than too little.

LH side overall:
FullSizeRender%252520%2525285%252529.jpg


LH side, bottom cam:
IMG_0850.JPG


LH side, rollerguard:
FullSizeRender%252520%2525286%252529.jpg


LH side, top cam:
IMG_0849.JPG


RH side overall:
FullSizeRender%252520%2525287%252529.jpg


RH side, bottom cam:
IMG_0853.JPG


RH side, rollerguard:
IMG_0852.JPG


RH side, top cam:
IMG_0854.JPG


Made a note of control cable (cable w/o the yoke at the top) going through front of front roller and buss cable going through front of rear roller. Also, noted that if the bow is laying on the side where the sight and quiver mount onto the bow, the control cable runs underneath the buss cable.
 

Brewskis

Senior Member
I then took measurements of the following:

  • axle-to-axle - 34.25"
    IMG_0865.JPG
  • brace height - 6.25"
    IMG_0863.JPG
  • peep to center of nock point - 6"
    IMG_0866.JPG
  • speed nocks to line drawn on cams - Bottom: 2-1/4" and 4"
    IMG_0893.JPG

    Top: 2-9/16" and 4-1/4"
    IMG_0896.JPG

  • cam prelean - arrow (held against top cam) intersecting string near D-loop

BTW, I would have measured in metric units if I had such a ruler. I agree that it's a much cleaner system, and would make a lot of things easier both here as well as when traveling.
 

Brewskis

Senior Member
I began by removing the string first, and then installing the new one. After the string was installed, I removed the yoked buss cable, and installed the new one. Finally, I removed the control cable, and installed the new one.

IMG_0924.JPG


IMG_0921%252520%2525281%252529.JPG


Honestly, I'm not sure if I removed/added a half twist or two while straightening out the string and each of the cables as I removed each one from the package and off of the paper clip, and then positioned them onto the cams.

However, everything seemed to be in place properly after slowly releasing the press. Also looks like I successfully installed them without damaging the serving near the various posts.

IMG_0927.JPG


IMG_0925.JPG


IMG_0923.JPG


IMG_0922.JPG


Hopefully, everything look right. If not, please let me know.
 

Brewskis

Senior Member
I decided to go ahead, and remeasure my specs. They are as follows after the swap:

  • axle-to-axle - (BTW, didn't think to measure axle-to-axle on both sides before starting, but did after the swap)
    leftside yoke: 34-1/4"
    rightside yoke: 34-3/8"
  • brace height - 6-3/4" (same)
  • peep to center of nock point - N/A
  • speed nocks to line drawn on cams -
    Bottom: 2-3/16" (1/16" less) and 3-13/16" (3/16" less)
    Top: 2-9/16" (same) and 4-1/8" (1/8" less)
  • cam prelean - arrow (held against top cam) intersecting string just below lower speed nock - way more prelean now!
 

Brewskis

Senior Member
So a few more questions while I'm thinking of them:

  • I decided to check my draw weight (first time drawing the bow back). The scale read 53-1/2 lbs. each time (1-1/2 lbs. less than the 55 lbs. I had it set at before). Is it normal for DW to be less after a string swap? Also, should I have bottomed out the limbs before the swap? It didn't occur to me to ask this until Huntinfool posted about his DW being way less after his string swap. I was going to go ahead and bottom out my limbs and see what the max DW is with my new strings and cables, but figured I'd ask first.
  • I noticed that four weights were used with these speed nocks vs. the three weights used for the factory Hoyt speed nocks. Would this account for the minor differences in measurements between the speed nocks and the cams? Will those minor differences affect the tune?
  • I assume that each side of the yoke has equal twists from the string builder? Obviously, one side (right side, if I recall correctly) should have more twists. If so, I'm guessing that by adding twists to it, that will bring the axle-to-axle on each side to an equal and correct length?
Sorry for the abundance of questions throughout the last few posts. Looks like I've reached a stopping point, so I'll stand by for now.
 
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