Buck Magnet

Okay guys, I finally got off my butt and got some pics of the fletch contact problem on my BowTech Liberty.

Here are the specs..

BowTech Liberty (29.5" draw and 71# draw weight)

28.25" Gold Tip 3-D Pro 75/95 arrows (100 grain field points and 4" Duravanes with 4 degree right offset)

Trophy Taker Shakey Hunter arrow rest
Copper John Dead Nuts Hunter 3-pin sight
Jim Fletcher Tru Peep Hunter Style (1/8")

Here are some pics that I took. They aren' the best quality or angles, but they are the best I could get with my camera.

With the cock vane down, about 1/16" of the vane will rub the cable. With the cock vane out, I am getting about 3/16" of clearance from the vanes. I will include pics of both........

Cougar Mag

Can you configure your rest and use another cable guard slide so the cables are riding on the outer part of the cable rod? Perhaps not with the fallaway rest. Does the rod have any adjustability at all as far as right or left movement? If not, this is why I detest straight cable guard rods on some of the newer bows.

Buck Magnet

Cougar,

I have the rest tied into the factory cable slide from BowTech, but I think that I am going to remove that and tie the string into the down buss cable. I am seriously considering putting on a Simms cable slide as it should give me a little more clearance. I have never really cared for the BowTech cable slides.

DaveC

Sounds like a good move to me. The stock slides are tough and were wearing on my string/cables the short time I had them on. The simms ought to cure your ills with the fletching contact.
Good luck with it!!

Pinwheel 12

Straight cableguards are tough to gain adequate clearance with larger vanes in some instances due to the design of the individual bow model and the shooters' preferred rest and arrow configuration, but many manufacturers use them, so it is not an isolated incident-- I've had many customers complain over the years when using shoot-through rests and high-profile vanes/feathers with a straight cableguard. The slide may help, but you will probably have to rotate nocks as well by the looks of your pics.

Another option (tho drastic) would be to switch the guard itself up to a rotating one like the one in this pic-- then you can tune your arrow pass correctly no matter what arrow or vane style you use. This would be a pain certainly and you should contact the Bowtech factory before any "modifications" are done otherwise it will void your warranty, but if you cannot gain the needed clearance you may need to do it as ANY cable contact will hamper arrow flight and performance will be inconsistent. Yet another and more simple alternative (tho pricey) would be to switch to a different shaft with lower profile vanes. Good luck! Pinwheel 12

BowTech_Shooter

In most cases our slides work great but there are some set ups where they just won't work right. Of my 15 demo bows, only one has any problems with clearance using the factory slide, all the rest are fine.

I personally haven't had any fletching clearance problems in my initial set ups with the stock slides but after my initial set up I put on after market slides too, always have no matter what make of bow it was.

I've used Bomar and Sims with much success but currently I use Hicks slides. I have 2 different models that they make. One is called the Target model, it's white and it holds the harness plenty far enough over for every type fletching I use. They also have a Hunter model, it's black and it holds the harness over even farther than the Target, it holds them too far over and induces way too much lean if you ask me.


IMO, There's a couple possible problems with the type of system Kevin posted above.

I've seen guys (the home do-it-yourselfers) that adjust the cable rod as far out as it can possibly go (talk about unnecessary and dangerous cam lean, especially on short axle bows), and I've also seen these work themselves loose (some in the field too). Not that they're a bad system but I've seen these problems with them and should be watched out for if used.

However, they can be a great alternative if they're set up right with the proper amount of clearance and they are locked down very good so they don't vibrate loose. I've got a couple of after market models that Toxonics makes, or least they used to me them.

PABowhntr

Pat,

Can you list any specific reasons why certain setups are experiencing this and others are not?...other than the issue of a high profile vane then why is it that some models, like my own, do not come close to the cables while others, like BM's, seem to be rubbing?

Thanks.

JeffB

After reviewing Jeepnuts pics he sent me, it seems to be more of a prob w/ those using a straight fletch cock feather down or those using a Right offset or helical w/ cock feather down. I experiemented a bit last night and had no probs with cock feather/vane down in those cases w/ a left helical/offset.

For those with the slight contact problem I would recommend either:

1) fletching w/ a left offset/helical

2) using a dropaway where fletch orientation is not so important (I can even shoot cock feather sideways no prob on my TT w/ 5" feathers)

or

3) trying the Hicks target model (white)slide that Pat recommended. It gives plenty of clearance without too much side load.

As Pat said, the "Hunter" (black) model from Hicks causes way too much side load, and I'm on the fence with the Sims (I've tried it as well and it seems to be right in the middle between the target and hunter models from Hicks).

Pinwheel 12

Pat is correct in that some people tend to rotate an adjustable cableguard too far out, and this being detrimental because it will then create undue sidepull and wear on bushings. But my thoughts on this comment is that one simply must be smarter than what they are working with IMHO, and correct placement of an adjustable cableguard, along with occasional inspection to ensure that it remains tight, (a little loctite blue works wonders upon installation) is little to ask and a great alternative to having to deal with occasional issues such as those depicted above.

The bottom line is that many bow manufacturers use straight carbon rods for one reason and one reason only---the saving of money. Adjustable rods cost more to produce, and with straight rods for the most part being very adequate, usually there is not problem--- but every once in awhile that saving of money comes back around to bite them in the butt, and this really doesn't even matter as to what specific part, or whose name is on the bow--- every manufacturer has bits and pieces somewhere where this happens.. Maybe someday we'll find the perfect bow, until then we'll have to keep muddling along....

Some companies (Parker for instance)are now angling the straight carbon rod into the riser a bit, allowing for more fletching clearance in the rear. This is also a simple and effecrtive method of allowing more arrowpass, tho not adjustable.

Hopefully this will be an easy fix for you BM, I still think you may be able to slightly rotate your nocks and with a new slide be OK.

Good shooting, Pinwheel 12

Buck Magnet

Pinwheel,

Thanks for the comments, as usual, they are very educational. I am getting clearance when my cock vane is out, and I shoot a drop away, so, I am fine as it is now. I have no fletch contact anywhere, but, I would see it being a problem for guys shooting standard prong style rests. I am getting about 3/16" of clearance with the cock vane out.

I am still thinking though that I will just get a new slide, one that will allow for a little more clearance. If I could get anothing 1/16"2/16" of clearance, I would be very very happy. I just hate the thought of my vanes passing by the cables with such a small space between them.