Mathews Heli-m tuning issues

[coyotecreek]

I hunt primarily with a recurve, but have been working with my Mathews Heli-m on paper tune and arrow flight. I keep having a problem with my arrows fishtailing in flight. I've paper tuned and I'm getting a decent hole, but I had to move my rest (QAD) quite a ways to the right so that my arrow is way right of center when looking at the bow from above. I've had this issue in the past and thought I had it corrected. I replaced the grip with a Shrewd last year. I'm shooting CX Maxima red 350's and about 63#@28" so I don't think it's a spine issue. When I move the arrow to the center of the bow my arrow flight is really bad. Any thoughts?

 

[Zac]

My guess is that your getting a left tear if your moving your rest to the right. I believe that bow has a single shim on top and bottom cams. You can try moving either one or both shims to the left and setting your center shot at 13/16. If your having trouble reading tears you can stick the tip of your point into lipstick before you shoot through paper. Also helps to strip the vanes of one shaft and paper tune with that as well.

 

[coyotecreek]

I'm getting a perfect bullet hole when paper tuning, but bad flight, and a strange setup with my rest having to be so far to the right. It is a single cam bow. Do you think the issue is with the cam? Does it need shimmed to the right? I don't have a press but I'm considering buying one because the nearest pro shop is 2 hours away. Thanks!

 

[Mighty Mouse]

Have you tried yoke tuning? Adding twists to the left yoke and removing the same number of twists from the right yoke should allow you to move your rest back closer to centershot.

I'd also recommend checking your paper tune at multiple yardages and also bareshaft tuning to confirm how your arrows are currently flying.

 

[coyotecreek]

I have not tried yoke tuning. Sounds like I need a press! From what I’m hearing so far I have done about all that I can do without a press. Sounds like a cam alignment issue.

 

[OR Archer]

Reset your rest to center and yoke tune. Also with the QAD make sure it’s timed correctly and not making contact. You can get a good hole yet still be having contact. Also make sure you’re not getting contact on your cables either. And tune at several distances. Start close then back up and make fine adjustments

 

[Mighty Mouse]

I have not tried yoke tuning. Sounds like I need a press! From what I’m hearing so far I have done about all that I can do without a press. Sounds like a cam alignment issue.

Before yoke tuning, I had to push the rest on my Heli-m all the way to the right to get a good paper tear. After adjusting yoke twists, I got good tears (and good bareshaft POI) with the rest right around 13/16" from the riser. If you want to yoke tune on the cheap, get a cable press like a Bowmaster. That style of press works quite well with solid limb bows like the Heli-m (and enables other at-home work like installing a peep, changing string/cable).

 

[coyotecreek]

Good info guys thanks. I have a small business building traditional bows, strings, and arrows, but have had a lot of locals looking for help with their compounds. I want to buy a last chance press and get some training so that I can fill that need locally. I get a discount on last chance since I am a dealer. I’ve shot compounds for 20 years, just never really worked on them.

 

[Zac]

Have you tried yoke tuning? Adding twists to the left yoke and removing the same number of twists from the right yoke should allow you to move your rest back closer to centershot.

I'd also recommend checking your paper tune at multiple yardages and also bareshaft tuning to confirm how your arrows are currently flying.

I guess I totally screwed up my comment if your bow has yokes instead of shims. Greg Poole days that the gold standard of paper tuning is 21 feet. I would try that distance.

 

[Blockcaver]

On the narrow limb Mathews (I still have a Drenalin I shoot once in awhile), you can really make the cam lean change at full draw just by varying your grip and hand position on the bow grip. I found I needed a it different grip on my Drenalin vs any other bow i have had before or since. That said it was a very reliable hunting bow for me that I killed a pile of animals with. If i remember right yoke tuned plus put more load out further on my thumb than any other bow to reduce cam lean. Both sets of limbs I used exhibited the same characteristics (damaged one set on a fall in a talus slope sheep hunting).

 

[coyotecreek]

This is all great info guys and makes sense. Just stuff I never would have thought of. I didn't associate the two, but I never had this issue until I changed strings. I'm on year two with these strings and I bet it was something that wasn't checked when the strings were installed. I'm excited now to get it dialed in. Thanks!