Paper tuning

[Nasty Bastage]

I have a VXR 31.5 set at 75 lbs and I have been attempting to paper tune, but I keep getting a right nock tear. I have tried a couple different spine arrows so it is not a too stiff issue. I have moved the arrow rest as far to the left as possible, that helps some but still get the right nock tear. I contacted the shop I bought the bow from about getting a top hat kit and they are on back order from mathews. The shop tech told me these bows are usually very good without changing the top hats. He also said he doesn't place much faith in paper tuning these bows, because the speed of these bows causes the arrow to do a lot of squirrelly things. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me that a field point flying untrue at 5 yards is going to be flying great at 60 yds with a broadhead. I would appreciate some feedback from someone that has really dialed in one of these VXR's.

 

[Nick Muche]

Try paper tuning a little further back than normal which may allow the arrow to stabilize some before it goes through paper. Are you getting any contact with your fletching?

 

[doncarpenter]

Negative ghost rider, paper tuning is the first step for me in the tuning process and the VXR can absolutely be tuned regardless of the speed it shoots. You need a top hat kit. They are back ordered which sucks for you but you can check Lancaster Archery or call other shops.

Move the rest back to 13/16th from the riser and shoot it through paper. If you get the same tear as you have been look at the top hats currently in the limbs. If you have the thick spacer on the right side of the cam move it to the other side on the top and the bottom. If the thick spacer is already on the left side of the cam then you need a top hat kit.

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[D.Rose]

Your bottom cam should be shimmed to the left with the thicker spacer on the right. You should be able to just flip those bottoms spacers and be fine. That's typically how they come stock I believe. Just make sure your thickest spacer top and bottom are on the left side of the cam's. If the thickest spacers are already on the left you will need a new shim kit.

 

[Nasty Bastage]

@Nick Muche no fletch contact, same exact tear with fetched shafts and bare shafts.

@doncarpenter thanks. I will check which side the thick side is on when I get home. I am going to look at this as an opportunity not a problem. I ordered a last chance bow press, bow scale as well as the back ordered top hats this morning. Unfortunately many can get acceptable accuracy at whitetail tree stand range, but when you want true broadhead accuracy out past 50 yards there are no shortcuts.

 

[Nasty Bastage]

@D.Rose thanks for the help

 

[CApighunter]

As others mentioned, likely a cam shimming issue. I had the same thing happen with my Elite. Flipped a shim to the other side of the cam and the tear cleaned up immediately.

 

[Nasty Bastage]

Hopefully the top hats aren't backordered for too long because I leave for new mexico elk hunt on August 28th. What last year model bow should I buy if necessary? I would like to try a different brand.

 

[Gorp2007]

The good news is that I had the exact symptoms you describe with my Traverse (consistent paper tear with variety of spines, both fletched and bare) and it was quickly fixed with a top hat swap.

 

[Planopurist]

Hopefully the top hats aren't backordered for too long because I leave for new mexico elk hunt on August 28th. What last year model bow should I buy if necessary? I would like to try a different brand.

You could try an Elite Kure which adjust the limb pocket to correct most tuning issues. There’s a Bowtech that uses some features around the cam axles. Short of that, you could go to a split yolk bow.

Or, just take an arrow and tell a shop you’ll buy the bow if it cuts a clean hole. IJS


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[stonewall]

I would try swapping the tops hats you currently have - you should be able to get it tuned no problem. another option is to call a few other shops and see if you can buy sets of top hats you might be missing (not necessarily the full kit) and have them mail them to you

 

[Nasty Bastage]

I'm not going to give up on the VXR, as it really does feel good in the hand and holds on target as good as any bow I've shot. After reading replies from others that had similar problems that were remedied with the top hat swap I'm confident this will get resolved. On the bright side this was the kick in the rear I needed to buy a press and learn to work on my own bow. Worst case scenario I won't have this fixed in time to take it to new Mexico and I'll buy another bow. I've been wanting a longer axel to axel bow any way. Thanks for everyone's help!

 

[Jimbob]

Gotta love shops like that. "Here buy this top of the line $1200 bow, it's so good arrows don't even need to fly true out of it". That kind of stuff burns me. I think it's low enough if shops want to charge extra to get a $1200 bow shooting bullets but to just flat out lie or have so little knowledge of bows that you tell a customer that is pathetic.

Now if we are talking a really really tiny tear then maybe the shop has a point. Levi has said that some of his bows have shot best with a tiny tear.

 

[socoalt]

My VXR 28 had the same tear. It came with the thick top hat on the right on the bottom cam and skinny one on the right on the top cam. I switched the bottom so that the skinny one was on the right on both cams and problem solved. I didn't need a top hat kit. Try this first. Hope it works for you.

 

[Nasty Bastage]

@Jimbob I may be wrong, but I think this type of archery shop service is pervasive here on the east coast where the majority of customers are buying bows for treestand hunting whitetails . Until recently that's the only type of hunting I was doing and accuracy under 30 yards with a mechanical worked fine. But after decades of shooting I new that my groups at extended ranges spread like a shotgun with an unmodified choke. Fast forward to this year and my whole reason for purchasing the VXR was to up my accuracy at longer distances with a fixed head broadhead for western hunting. I new I needed better archery equipment. but I also needed to go back to basics and relearn proper form, which I have done. So I know without a doubt this is a bow problem not an archer problem. And of course the reaction from the bow shop is it's me or I did something to the bow. If I thought they could fix the problem I would gladly pay them, but when I asked them about the top hats and the only thing they can say is they don't put much stock in paper tuning, well my money is better spent on equipment for a home bow shop. Clearly my accuracy expectations are way beyond the shop technicians, in fact if they were so passionate about archery they would have their own shop and not work in a general sporting goods store. I'm not the greatest archer in the world, but I know a 3 inch nock right tear at 5 yards with the center shot set per recommendations is a problem. And then to move the rest as far to the left as it will go and the tear is still 2 inches, well something is bad wrong and further dealings with this shop is only going to result in continuing frustrations.

 

[Reburn]

Its a great bow but its not made of unicorn hair. Still needs to be tuned. Still needs the top hat kit. ANY bow shop worth a flying poop will paper tune your bow after 100 shots. THe simple fact they told you they don't put much stock in paper tuning should tell you to run away fast. Its not the end all be all of tuning but it should at least be close before your start to broadhead tune. For what its worth both my and my brothers VXR shoot bullets. Mine was good and didn't need anything. His needed the bottom tophats flipped. It only took a second.

On mathews. you should only need one allen wrench to loosen the screw on the axle. Also when your putting the screw back in the axle it should thread in easy. If there is any resistance you are cross threading it. Stop and try again. If you need 2 allen wrenches to get it screwed in you have cross threaded it. Its not made of egg shells but be careful so you dont booger your threads on the screw or the axle.

 

[Jimbob]

15 years ago I was in the same boat, I learned more about archery then my local shop was willing to. Just a one-man shop and he was stuck in his ways. The simplest stuff he would argue with me about. I remember that he told me "you cannot change the fiber optic on a spot hogg site", this was before the wrap. Anyways, I learned to play nice with him as I did want to support the local shop when I could but I bought my own stuff and did my own work.

Then a new shop opened in my area and the owner was really cool. He would chat technical stuff and was a great people person. When my Dad bought a new hoyt from him he said "you guys are free to use the press and get it set-up the way you want". His shop set-up was better than my garage so that was a great experience.

I think working on your stuff makes you a better archer anyways. Good luck figuring it out.

 

[Nasty Bastage]

@Reburn thanks for the tips. As far as the two allen wrench deal, the one video I watched said that you might need two wrenches if the axle spins. You're saying something is wrong if this happens?

 

[Reburn]

You can put your finger on the back of the axle and keep them from spinning. Something is wrong if you need 2 allens.

 

[Nasty Bastage]

10 4 thanks