BD Cam Spring Problems

[Burley]

I have a 0.3 BD Cam that I bought about a year ago. I've fallen on it once (short fall... I was at the placement) and used it on a few aid routes. I would say it wasn't abused. The wire that goes in the lobe to connect the spring to the lobe keeps coming out. It actually looks like the axle is wider than it should be. I'm sending the cam back to BD.

This is bad because without the spring action the cam is basically useless. This issue is present on one side of the unit and affects both lobes on that side. Note that this is the spring wire and not the trigger wire.

Anyone had a similar issue?

I would encourage everyone to check their cams before they climb. I noticed this only because the action felt different than normal... not much... just a bit.

[chossmonkey]

The axles are supposed to be a little long and have some play, but they shouldn't be that loose. How long is the piece of wire that goes into the lobe? That should be almost as long as the lobe is thick.

Did you take any pictures?

The only times I've had spring problems were with ohter brands. One was because I broke off the attachment ears and the other the spring just fell off the pin going through the lobe.

[chossmonkey]

If you haven't done anything yet email BD before sending it. Likely they will say it is user error but it should get forwarded on to the right people and they should get back to you.

And take some pictures of it.


And post them here.

[*Chris*]

Burley, I'd like to compare my 0.3 side by side with yours. Do you still have it?

[Burley]

Choss,
Pictures from me? Probably not happening.
I did email black diamond and I'm sending it back.
The wire goes in the width of the lobe, but doesn't have anything to lock it in place (no bend no cap).

Chris,
I still have it if anyone wants to see it.
From what I can see this wouldn't happen if the end of the wire that goes into the lobe had a bend or cap. Also, I think the axle is too long and therefore the lobes have too much lateral play.

I've fixed this myself like 10 times, but after 3 pulls (at most) of the trigger at least one of the springs comes out where it connects to the lobe... the other comes out shortly after.

[*Chris*]

I noticed the play in the BD cam lobes right away when I started using them with frequency. They actually address it on their FAQ. They state:

Q. The axles on my new C4 Camalot seem too long—what’s up?
A. On your new C4 Camalots it may appear that the cam axles are longer than you're use to seeing. This can be noticed by the amount of play, or the amount of side-to-side movement of the lobes on the axles. The play is there for a reason—to allow the lobes to move freely during use. This is intentional in the design and allows the cams to function properly in all conditions.

Despite the fact that I trust their safety record and certification standards, I still feel a lump in my throat every time I'm able to effortlessly wiggle around what would seem to be a critical component.

[chossmonkey]

Choss,
Pictures from me? Probably not happening.
I did email black diamond and I'm sending it back.
The wire goes in the width of the lobe, but doesn't have anything to lock it in place (no bend no cap).

Chris,
I still have it if anyone wants to see it.
From what I can see this wouldn't happen if the end of the wire that goes into the lobe had a bend or cap. Also, I think the axle is too long and therefore the lobes have too much lateral play.

I've fixed this myself like 10 times, but after 3 pulls (at most) of the trigger at least one of the springs comes out where it connects to the lobe... the other comes out shortly after.

Yeah pictures from you. No digi camera?

We don't have a 0.3 but we do have a .5. The wires don't have a bend or anything to keep them in place. I suppose its possible that a wrong set of axles or lobes were used.

When was it bought?

[*Chris*]

When was it bought?

Answered on the first line of the first post in this thread.

[chossmonkey]

When was it bought?

Answered on the first line of the first post in this thread.

oops


I wonder if it was made in China?

[martha]

Bring it over to our place on Saturday if you haven't sent it back yet... and we can take pictures for Choss.

[granite_grrl]

Choss,
Pictures from me? Probably not happening.
I did email black diamond and I'm sending it back.
The wire goes in the width of the lobe, but doesn't have anything to lock it in place (no bend no cap).

Chris,
I still have it if anyone wants to see it.
From what I can see this wouldn't happen if the end of the wire that goes into the lobe had a bend or cap. Also, I think the axle is too long and therefore the lobes have too much lateral play.

I've fixed this myself like 10 times, but after 3 pulls (at most) of the trigger at least one of the springs comes out where it connects to the lobe... the other comes out shortly after.

Yeah pictures from you. No digi camera?

We don't have a 0.3 but we do have a .5. The wires don't have a bend or anything to keep them in place. I suppose its possible that a wrong set of axles or lobes were used.

When was it bought?

he 0.5 we have is getting fairly old now, I got it maybe 6 years ago? Just doesn't look that old 'cause neither of us like to use it.



(flame war of BD vs other brands starting in 3....2....1.....)

[Makwizard]

I am currently conducting research at Duke University to analyze and redesign cam lobes. The end goal is to improve a cam's ability to hold in soft rock and flaring cracks. I have just begun my research but will be continually posting updates of my findings on my cam research page.

Thanks.

[*Chris*]

Wow! We've been cam-spammed!