How to Fix Cam Lean on Bows

The bow and arrow is popular partly because it is a low-tech alternative to the gun. To gain full control over their bows, many archers learn the art of bow repair. This is a useful skill to learn, especially if something goes wrong with your bow, such as cam lean or cam rotation, when you are hunting far away from civilization and cannot take it to a shop for repair. This do-it-yourself repair ability, coupled with the simple nature of bows creates a great feeling of self-sufficiency among archers.

Things You'll Need

  • Bow press
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Instructions

    • 1

      Pull your bowstring back. Look upward, or have a friend look from behind, at the bowstring to see how it aligns with the two cams. If they do not align properly, you have cam lean.

    • 2

      Loosen and adjust the bottom pins of a bow press. Secure the bow to the bottom pins, using the retaining bands. Adjust one of the side pins so that it makes contact with the limb at least 1/2 inch below the cam, and then attach the side bars to the pistons, keeping the sides symmetrical. Adjust the second pin.

    • 3

      Raise the piston by turning the crank counterclockwise. This will take tension off the bow string. Tune out the lean by twisting one side of the split-string yoke or yokes. If your bow has a one-string yoke, you can only balance the limb load and correct wheel lean at one end, though this may be sufficient to fix the problem.