Bow noisy - tiller/brace height?

[jaarus]

Hi folks

My bow was bought secondhand and so was set up for the previous owner.
Its my first bow and I love it!

But...

Its really noisy compared to the bows of two guys I shoot with regularly. We are all new at this I would say, been shooting about 7-8 months but only just (last month or so) got our own gear rather than using wooden riser training bows.

I remember the chap who sold it saying that he had altered the tiller as the bow was a touch heavy for him.

I have checked with W&W for brace height and it is at the maximum recommended height (23.5mm) but as I say it is noisy.

Would putting the tiller back to standard sort this do you think?

Also I have the tools for changing tiller but no idea how to know when it reaches 'standard' is there anything I should look for or simply alter it until limbs sit 'in-line' with the riser pockets?


Been trying to arrange (unsuccessfully) a tuning session but think our clubs website/email is no longer used and the guy that knows his stuff that did the training course and I havent crossed paths recently -the others on the line all look a bit serious to ask this kind of question to...too shy to find out lol

[buzz lite beer]

A good starting point to set tiller is as you used millimetres is around 5mm
IE. the distance perpendicular from the string and the limb as it comes out of the limb pocket, is 5mm more on the top limb. This adjustment will just allow for the bow to be drawn back without the bow rotating at the axis of the grip. (Top limb stronger than the lower would result in sight rising when drawn, Bottom limb stronger would result in sight lowering when being drawn).
Adjustment to the nocking point dynamic tiller will help to get the limb tips travelling at the same speed and when correct should reduce limbs from vibrating unduly. When adjusting for brace height, the reduction in noise your trying to reduce is the sound from the detachment of the nock off the string. When correct the string will leave the nock between both ears of the nock equally, the loud noise is usually a result of one of the ears being twanged as it leaves the string at an angle. However at the end of the day some bows by design and material are inherently more noisy than others, get it as quite as you can then if you can't tolerate it any more fit limb savers, + remember when comparing to other bows for noise, you are much closer to your own bow so the noise will obviously be louder than those shooting next to you.

[Mufti]

Don't confuse Tillering with Bracing height.
Tillering adjustments are to stop the bow from pulling up or down at full draw AND to stop the vibrating upon release, a slow painful process to start with:-
Adjust the tillering with the bolts to manufacturers recommendations and adjust the top one a quater of a turn (or less) until they are no longer fighting each other - this will ease the shot in your hand (have you ever held a fence post while it is being hammmered into the ground?).

The noise as has already been mentioned is possibly because the arrow isnt being released when it a square to the bow - Bracing Height should cure this - another slow process:-
Adjust the gap between the string and pressure button (measure it) to the lowest recommended distance and slowly (2-3 truns of the string at a time) increase it up to the maximum recommended height. There will be a height at which it will be quieter then any other (possibly 2 of them).

I would advise NOT fitting any dampers at all (not even longrod or twins while doing this - they will mask the effect you are looking for.

Beware - if you have no longrod fitted the bow will tend to jump up from your hand on release.

Good luck

[rusty]

Jaarus,
A couple of practical points;
** Check that everything is tightened up on the bow (sight screws, clicker-if fitted, stabiliser)
Then if your bracing height is already at the upper end of the suggested range, either your string is too short or you might have a high number of twists in the string that prevent you from experimenting with different bracing hts.

Tiller adjustment as you mentioned might be a misunderstanding - if the seller has reduced the poundage he has wound out the limb adjustment screws which is fine but does mean that bracing ht changes. ideally both limbs should be adjusted initially so that the distance from the limb to the string at each end of the riser is the same - then you can adjust tiller 0-4 or 5mm as suggested)

I would check things are tied down then check my string length for excessive twists
Hope something here helps

[buzz lite beer]

Originally Posted by Mufti

I would advise NOT fitting any dampers at all (not even longrod or twins while doing this - they will mask the effect you are looking for.

Beware - if you have no longrod fitted the bow will tend to jump up from your hand on release.

Good luck

Must disagree Mufti, when setting up and tuning any bow If you are going to shoot with accessories It's best to fit and keep them on whilst carrying out the set up process, the only exceptions to this would be the likes of limb savers (now they do mask noise) and when mounted on the limb fade out area has no effect on a tune/ bow performance at all.

[geoffretired]

We have suffered at our club with new and noisy bows. The processes mentioned earlier are worth checking out as part of the tuning. They do take time and only work as well as the archer can shoot. One thing we found is the string materials can make a huge difference to the sound of the bow. We had instant results by changing the string for one of a different material. That is change in sound; grouping was not checked.

[Mufti]

Originally Posted by buzz lite beer

Must disagree Mufti, when setting up and tuning any bow If you are going to shoot with accessories It's best to fit and keep them on whilst carrying out the set up process, the only exceptions to this would be the likes of limb savers (now they do mask noise) and when mounted on the limb fade out area has no effect on a tune/ bow performance at all.

OK, but no doinkers then ?

Always a bone of contention, but to my mind the tillering and bracing height are unaffected by accessories - which can only lend themselves to controlling the action of the bow and thus masking the noise which you are trying to listen for.

[buzz lite beer]

Originally Posted by Mufti

OK, but no doinkers then ?

Always a bone of contention, but to my mind the tillering and bracing height are unaffected by accessories - which can only lend themselves to controlling the action of the bow and thus masking the noise which you are trying to listen for.

Agreed to a point! It's just that I tend to tangent off during tuning sequences, I will slip the odd bare shaft down to see if things are being affected by the changes in brace height and tiller adjustments I'm making then make counter adjustments to nock point pressure button etc. as I go along.

[jaarus]

Originally Posted by rusty

Tiller adjustment as you mentioned might be a misunderstanding - if the seller has reduced the poundage he has wound out the limb adjustment screws which is fine but does mean that bracing ht changes.

Ah, thats what I meant!
Sorry my bad

The bow accessories are VERY secure so its not them vibrating etc.

I was curious if the limbs being adjusted as they are may in fact mean that the bracing height is incorrect even if it is still within manufacturers specs. As would the change in angle of the limbs at rest not throw off these measurements?

Thanks to all for your replies - always impressed by the speed (and quality!!!) of replies on this site!


One other point - is there a way to alter the limb adjustment back to 'zero' as I believe it can be reduced AND increased in stated limb weight from altering it - do I simply look for when the limb..er....bases(?) are flush with the risers limb pockets? or is there a click or what have you?

[buzz lite beer]

You haven't mentioned which W&W model you are shooting and or whether its a complete W&W bow or a Hybrid ? Would say as a general rule of thumb, never unwind a weight adjustment screw too far keep the outer surface of the adjustment screw flush with the outer surface of the riser. And by Zero Hoyt riser limb combinations the weight can be +/-ve the marked limb poundage when moved from the centre position of the possible adjustment, with a W&W set up you get only +ve adjustment of the marked limb poundage. No clicks or anything just count the amount of rotations from fully unwound to fully wound and half it.