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re slinging c4(old style stem)

Original Post
jim whitney · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 35

I have decided to re sling my old cam c4s which are probably 13-14 years old. The original webbing was rated at 11 kN in a straight configuration. the pictured webbing has a rating of 22 kN but will be in a basket configuration making it 44 kN mbs. I'm aware that most manufacturers of cams are very particular about having gear sent back to them for repair(probably for legal reasons) but this do it yourself repair seems sound to me. Any feedback would be very much appreciated.

C4 re slung

JesseT · · Portland, OR · Joined May 2011 · Points: 100

Looks ok to me. Like mutton said though, doubling it doesn't necessarily double the strength.

jim whitney · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 35

Right on. I was looking at the Donovan book for rigging but I'm not exactly sure how well that would translate into climbing gear. Ill drop a photo of what I was looking at I'm a minute. Thanks.

Darren S · · Minneapolis, MN · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 3,388
John Wilder wrote: Given the cam is only rated to 12-14kn, worrying about whether the sling is rated 22kn-44kn strikes me as a non-issue. Looks fine to me- just make sure to keep an eye on the sling, make sure it doesnt develop a specific wear point.
John do you know if it is the cam itself that is rated 12-14kN or if it is the cam with the factory sewn sling in place? In other words is the factory sewn sling the weak link, or is the metal camming unit that is?
Jeff Johnston · · Bozeman, MT · Joined Sep 2010 · Points: 110
Darren in Vegas wrote: John do you know if it is the cam itself that is rated 12-14kN or if it is the cam with the factory sewn sling in place? In other words is the factory sewn sling the weak link, or is the metal camming unit that is?
In the pull tests i have seen its the axel or the lobes that fold rather than the sling on a cam...

Well its a rock empire rather than a BD but . . .it is rated to 14 KN

Rock Empire pull test
jim whitney · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 35
jim whitney · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 35

indeed, john! at work we have to follow osha guidelines for fall protection. i overlooked the fact that the cam unit is rated for way less than what i was looking for in the webbing. err on the side of caution i guess.

Matt N · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 415

Just make sure your partner knows they're not extendable slings.

jim whitney · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 35

All really good suggestions and info. Thank you! Some of the routes I'm looking to climb take probably more than one of the sizes I need to replace webbing on, so this is really just temporary until I have time to send them to bd.

Wiled Horse · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2002 · Points: 3,669

jim i have done the same thing in the past with my 'B-team" cams, only difference is that i tied an overhand knot to shorten the length and to ensure the slings didn't come out. (bring on the flame-fest of how much a knot reduces the strength, blah blah blah).

link to old thread

Tom Caldwell · · Clemson, S.C. · Joined Jun 2009 · Points: 3,623
JLP wrote:A rack of those would be a mess. I would worry about unintentional clipping and unclipping and dropped cams. Just send the thing into BD. It's cheap and turnaround is fast. You probably just spent more time and money on those 24" runners.
or use mountaintools if you are worried about sending it back to the manufacturer.
M Irving · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 0

I sent my pre C4 cams back to BD and they did an excellent job with a fast turnaround. Why send them anywhere else but the original manufacturer? They know exactly the proper configuration and the prices are reasonable.

DannyUncanny · · Vancouver · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 100

I would do something to make absolutely sure that you never clip only one half of that basket hitch by accident. My choice would be to stitch the two strands together with some thread so it is impossible to clip just one of them, but some people are uncomfortable putting a needle through their slings.

If they have dedicated biners, you could also rubber band the sling tight to the biner.

William Nelson · · Cave Creek, AZ · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 5

I just had my old school BD C4s reslung at Black Diamond. They cost $5 per cam and they came back in a couple weeks. I'm sure your Dyneema slings cost more than that and seem like they could easily tangle with others, become unclipped, etc. Short term I'd suggest putting a rubber band on them to keep them together, but when you get a chance, just send them back to BD bro. Just go to blackdiamondequipment.com and to FAQ section it provides all the shipping details, etc.

Crossing · · Breinigsville, PA · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 1,621
William Nelson wrote:Short term I'd suggest putting a rubber band on them to keep them together
I would suggest Not putting a rubber band on them for the reasons shown is this video.

vimeo.com/4138205
nbrown · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 7,718

Maybe I'm just cheap, but I just tie standard nylon webbing (11/16), or spectra cord (cord - not spectra webbing) through the stem. Just keep an eye on the ends (RGold already mentioned using a double fishermans in another thread, which works very well and stays tied). I'm sure the re-slung jobs are better, as in lower profile, but I think a lot of people probably don't want to be without their cams for a couple weeks.

Also, regarding the sling strengths mentioned earlier: keep in mind that the slings should be able to withstand cutting over edges, whether it be a horizontal placement (typical in many eastern states' placements), or the sharp/funky edge of a conventional vertical placement. Most of my slings wear due to being chewed through by the rock - which is why those skinny dyneema slings aren't up to par for my taste. Plus they are more expensive anyway.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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