Passive C3 Strength

BD clearly recommends in their manual that C3s not be placed passively, but they have built in cam stops. Other manufacturers, most notably Wild Country have published ratings of single axle cams with cam stops when placed passively. Does this information exist for C3s, or are the cam stops just for show?

I'm not sure if the ratings are published anywhere, but I'd be VERY surprised if BD didn't have the data. I'm also pretty sure that if the ratings were anything to brag about, that BD would let us know.

But I don't think the cam stops are just for show. I think they do a good job of keeping the lobes oriented properly while them cam is racked. As far as using them for "umbrella prevention"? I don't think they're worth much. I have personally snapped one off in a relatively "low factor" fall.

I asked BD years ago

And they basically said unofficially the largest sizes are basically full strength

However the smaller sizes arent as theres not much metal

So they wont "rate" the cam stops on em

The only microcams with full rated cam stops officially are the zeros

And the smallest friends/dmms/c4 for the "larger micro" sizes

;)

bearbreeder wrote:I asked BD years ago And they basically said unofficially the largest sizes are basically full strength However the smaller sizes arent as theres not much metal So they wont "rate" the cam stops on em The only microcams with full rated cam stops officially are the zeros And the smallest friends/dmms/c4 for the "larger micro" sizes ;)

The three largest X4's are double axles so they are probably full strength also. No idea if they are officially rated though.

Ray Pinpillage wrote: The three largest X4's are double axles so they are probably full strength also. No idea if they are officially rated though.

Gray x4 and up are passively rated ... Thats probably not micro anymore though

The blue x4 is not and interestingly enuff the blue c4 is

Which is lead to the "i broke 3 x4s in a fall thread but took the same whipper on camalots and it was fine" thread awhile back

;)

I believe that all BD double axel cams are rated to be placed passively, I know that the little instructions paper that comes with the C4s says its a valid way of placing.

Passive C4 Placement

bearbreeder wrote:I asked BD years ago And they basically said unofficially the largest sizes are basically full strength However the smaller sizes arent as theres not much metal So they wont "rate" the cam stops on em The only microcams with full rated cam stops officially are the zeros And the smallest friends/dmms/c4 for the "larger micro" sizes ;)

Thanks!

I shot BD an email this morning, so we'll see if they have anything else to add to the topic. If nothing else, I'll have a "reason" to buy some zeroes.

Rubin Field wrote:I believe that all BD double axel cams are rated to be placed passively, I know that the little instructions paper that comes with the C4s says its a valid way of placing.

Right, but C3s are single axle, and the literature says they aren't rated for passive placements.

Shelton Hatfield wrote:I'm not sure if the ratings are published anywhere, but I'd be VERY surprised if BD didn't have the data. I'm also pretty sure that if the ratings were anything to brag about, that BD would let us know. But I don't think the cam stops are just for show. I think they do a good job of keeping the lobes oriented properly while them cam is racked. As far as using them for "umbrella prevention"? I don't think they're worth much. I have personally snapped one off in a relatively "low factor" fall.

You remember what size you umbrella'd?

Noah.J wrote: You remember what size you umbrella'd?

Yes, it was a #00, the purple one. The placement was shallow and flaring, in a down and left facing flake feature. The outer lobe completely inverted as the cam presumably pivoted a bit, but amazingly the cam did not pull.

BD replied with a similar response as bearbreeder posted earlier.