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Gear4Rocks Links Cam Review

dannl · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 0

Not an engineer, but to stop a fall, aren't the forces on any cam's axle down in the middle and up where the lobes connect? Unless the threads extend from the end of the axle to under the lobes, they aren't involved in shear? Said another way, the ends of the axle aren't weight bearing, so does it matter if they have threads?

Edit:

Oops, I guess shear force is parallel to the axle. So I see why that would be bad. When the cam is loaded, how much force ends up on whatever is retaining the lobes?

DannyUncanny · · Vancouver · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 100
dannl wrote:Not an engineer, but to stop a fall, aren't the forces on any cam's axle down in the middle and up where the lobes connect? Unless the threads extend from the end of the axle to under the lobes, they aren't involved in shear? Said another way, the ends of the axle aren't weight bearing, so does it matter if they have threads? Edit: Oops, I guess shear force is parallel to the axle. So I see why that would be bad. When the cam is loaded, how much force ends up on whatever is retaining the lobes?
0 force in theory. If it is a bottoming placement that got torqued, it could take some force, but I'm betting the axle itself or the lobes would bend first in that situation.
Aric Datesman · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 145
Vidal wrote:...I do notice that the main cam axle is most likely threaded (since it appears to have nylock nuts on both sides of the cam holding the lobes in place). In comparison to BD cams, which have a solid, most likely machined axle with cir-clips keeping everything in place, Gear4Rocks cams would, in theory, have higher stress concentrations at the threads. ...
FWIW, BD's axle terminations are peened/riveted, not circlips. Also Gear For Rocks isn't the only one to use threaded axle terminations... Aliens, OP Linkcams, single stem RE cams and certain generations of Forged Friends do as well.
PDXGREG · · Portland, Oregon · Joined May 2011 · Points: 10

This thread is so amusing I had to actually create an account to respond. Lots of talk about products people have not even tried.

I use these cams. Love'em. Sure it takes 4 weeks for them to ship but they are bomber. They work, bottom line.

Y'all might want to try them before you go all sua sponte and condemn them.

lucero · · Oakland, Ca · Joined May 2006 · Points: 20

Great review! Have you tried the 1axle cams?

I just bought a set of them and Ill post some images/thoughts when I take them out in the valley in a few weeks...
Cheers,
j

IsaiahZ · · Corvallis, OR · Joined Apr 2011 · Points: 10
PDXGREG wrote:Y'all might want to try them before you go all sua sponte and condemn them.
+1 RLTW?
PDXGREG · · Portland, Oregon · Joined May 2011 · Points: 10
IsaiahZ wrote: +1 RLTW?
everyday
Jared R · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2009 · Points: 870
Keenan Waeschle wrote:same as what brendan said, your reviews rock!
ditto!
jffortier · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2011 · Points: 20

Hey... I'm happy to see a full review of this set of cams. I bought a full set (aluminum nuts and link cams) last year. I want to show you what looked like the #5 cam (red) when I received it (brand new). You will all understand that I never used this cam with this major casting failure. I'm seriously questioning the quality control. It should have never been shipped to a customer.

Of course, I've asked for a replacement... And never received it! They (Ana) told me 3 times my replacement cam was on it's way. That way a year ago.

Beside, I must admit, I really like my nut set (aluminum).

Gear4rocks quality # 1?

...

...

...

Aric Datesman · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 145
jffortier wrote:Hey... I'm happy to see a full review of this set of cams. I bought a full set (aluminum nuts and link cams) last year. I want to show you what looked like the #5 cam (red) when I received it (brand new). You will all understand that I never used this cam with this major casting failure.
Looks to me that it's the result of poorly aligned shearing dies rather than a casting flaw. Then again, given the cracking all over perhapes they actually are cast. Mind posting a view of the side of the cam/lobes?
James Ellis · · Bellingham, WA · Joined Aug 2008 · Points: 65
Rick Blair wrote:Phil, Since you are into testing Eastern European gear, how about giving these things a go? viamontgear.com/gear/tricam…
They have an Eastern Washington phone # and pictures of Eastern Washington climbing.

Exploring their website more I have found that the owner actually goes to the same university as me. The product is American, the man is Czech.

Now you got me all curious.
Gunkiemike · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 3,492
Aric Datesman wrote: Looks to me that it's the result of poorly aligned shearing dies rather than a casting flaw.
+1

But makes me wonder if the lobe material is being stamped and otherwise handled correctly.
Aric Datesman · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 145
Gunkiemike wrote:But makes me wonder if the lobe material is being stamped and otherwise handled correctly.
FWIW, all of pics on their site look to me like the lobes are milled, so frankly I found the indication of them possibly being stamped surprising. I'd be very surprised if they were cast, as history has shown it can lead to poor grain structure and lobe failure (I forget the brand at the moment, but it was 10 or so years ago), plus that's either a big capital expenditure for a niche market or paying a premium for small runs at a casting house (read: milling from an extrusion would be cheaper with better grain structure). I can kinda see stamping being a possibility, but even then tooling costs would be kinda high compared to milling out of plate or bar for relatively small runs (read: stamping is generally a high volume production thing with long lead times and high tooling costs). As I mentioned, I'm kinda curious what's going on with the lobes in that pic...
Aric Datesman · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 145
Rick Blair wrote:Phil, Since you are into testing Eastern European gear, how about giving these things a go? viamontgear.com/gear/tricam…
Missed this earlier... I actually have a set of them (bought as a souvenir while in a climbing shop in Prague ages ago) and they work well enough. The springiness of the wire helps hold them in place fairly well (especially keyed into solution pockets where nuts and regular tricams won't stick), but makes placing the smallest ones a total PITA until you get the wire kinked just right. Plus the wire holding them up like that when racked causes the larger ones to catch on everything, so they didn't stay on the rack long. That said, the smallest is a useful sub-Pink-Tricam size and stayed on my rack for quite a while. Apparently a year or so after I bought them they came out with another version where the wire was free to rotate around a pin, which might solve the racking and placement issues. Never seen that version in person though, nor a mention or review on any of the climbing sites. And keep in mind I'm a Tricam fanatic, so YMMV.

EDIT- Found the newer version... Combi Tri-Cams. viamontgear.com/gear/combi/…

Rick Blair · · Denver · Joined Oct 2007 · Points: 266

Aric I am a big tricam fan myself. I brought a set up to the orange on the Maroon Bells traverse a few weeks ago, they went in everywhere. They get bad mouthed a lot but I think their simplistic design is amazing, great utility. Maybe I will check out a set of those Viamont things. Thanks for dredging up this post.

DBarton · · CENTENNIAL, CO · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 105

I have a set of the "basic" wired viamont tri-cams (no swivel or axel). They were very cheap but appear very well made. I have hung from them a few times and not died yet. They are nice for placing one handed and sorta cam themselves into place with the wire acting as a spring! Cool bonus. I haven't fallen on them yet, but am sure that they would be fine.

DBarton · · CENTENNIAL, CO · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 105
Rob D · · Queens, NY · Joined May 2011 · Points: 30

I'm bumping an old thread to find out if 3 years after the review, anyone has fallen on one of these cams.

Rick B · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2013 · Points: 5
Rob Davis wrote:I'm bumping an old thread to find out if 3 years after the review, anyone has fallen on one of these cams.
They probably arent around anymore...
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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