is my Totem offset defective?

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Messages 1 - 18 of total 18 in this topic
wyeast

Social climber
Oakland,CA
Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 19, 2014 - 09:40am PT
I really like my totem cams so I'm adding a few offsets to my rack. This one just arrived in the mail. Is it normal for internal springs to protrude from the cam lobes?


Captain...or Skully

climber
in the oil patch
Jun 19, 2014 - 11:40am PT
I have an alien that does that...it's still on the lead rack. Wouldn't hurt to keep an eye on it.
skcreidc

Social climber
SD, CA
Jun 19, 2014 - 12:14pm PT
interesting. How's the action? Feel lopsided?
skcreidc

Social climber
SD, CA
Jun 19, 2014 - 01:14pm PT
It an offset right? Are the springs sticking out of the smaller lobes? Maybe they are using the same springs on both sets of lobes for the same applied force on each lobe.


Geeze Matt. Your's is just f'ed up. Hope they fix it for you.
Alpamayo

Trad climber
Sacramento, CA
Jun 19, 2014 - 05:26pm PT
Ditto, I have one that looks like Matt's. Even when I straighten it out, the action is not very good.
mapeze

climber
Jun 20, 2014 - 02:52am PT
I'm Mikel the Technical Manager of Totem MT.
I have answered wyeast by email and I post here the answer I gave him

//That is normal. The spiral springs need to have some freedom between coils when the lobes are opened. When you close the lobes, the coils of the spiral spring close. The springs protrude from the lobes in all regular sizes, more or less depending the size.
Why springs do not protrude in big lobes of green/yellow hybrid? I will try to explain but I feel that is not easy...
In an hybrid cam, four lobes have the same spring because axle diameter and the recess of the axle to fit the spring are the same for both axle sides and also because is convenient to have same force springs in both axle sides. Then, the springs on bigger sized lobes do not protrude.
You could ask... and then why not to use those springs in a yellow Basic and avoid the springs to protrude? In a yellow Basic the axle has bigger diameter. The force of the springs needs to be considered also. The objective of the design is also to have stronger springs as the size of the cam increases, and the force obtained depends on spring dimensioning.
In one of the images it seems that a wire of one trigger wire rope is loose. Maybe is a dirt. Could you confirm that?
Regards//

If trigger wire rope has a loose wire is a manufacturing defect and we will proceed to change it by another new one in warranty, and we will take note of the issue and reflect it in our quality checking procedure.

And I would like to point out again that Totem Basics have nothing to do with Fixe Aliens in terms of production. Not sure if there is a confusion in US climbers community.

overwatch

climber
Jun 20, 2014 - 07:07am PT
There is
dhayan

climber
los angeles, ca
Jun 20, 2014 - 08:30am PT
At least metolious and wild country dont think so

They have a different design; their springs aren't internal. I've been using Totem Basics for over a year now and love them, no issues whatsoever.
skcreidc

Social climber
SD, CA
Jun 20, 2014 - 08:46am PT
I recently got a set of 4 Totem totems. Yea, it looks like I'm repeating my self... I'm really happy with these so far. Confidence inspiring they are.
wyeast

Social climber
Oakland,CA
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 23, 2014 - 07:14am PT
OP here.
Thanks Mikel for responding to my email and on here. What appeared like a frayed wire in the first photo was probably cat hair. The cam action is really smooth.
nopantsben

climber
Jun 23, 2014 - 07:27am PT

A. Do not confuse FIXE and TOTEM Basic Cams. Two completely different things.

B. Metolius and WC do not have internal springs. This not to their advantage - there is a reason to use internal springs. I'll spare you the engineering, try for yourself. BD X4's have internal springs as well, but they are heavier.

Totem cams are awesome, overall. The blue Totem(!!) basic cam is extremely light and has a great expansion range.

The Hubers use them, Allfrey uses them, Auer uses them ... essentially everyone who knows something about gear and gets a hold of them uses them.

Don't be stooopid, get some and forget about Wild Country or BD or whatever...
overwatch

climber
Jun 23, 2014 - 07:44am PT
I always jump in these Totem threads because I think they are the state of the art. I have six of them and wish I had full sets of each type
Roger Brown

climber
Oceano, California
Jun 23, 2014 - 07:49am PT
My blue/green offset did the same as Matt's on the first day I used it.
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
Jun 23, 2014 - 11:01am PT
Matt, any word from Totem on your issue?
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
Jun 23, 2014 - 02:48pm PT
[face palm]
mucci

Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
Jun 23, 2014 - 03:09pm PT
Totem cam in OP.

Alien cam in examples.

Jesus.
overwatch

climber
Jun 23, 2014 - 03:54pm PT
Maybe munge is self-face palming?
mapeze

climber
Jun 25, 2014 - 12:11am PT
I asked if there was any confusion about who manufactures and sells what, and it seems that there is.

Totem MT manufactures and sells Totem Cams and Basic Cams. We have nothing to do with Fixe, and obviously we cannot be answering Alien issues.
Messages 1 - 18 of total 18 in this topic
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