How-to guides
Step-by-step help for Oneida lever bows: changing strings and cables, tuning, and putting on our parts. Pick your bow to see just its guides.
Strings and cables
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Replace the string: 1980s–90s Oneidas
Change the string on an H-500 through Lite Force without a regular bow press. Loosen the timing screw, back both weight bolts off evenly while you count turn...
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Replace the string: Black Eagle and C.P. Oneidas
Loosen the timing hub, back the weight bolts off evenly until the string comes free, and swap it. Make sure each power limb is fully seated in its pocket bef...
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Replace the string: Kestrel, Phoenix and 2017+ Osprey
Oneida says never to put these bows in a bow press. The string is changed in Oneida's Compression Jig, and Oneida recommends a dealer do it. Here's how it go...
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Replace the string: Stealth Eagle
The Stealth Eagle has no slotted timing screw and uses extra-long weight bolts. Back the bolts out until the string is slack, swap it, press each power limb ...
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Replace the string: Discovery
The Discovery has no cams. Slacken the string with Oneida's bracket press, the long weight bolts, two dowels and a helper, or (FireBrand-built bows) a short ...
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Replace the power cables: 1980s–90s Oneidas
Swap both power cables one at a time. An S hook joins the string to one power cable so the other goes slack, so no weight has to come off. This is the most c...
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Replace the yoke cables: 1980s–90s Oneidas
The yoke cables hold the outboard limbs at the saddles. Changing them means taking all the weight off and sliding the limbs out of the riser. New yokes are a...
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Replace the power and yoke cables: Black Eagle and C.P. Oneidas
Oneida's method for the Black Eagle family: unlock the timing hub, take the weight off, slide the saddle back, swing the outboard limb to open the hinge, swa...
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Replace the cables: Kestrel, Phoenix and 2017+ Osprey
Oneida's Kestrel manual warns against bow presses and recommends a dealer do cable work. Here's what the manual covers, so you know what the job involves and...
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Replace the power and yoke cables: Stealth Eagle
On the Stealth Eagle you can change a power cable one end at a time with just 5 turns off that weight bolt. Here's that method, plus Oneida's order for fitti...
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Replace and adjust the cables: Discovery
The Discovery has no cams; its cables run through slides, one on a carbon rod. Here's how Oneida and FireBrand say to relax the bow, keep the cables in their...
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Replace the timing cable: Tomcat and Phantom
The timing cable runs under the grip and links the two cams. Replacing it is a full tear-down: limbs, pylons, grip and timing wheels all come off. This is On...
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Replace the timing cable: Aero-Force and Strike Eagle
On the Aero-Force the timing cable runs over stacked idler wheels on two pylons and under a bolt-on grip. Replacing it is a full tear-down; this is Oneida's ...
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Replace and tension the timing cable: Stealth Eagle
The Stealth's timing cable comes ready-made and swaged on both ends, so there's no length to set. It has its own install trick and a take-up spool to adjust.
Tuning and setup
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Set your arrow rest and nocking point
A new string needs a new nocking point, and every bow needs a sensible rest and plunger starting point. Use Oneida's starting numbers, then fine-tune with 'T...
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Measure and set brace height
Brace height is how far the string sits from the grip at rest. Keeping it in your size's range keeps draw weight, draw length and noise where Oneida designed...
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Change draw weight and set tiller: 1980s–90s Oneidas
On pylon-style Oneidas you change weight with the two weight bolts, re-tiller so both cams sit the same distance from the string, then lock the timing screw....
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Change draw weight and set tiller: Black Eagle and C.P. Oneidas
The small black timing cable keeps your cams working together, and the timing hub locks it. Small weight changes can be made with the hub locked; anything bi...
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Change draw weight and set tiller: Kestrel, Phoenix and 2017+ Osprey
Change draw weight and bring the bow back into tiller without hurting the timing system. The orange timing screw always comes loose first and goes tight last.
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Change draw weight and set tiller: Stealth Eagle
The Stealth's timing is set at the factory and has no slotted wheel to unlock. Change weight with the bolts and tiller it by feeling the timing cable tension...
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Change draw weight and set tiller: Discovery
The Discovery has no cams and no timing screw. Weight comes from the two weight bolts, and you check tiller from each end cap to the string.
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Set the timing cable tension: 1980s–90s Oneidas
The timing cable keeps the top and bottom cams in step. Too tight slows the bow; too loose makes noise and can jump the grooves. Check it and set it with the...
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Fix timing and cable trouble: 1980s–90s Oneidas
Noise, a bump in the draw, a timing cable that won't stay tight, or lost weight. This is Oneida's troubleshooting list in plain words, with the part to look ...
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Change draw length: 1990s Oneidas (Veri-Eze modules)
From 1990 on, Oneida's pylon bows set draw length and let-off with numbered Veri-Eze modules in each cam. Swapping them takes one small Allen wrench. Both ca...
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Change draw length: Black Eagle and newer Oneidas
Newer Oneidas use small letter modules (E, F, G, J) and number modules (12, 15, 18) in the cams to set draw length and let-off. On a Kestrel you also reset t...
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Change draw length and let-off: Discovery
On the Discovery, draw length comes from which hole the draw-length axle sits in, and let-off from the draw stop set screws. Every axle move needs a draw sto...
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Straighten a twisted or cocked outboard limb
A twisted-looking outboard limb is almost never warped. Usually the limb butt has shifted on the power limb, or the yoke cable has slid sideways in the saddl...
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Tune your arrow flight: bare-shaft and paper tuning
Two simple ways to see what your arrow does as it leaves the bow and what to move to fix it: a bare shaft at close range, or the tear an arrow leaves in paper.
Installing parts
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Replace the saddles on your outboard limbs
The saddle is the small block on the butt of each outboard limb, just past the hinge. The yoke cable rides in it, so it helps keep the limbs straight. Take t...
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Replace a hinge: 1980s–90s Oneidas
Each outboard limb joins its power limb at a hinge held by four screws: two into a nut bar and two into the clevis where the power cable hooks on. Swapping a...
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Replace a hinge: Black Eagle and newer Oneidas
On 2000-and-newer Oneidas there are no pylons. Oneida's Black Eagle manual reaches the hinge by sliding the saddle back and rotating the outboard limb. Our c...
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Replace limb pockets, limb bolts and washers: Black Eagle and newer Oneidas
Each power limb sits in a limb pocket (end cap) with the weight bolt through it and washers under the bolt head. Our enclosed aluminum pockets, limb bolts an...
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Replace the rockers: 1990s Oneidas
Each power limb rocks on a half-moon rocker in a pocket at the riser end, held by the weight bolt and its plastic washer. Oneida's catalogs call it the Verto...
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Replace the timing wheels: 1980s–90s Oneidas
Swap worn or broken timing wheels for our aluminum set. The wheels come off after the limbs, pylons and grip, then go back with the timing cable routed exact...
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Replace the timing wheels or idlers: Black Eagle and newer Oneidas
On 2000-and-newer Oneidas a thin black timing cable runs through the riser between timing wheels and over idlers. Oneida's Black Eagle timing-wheel pages are...
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Install medium K-Cam-style cams: 1980s–90s Oneidas
K-Cams are Oneida's 1992 cams with snap-in Veri-Eze modules. Our medium cam set (K-Cam style) replaces them. The cams ride on axles between the pylons, so sw...
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Install aluminum yoke splitters
The yoke is the small plate with screws on each yoke cable between the pylon and the limb (Oneida Fig. 1). Our aluminum yoke splitters replace the original p...
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Install G-String draw stops
A draw stop gives a solid wall at full draw so you anchor in the same spot every shot. We make an H-riser stop for 1980s–90s bows, a limb-mounted stop for ne...
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Replace the cam bearings: Black Eagle and newer Oneidas
The cams turn on bearings. We don't have Oneida's instructions for these bows, and Oneida recommended factory service for Stealth bearings, so for most peopl...
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Mount a rest, reel seat or line puller
These bowfishing accessories bolt onto the riser without taking the bow apart. Pick the right version for your bow and hand, use the existing threaded holes,...
Care and safety
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Safety rules for every Oneida
Oneida's own do's and don'ts in plain words: never dry-fire, check your string and cables, keep the limbs clear, use the right arrows and string, and lock th...
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Check your string and cables before every trip
A quick look before every trip catches a fraying string or cable before it lets go. Here's what to look for on any Oneida, how often Oneida said to replace t...
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Check your bow after a dry-fire or limb hit
A dry-fire, or a limb tip smacking something mid-shot, can hurt cables, saddles, limb pockets and the timing. Go through this checklist before the next shot.
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Use a bow press safely on an Oneida
A regular compound-bow press can badly damage an Oneida riser. Use only an Oneida bracket press (or the Kestrel Compression Jig), or skip the press and back ...
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Lube and care: 1980s–90s Oneidas
Only a few spots on a pylon Oneida need oil: the pylon bearings, the hinges, the idler wheels and a short stretch of each power cable. A drop is plenty; wipe...
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Lube and care: Black Eagle, C.P., Kestrel, Phoenix and Osprey
Newer Oneidas need very little: wax the string, oil a noisy hinge, wipe the metal down after wet trips, and keep oil off the limb pockets.
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Lube and care: Stealth Eagle
The Stealth was built to need almost no lube. Oil the stainless hinge pins now and then, keep the timing cable under the grip greased, and leave the bearings...
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Lube and care: Discovery
The Discovery's cables ride in slides, not on cams. Oil the hinges, but never oil the slides; wax them instead.
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Store and haul your Oneida
Heat is the enemy. Keep the bow out of hot vehicles, wipe it down after wet trips, and take the weight off if it will sit six months or more.
Know your bow
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Which Oneida do I have? Tell the bow families apart
Oneida lever bows fall into a handful of families, and the family decides which parts and guides fit. Start with the serial number; if it's gone, these clues...
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Find and read your Oneida serial number
Oneida built the model and year into most serial numbers. Here's where to look and how to read it.
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Know your cables: power, yoke and timing
Before you order cables or read cable colors, know which is which. Most Oneidas have two power cables, two yoke cables and one timing cable, plus the parts a...
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Find your size: 1980s–90s Oneidas
Label worn off? Oneida color-coded the cable ends by size. Read the colors, then use the outboard limb, the cam, your brace height or the old string to break...
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Find your size: Black Eagle and newer Oneidas
Label worn off? On newer Oneidas each size is a cam-and-outboard combination with its own cable colors. The yoke colors usually settle it; some Black Eagles ...
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Which string material? H-250, H-500 and Tomcat
Oneida's string chart lists B-50 Dacron for the H-250, H-500, Tomcat and Tomcat II, and Oneida warned owners never to put a 'fast' string on them. Here's wha...
No guide for that bow yet. Text us or call 270-318-2020 and we'll walk you through it.