# who makes the best chainsaw bar



## stmonnat (Feb 11, 2012)

just wondering who makes the best 20 inch bar for my husqvara 576xp autotune that is a direct fit meaning no spacers


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## mikefunaro (Feb 11, 2012)

stmonnat said:


> just wondering who makes the best 20 inch bar for my husqvara 576xp autotune that is a direct fit meaning no spacers



The "best" bar for you is a bar that meets your individual priorities. 

A cannon bar is probably the highest quality and most expensive, but it is also very heavy and costs so much that if you bend it or trash it then you've lost a considerable investment. 

Oregon bars are cheap and too soft in my opinion with poor longterm wear characteristics. 

Tsumura bars are high quality and moderately priced. 

Baileys has some good German made carlton bars for $30 that are pretty good IME. 

Personally I'd rather get deals on bars that are of decent quality. If you break it, bend it, etc, it's not a big deal. If you drop $100+ on a bar, it is a big deal. Sure they may be better or lighter, but there's not that much disparity in the 20" region and I just don't see the point.


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## Axlerod74 (Feb 11, 2012)

I have had excellent results with Tsumura bars also. They are often branded "Total Super Bar" and are often stock on jonsered saws. If you have a J-red nearby, he should be able to get you one. I also tend to took for a decent bar at a deal price but I cut for firewood and not for production or sole income. As said before, go with what suits your needs and wallet best....................Ax.


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## outdoortype (Feb 11, 2012)

Axlerod74 said:


> I have had excellent results with Tsumura bars also. They are often branded "Total Super Bar" and are often stock on jonsered saws. If you have a J-red nearby, he should be able to get you one. I also tend to took for a decent bar at a deal price but I cut for firewood and not for production or sole income. As said before, go with what suits your needs and wallet best....................Ax.


Good point. The Austrailian made GB bars are good too. Total Super Bar is fantastic but mysterious. A local dealer told me that he sells Oregon Powermatch 5:1 over Total Super Bars. He also said that the ones who by the Total bars don't want anything else. I'm thinking of offering him 2 or 3 of my oregons for 1 Total bar.


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## mdavlee (Feb 11, 2012)

Tsumura is the best quality to value I've used. Cannon is real good quality but heavy and pricey. I would try to find a tsumura/total/carlton branded one.


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## jockeydeuce (Feb 11, 2012)

Axlerod74 said:


> I have had excellent results with Tsumura bars also. They are often branded "Total Super Bar" and are often stock on jonsered saws. If you have a J-red nearby, he should be able to get you one. I also tend to took for a decent bar at a deal price but I cut for firewood and not for production or sole income. As said before, go with what suits your needs and wallet best....................Ax.



Yep, I'm a big fan of the Tsumura bars as well.....Excellent quality!!


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## Mastermind (Feb 11, 2012)

jockeydeuce said:


> Yep, I'm a big fan of the Tsumura bars as well.....Excellent quality!!



The Total Super bars are the longest lasting I've used.

I'm using a couple of Sugihara bars now that seem to be holding up well.


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## Teddy.Scout (Feb 11, 2012)

stmonnat said:


> just wondering who makes the best 20 inch bar for my husqvara 576xp autotune that is a direct fit meaning no spacers



Every one hit the nail on the head above.
What would help is to know your specific needs or type of cutting you plan doing?


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## luckydad (Feb 11, 2012)

Mastermind said:


> The Total Super bars are the longest lasting I've used.
> 
> I'm using a couple of Sugihara bars now that seem to be holding up well.



Where are you able to buy these bars at Mr. Randy?


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## expy (Feb 11, 2012)

I'm using the Husqvarna 20" Techlite on my 562xp and find it a perfect balance. I have not used it long enough to give you an idea of how durable it is but it is sure light.


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## Great Smokies (Feb 11, 2012)

I'm a huge fan of Total Super bars, they last very well, need minimal main and well, look awesome! And versus a Powermatch Oregon they are cheaper and (to me) much better.


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## Jeff Lary (Feb 11, 2012)

I see forester bars on e-bay and in many shops how are they?


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## Mastermind (Feb 11, 2012)

luckydad said:


> Where are you able to buy these bars at Mr. Randy?



I see Sugihara on ebay and with some searching found a supplier. HES I think is the name...... google search....

The Total Bars I end up with in parts lots I buy. I let one go awhile back.........


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## stmonnat (Feb 11, 2012)

I was interested in the sugihara until I found out I needed spacers I want a direct fit and I don't really care about the cost just want the best bar


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## dinosaur50 (Feb 11, 2012)

*stihl the best i think*

stihl the best i think or a old mac bar or a old poulan or homelite bars or Cannon or Tsumura


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## Mastermind (Feb 11, 2012)

Mastermind said:


> I see Sugihara on ebay and with some searching found a supplier. HES I think is the name...... google search....
> 
> The Total Bars I end up with in parts lots I buy. I let one go awhile back.........



I was wrong on the name.....Hev Inc. for Sugihara bars. I spoke with a rep a few days ago....they have everything in stock except the 24" .050 It's on backorder at the moment.

The spring adapters are no problem for these bars, I like the fact that I can use the same bar on many different saws.


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## computeruser (Feb 11, 2012)

I've been amazed by the amount of abuse Cannon bars can take without showing any evidence of the same. Incredible pinch/bind situations and not so much as a rail that needs to be adjusted. But they're heavy, for sure.


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## TommySaw (Feb 11, 2012)

Tsumara bars are the best I've come across so far, as stated the rails just don't wear. I have the techlite on my 562xp and have about 60 face cord of wood cut with it and it's holding up great.


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## unatool (Feb 11, 2012)

I also spoke with HEV INC. about their bars. They said they no longer make the 'small mount ' bar that would
fit my 359. I think the stock #'s begin with AT.


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## Mastermind (Feb 11, 2012)

unatool said:


> I also spoke with HEV INC. about their bars. They said they no longer make the 'small mount ' bar that would
> fit my 359. I think the stock #'s begin with AT.



I have a problem finding a good small mount bar too. Luckily I have a Total that fits for testing these saws.


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## Rounder (Feb 12, 2012)

What ever you buy, you're gonna have have to accept some tradeoffs. I really like Oregon RW's, but they don't do well with abuse. I love Cannon's (you could beat a Cape Buffalo to death with one) but they are heavy. 

At 20" you should be pretty happy with whatever you choose though....just make sure you can get tips easy enough.

Edit: Since it is going on a Husky, those teclite bars seem pretty slick....


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## unatool (Feb 12, 2012)

I went with an Oregon ProLite 20inch bar for the 359 you built me. I had the notion to buy a more expensive bar... but hard to find in the damn small Husky mount. 
Plus - I will be using this saw at heights, climbing and cutting spars. It can be a little hard on bars so maybe better to just stick with a $40 option, not a hundred dollar guidebar. 
I run Stihl RW 28inch for the 440. Oregon RW for the 372's. My 394 and 395 run Carlton 36inch.

p.s. - I think my new CAD is a 440/460 top... think that may be this summer!


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## stmonnat (Feb 12, 2012)

Appreitiate all the help guys leaning towards the cannon I see they have them on baileys but can't figure out which one fits the 576xp auto guess I will have to contact them anybody know if the cannons will require spacers


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## mdavlee (Feb 12, 2012)

H1 is the husky mount. I always get stihl bars and use the adapter. It can be bolted on with the little screw that holds the plate down.


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## outdoortype (Feb 12, 2012)

*Excuse me if I'm beating a dead horse but....*

Does anyone know of a way to get a catalog/fitup chart for Tsumura/Total bars? I contacted Tilton once and the information they gave was obviously wrong. It blows me away that Oregon, Carlton, etc all have online catalogs and bar selectors and nothing for Tsumura. Tilton doesn't realize that there is a huge demand and they don't just have to be for Jonsered's.


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## Bob95065 (Feb 12, 2012)

Can someone post a link to where I can find Tsumura bars?


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## J.Walker (Feb 12, 2012)

Jeff Lary said:


> I see forester bars on e-bay and in many shops how are they?



I like the the 3/8's, 50ga, 60dl Forester bar been using it on my Husky 346xp/Jred 2153. The bar is lighter the the Oregon bar. Price is very good too!
My 24" Forester bar is a rebranded GB Pro Top bar.



.


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## Jtheo (Feb 12, 2012)

I bought a Woodland Pro 20 inch and a 24 inch for my 562 and 372 from Bailey's.

The bars are stamped Canon, but are priced considerable lower than the Canon branded bars.

They both balance out good on my saws.


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## Mav (Oct 5, 2014)

Which bars offer the ability to lube the end sprocket?

I have a Stihl bar that the sprocket freezes up and won't turn at all after one cut.


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## Big_Wood (Oct 5, 2014)

just so you guys know i have done a bit of testing on this. anybody who says cannons are heavy are guessing and don't truelly know. the old cannons are heavy compared to other solid bars but not enough to whine over. the new cannons are on par or lighter then the oregons. i got a whole bunch of cannons here and one test in particular worth mentioning was i got a couple brand new 37" cannons that weigh less then a brand new 36" oregon. my little 16" cannon weighs less then a 16" oregon prolite as well. all that said, i am really liking the RW tsumura's right now. no way in hell am i going to weigh bars right now.


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## Marshy (Oct 5, 2014)

Mav said:


> Which bars offer the ability to lube the end sprocket?
> 
> I have a Stihl bar that the sprocket freezes up and won't turn at all after one cut.


The nose was either pinched or your saw isn't oiling enough to keep the tip lubed.


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## treesmith (Oct 6, 2014)

I had a Stihl bar that locked up too, I turned the oiler up and it never happened again


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## Brushwacker (Oct 6, 2014)

Marshy said:


> The nose was either pinched or your saw isn't oiling enough to keep the tip lubed.


Or the bearings in the tip wore out.


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## Marshy (Oct 6, 2014)

Brushwacker said:


> Or the bearings in the tip wore out.


Yes I agree, most likely from lack of oil or pinch... It takes a lot of use to fail them from use alone. We could poll the experts and ask how often if ever have they replaced a tip or a bar because the tip wore out...


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## Brushwacker (Oct 6, 2014)

Marshy said:


> Yes I agree, most likely from lack of oil or pinch... It takes a lot of use to fail them from use alone. We could poll the experts and ask how often if ever have they replaced a tip or a bar because the tip wore out...


 I have had bearings in old bars fail, don't remember how many, but enough to know it happens in my conditions. Dirt or other foreign matter will speed it up. Most of my bars the sprocket itself wears out the fastest in the tip, now and then about the same time the bearings go bad.
On the other hand I don't remember having a problem with them from being pinched or from lack of oil although I am sure it happens. I pinch plenty of bars nearly every year but I cut enough I learned to get them out without damaging the bar or tip about 99% of the time. I also have enough experience to know to stop using a saw that is not oiling enough before I do ruin something. I am sure, far more likely the bar rails and chain will overheat before the sprocket bearing goes bad due to lack of oil. 
You can poll the experts here, but I am sure you will get a degree of less then expert opinions mixed in.
In the past I have took the so called experts advice over my experiences and often they are wrong. I will compare and seek expert advice though because I don't believe I am an expert my self and am still learning.


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## CJ1 (Oct 7, 2014)

Out of all the bars I have used the Cannons are the toughest period. We have only bent 1 that I recall and that was a tree falling on it. I have 10 or so of the Oregon/husky bars and they are good for the price but Q/C is iffy. One will wear for 20+ chains and one will be junk in 5. As far as bending, hands down the worst has been the techlites. I have bent and straightened mine at least 4 times, it is wearing good but weak and if you are going to use it you better have spare rivits for the tip when it loosens up. Sugihara is one that I have not tried so I cant comment on that one. CJ


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## Matt81 (Oct 7, 2014)

Mav said:


> Which bars offer the ability to lube the end sprocket? I have a Stihl bar that the sprocket freezes up and won't turn at all after one cut.



Try placing it sprocket first into a small can or bucket with some clean motor oil in it overnight. Just enough oil to cover the sprocket. Works for me. Don't run your chains super tight also. This places more stress on the sprocket bearing. Also as mentioned turn up your oiler on the saw if you can, to lube the sprocket nose bearing better.


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## Matt81 (Oct 7, 2014)

J.Walker said:


> I like the the 3/8's, 50ga, 60dl Forester bar been using it on my Husky 346xp/Jred 2153. The bar is lighter the the Oregon bar. Price is very good too!
> My 24" Forester bar is a rebranded GB Pro Top bar.



You sure about that? Every pro top i have ever used, from memory has been a 3 rivet nose not 5 rivets? They are a first rate bar. Crazy if they are being sold for so cheap as a re branded Forester bar. I was paying around $90 - $100 many years ago for them, yet the Forester ones are $36.80 USD for a 20" large husky mount. Doesn't seem right?

I managed to buy around 15 of the GB titanium CN40 bars that were sold as re branded Husqvarna bars several years ago. I bought them in the same purchase with my first 365XT saw. Got a super deal of $15 per bar. 
There has been much talk and conjecture that these were only pro tops and not titanium bars. Well let me set the record straight. The person i bought them off is a major Husqvarna dealer and had them listed as titanium bars. It was Husqvarna's deal when they bought and re branded these so they should know what they are selling. Well after 4+ years i am only on my second bar. The first one never wore out. I sold it with a saw because it was still in such good shape after 2 years. The one i am currently using i have only dressed 2 times this entire year. It simply doesn't need it because it is wearing so well. It doesn't get used every job of course, but it gets used a heck of a lot. It is wearing many times better than any GB pro top i have ever used. These Husky GB bars that i bought are without a doubt definitely GB titanium CN40 bars. 

I have some Tsumura 20" and 24" bars i bought that i want to try. At the rate that this 20" GB titanium CN40 is wearing i won't be trying the Tsumura bars until early 2020 at the earliest!


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## thechainsawguy (Oct 8, 2014)

Bob95065 said:


> Can someone post a link to where I can find Tsumura bars?



I know its an old thread, but I can help you with this.

Dave


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