Good quality 80 Drive Link Husqvarna Bar

[autobaun70]

I've ended up with a dozen or so 80DL Husqvarna SP33G chains. I like the chain for my use, but the 80DL Husqvarna XF-250 bars are garbage. Nose sprocket seizes up in short order. No lubrication point, and not sure what they do differently compared to other bars without a grease hole, but they just don't hold up. I don't have the same issue with the HL-250 bars running SP33G chain, which are 78DL.

I'm considering just shortening all the chains by 2 links, but half way want to stay with 80DL because that's what I can readily get in town at the local Ace and Tractor Supply. The closest saw shop is 30+ minutes from home, and over an hour from the farm where I am usually using my saws. I would much rather deal with the saw shop, but logistically its not as easy...especially if the need for chain arises on a random Saturday or Sunday.

Small mount for a 346XP.

 

[Squareground3691]

That many chains, convert to 78, 80 odd ball ,

 

[autobaun70]

That many chains, convert to 78, 80 odd ball ,

Its odd in a sense that not many bars are out there that I can find, but its on every tractor supply shelf, and both local Ace hardware stores, where as I never see 78 DL on the same shelf. I essentially want to standardize everything I have on hand, and be able to buy spares in person without planning. That may be a bit of a tall ask.

Best I can tell is the 80DL bars are what is common on the homeowner/big box saws. It just so happens that SP33G chain is what they run on them, which is a chain that performs well for my needs.

Getting 78DL loops made up at the saw shop is no issue, but zero chance of that happening on a Saturday or Sunday, where as both tractor supply and ace are open all weekend long.

 

[Squareground3691]

Its odd in a sense that not many bars are out there that I can find, but its on every tractor supply shelf, and both local Ace hardware stores, where as I never see 78 DL on the same shelf. I essentially want to standardize everything I have on hand, and be able to buy spares in person without planning. That may be a bit of a tall ask.

Best I can tell is the 80DL bars are what is common on the homeowner/big box saws. It just so happens that SP33G chain is what they run on them, which is a chain that performs well for my needs.

Getting 78DL loops made up at the saw shop is no issue, but zero chance of that happening on a Saturday or Sunday, where as both tractor supply and ace are open all weekend long.

There’s a fair bit more good quality bar options with 78DL,

 

[autobaun70]

There’s a fair bit more good quality bar options with 78DL,

For sure...I fully recognize that...but none of those, and no decent 78dl chain, is available to me when the need would arise, locally. Trying to proactively avoid getting in a bind regarding chain availability on a weekend. The likelihood of wrecking multiple bars is far lower than chains. Nearly all of my cutting is clearing fence lines, trials, etc. Dirty wood, on old farmland. Finding an old barb wire fence buried in wood is common. Probably overthinking it....just looking to see if there is anything out there I am missing. I would rather the bar be the part of the equation I have to order/have on hand in advance than chain.

 

[sean donato]

Not certain where you live, but if you're state side, just order whatever you want off the internet. Get plenty of spares when a sale happens. I keep at least 5 spare loops on hand for every size bar I have. Or if you can find a roll of chain you like, get a breaker and spinner and make up your own loops. It's not very hard to do. 80dl is an odd ball.

 

[autobaun70]

Not certain where you live, but if you're state side, just order whatever you want off the internet. Get plenty of spares when a sale happens. I keep at least 5 spare loops on hand for every size bar I have. Or if you can find a roll of chain you like, get a breaker and spinner and make up your own loops. It's not very hard to do. 80dl is an odd ball.

I think this is the route I am going to go. Currently have a huge inventory of new SP33G chains in 80 DL. I have a breaker & spinner, so will probably just cut them down by 2 links and pick up a second 78DL bar. For how I use the saw I like this chain quite a bit. Cuts fast, easy to sharpen, and does well in dirty wood. The sprocket tip on the X-Force 80DL bar is just junk. This was about the 3rd & 4'th trees of the afternoon yesterday. Blew over in the hurricane, then got submerged in muddy creek water when the creek flooded. Both entire trees are coated in grit. Chains held up fine, but the bar is shot, and may only have 3-4 days of use on it. This has been one of the handful of times I wish I had a bigger saw, but compared to what most of the neighbors are running its done fine.

I tend to just change chains in the field and then sharpen them at work in a vice. Gives me the chance to clean them in solvent to get the sap off before filing, then reoil for storage.





Are .325 tie straps fairly universal, or will I need to get ones that are chain specific?

 

[singinwoodwackr]

I think this is the route I am going to go. Currently have a huge inventory of new SP33G chains in 80 DL. I have a breaker & spinner, so will probably just cut them down by 2 links and pick up a second 78DL bar. For how I use the saw I like this chain quite a bit. Cuts fast, easy to sharpen, and does well in dirty wood. The sprocket tip on the X-Force 80DL bar is just junk. This was about the 3rd & 4'th trees of the afternoon yesterday. Blew over in the hurricane, then got submerged in muddy creek water when the creek flooded. Both entire trees are coated in grit. Chains held up fine, but the bar is shot, and may only have 3-4 days of use on it. This has been one of the handful of times I wish I had a bigger saw, but compared to what most of the neighbors are running its done fine.

I tend to just change chains in the field and then sharpen them at work in a vice. Gives me the chance to clean them in solvent to get the sap off before filing, then reoil for storage.

View attachment 1211833
View attachment 1211834
View attachment 1211831

Are .325 tie straps fairly universal, or will I need to get ones that are chain specific?

The ones I have seem to fit whatever but I don’t use much .325 anymore.
What size bar is the 78 or 80?
My 346s take 66 and 72.

 

[autobaun70]

The ones I have seem to fit whatever but I don’t use much .325 anymore.
What size bar is the 78 or 80?
My 346s take 66 and 72.

20". I like the length just to keep from having to bend over more than anything. I have several smaller saws with 16" bars on them as well, just like the weight/power combo of the 346 for general use, and have never found the 20" bar to be limiting.

 

[Chevboy0167]

 

[sean donato]

Wonder what's the difference between the bars, I checked the small mount .325 husqy bar I have on hand and it's a 78dl .050 gauge. Husqy branded (oregon) it's pretty old though. Has the hole to grease the tip too. Possibly the dealer near you got them on sale and bought a pile of them?

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

I got one of those weird 80 DL counts in on a saw once.

 

[autobaun70]

Wonder what's the difference between the bars, I checked the small mount .325 husqy bar I have on hand and it's a 78dl .050 gauge. Husqy branded (oregon) it's pretty old though. Has the hole to grease the tip too. Possibly the dealer near you got them on sale and bought a pile of them?

Best I can tell its just a cheaply made bar. Rails definitely burr out quickly.

If I recall the way I ended up with the first one was its all the dealer had in stock at the time. I was needing a spare bar, and several chains, and they had it on the showroom floor. I didn't realize until after the fact, and after I had used it, that it was different than my 78DL bar. It cut fine, so didn't think much about it, until I went to throw on a spare chain and figured out something was different. Shortly there after I ended up at a liquidation auction for another shop, and a partial case of 80DL SP33G chains came up and I got it for maybe $50. Believe it was 15 or 16 chains out of a 20 chain case. Got a bar at that sale as well. I was there for a fire cabinet for work and a putting green mower, and just happened to see that stuff come up. That was probably 6 or 7 years ago. Fast forward a few years to this storm passing through, and the first time I have needed to run a saw for hours on end in bigger wood arose. The first bar got smoked on day 2, and the 2nd is holding on for dear life. I reverted to using the 78 link bar and some old H30 chain, which is holding up fine, but the H30 doesn't cut anywhere nearly as aggressively as the SP33G does, and definitely doesn't hold sharpness as long.

 

[Franny K]

Are .325 tie straps fairly universal, or will I need to get ones that are chain specific?

chain specific or re use what you punch out. There are two splicing parts in Stihl. In Oregon for the 20 lpx bpx lgx, then the one for the current 95txl for the NK which seems not to have the same distance between rivets as the Carlton NK (woodland pro as well) and then there prior Oregon NK. I don't know if the Husky 33sp is compatible with the Oregon 95txl or not sorry. And then the 0.063 Oregon preset tie straps may be specific as well.

There are NK bars and "normal" bars in .050 .058, and .063 that are a bit thicker generally the NK ones have a 10 tooth nose vs 12 tooth nose for normal ones. The diameter of the roller circle is of course larger for the larger nose likely more rivets in the nose on average as well.

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

Try this new C33 Xcut full chisel if your like the SP33 semi.

I just ordered some to try out to compare to the 23RS old name was 23RS pro.

Timed cuts by local racer was 9% slower but that is do to 058 at top of drive links giving hair wider kerf on it's 050. Where the new stihl is true 050 at top of DL on it's 050 chain.
He also said the C33 felt like it wanted powerful saws to it's liking

C33 was on the winning ported 550xp at sawfest this year untouched out of the box. Last year newer 23RS was winner. But they said the wood hungry.

Pic is my 23RS on my echo.

 

[autobaun70]

chain specific or re use what you punch out. There are two splicing parts in Stihl. In Oregon for the 20 lpx bpx lgx, then the one for the current 95txl for the NK which seems not to have the same distance between rivets as the Carlton NK (woodland pro as well) and then there prior Oregon NK. I don't know if the Husky 33sp is compatible with the Oregon 95txl or not sorry. And then the 0.063 Oregon preset tie straps may be specific as well.

There are NK bars and "normal" bars in .050 .058, and .063 that are a bit thicker generally the NK ones have a 10 tooth nose vs 12 tooth nose for normal ones. The diameter of the roller circle is of course larger for the larger nose likely more rivets in the nose on average as well.

I hadn't thought about the possibility of reusing them. I have assembled chain before, but never shortened one, so hadn't thought about reusing the straps. I'll give that a try.

May just call the saw shop and see what they would charge to shorten all of them...they stock bulk husqvarna chain so probably have the straps on their bench. Be worth the ride up there to not fool with it given how many I have to do.

 

[Franny K]

View attachment 1211857

The top line and some others that state 78 drive links and 3/8 are likely in error as 78 as discussed in this thread post 1 is a non Stihl length for 0.325. If you take a hard nose 20 inch bar and put 91 class Oregon chain on it 72 is the drive link count. Same as full size 3/8, If you put .325 on it I use 81 drive links. 20 inch in 3/8lp varies quite a bit if you find a few choices and I doubt the 338xpt is recomended out to 20 inches. I think the 339xp is rated to 18 inches of .325nk and the new 540 only to 16 which is 64 drive links in the way they count the new mini .325.

 

[Squareground3691]

Try this new C33 Xcut full chisel if your like the SP33 semi.

I just ordered some to try out to compare to the 23RS old name was 23RS pro.

Timed cuts by local racer was 9% slower but that is do to 058 at top of drive links giving hair wider kerf on it's 050. Where the new stihl is true 050 at top of DL on it's 050 chain.
He also said the C33 felt like it wanted powerful saws to it's liking

C33 was on the winning ported 550xp at sawfest this year untouched out of the box. Last year newer 23RS was winner. But they said the wood hungry.

Pic is my 23RS on my echo.

The C33 was faster than 23RS PRO , ?