How tight is your chain?

[jayray05]

Personally I run my larger saws ( ms500i ms460magnum ms440magnum ms362 ms390 ms261 ms250 036pro 034av 3120xp 576xp cs-620p ) with the chain at least loose enough to where the whole chain isn't completely up against the bar and on smaller saws(ms201tc ms151tc ms150 ms193 ms194 cs-271t ms180 and ofc the good ole pole saw) I keep my chains tight enough so it's all against the bar but you can see 3 complete drive links when you pull down gently I'm curious as to what other people do

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

Like it to pull down to clear a couple drive link then snap back up. Easy peasy.

 

[Chainsaw Pete]

I run them tight against the bottom of the bar so that they snap back when pulled away at the mid point. That's what I read in the Stihl manual, but thru trial and error, found there can be a big variation in how tight the chain is and still meet the description. I think I am at the looser end of that range.

 

[Marley5]

I've always held the bar up and tightened chain until it just makes contact then test it by free spinning.
Must add though, I don't run anything above an 18" bar.

 

[J D]

Running the chain as loose as you do on your larger saws will cause excessive wear towards the tip of the bar

 

[jayray05]

I've always held the bar up and tightened chain until it just makes contact then test it by free spinning.
Must add though, I don't run anything above an 18" bar.

I used to do mine the same way but I figured out when you tighten it with the bar pulled up it actually over tightens the chain as you use it why idk but i had that issue

 

[Jeff Lary]

I no longer do this now with the chain as I just know without any little tricks it just comes natural for me, but when I was very young my mom bought my first saw, and I knew nothing about a saw. I was 14 I think, and we went to the closest dealer as we had to get a ride, from a neighbor we didn't have a car. Mom didn't want to ask anyone to take us any further than needed. We ended up at a Jonsered dealer about 8 miles away and she bought me a 510sp.
That dealer taught me 2 things, 1) wrap your thumb around the handle not rested upon it, and 2) when I tightened the chain, I was to be able to see 5 drivers completely below the bar when I pulled down on the chain from the bottom of the bar.