Lubing sprocket bearing; How often and details

[Engineeringnerd]

How often do you guys lubricate your sprocket bearings, what lube do you use, and when do you know to replace the bearing?

My manuals show lubing with oil or grease. Seems like lot of range there!

Also, any hints on getting to the bearing on a 346 gracefully would be appreciated. Ye old screwdriver and hammer seems a little crude, but maybe that's the best way without buying a $50 tool.

Any special tips on the 372 would be fine also, although it looks to be a little more straight forward.

thanks,

 

[GASoline71]

The bar oil will lubricate it... just forget about it unless you have the clutch off for some reason...

Do a quick search... seriously... there is more than enough reading on this very topic.

Gary

 

[Cedarkerf]

+1 I never grease and there is a very recent thread. here is the link.
http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=50815

 

[billyjoejr]

Two best posts from above link:

Do you non-greasers use bar oil on your clutch bearings? opcorn:

Yes. And the Stihl factory installed bearings now come DRY.. bar oil is all it takes.

 

[SWE#Kipp]

How often do you guys lubricate your sprocket bearings, what lube do you use, and when do you know to replace the bearing?

My manuals show lubing with oil or grease. Seems like lot of range there!

Also, any hints on getting to the bearing on a 346 gracefully would be appreciated. Ye old screwdriver and hammer seems a little crude, but maybe that's the best way without buying a $50 tool.

Any special tips on the 372 would be fine also, although it looks to be a little more straight forward.

thanks,

For the 346xp their is a little hole in the crank were the clutch are were you use a grease gun, very simple

 

[Engineeringnerd]

Thanks SWE. I'll take a look for the hole in the crank as you mentioned. I don't recall the manual drawing attention to that.

Sorry guys, I should have been more clear. I meant the bearing under the clutch/sprocket, not the bar sprocket. I lube the bar sprocket after every day of cutting.

 

[Lakeside53]

YOU just HAD to say that!!!!!

Sorry guys, I should have been more clear. I meant the bearing under the clutch/sprocket, not the bar sprocket. I lube the bar sprocket after every day of cutting.

And open another can of old worms:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[GASoline71]

Thanks SWE. I'll take a look for the hole in the crank as you mentioned. I don't recall the manual drawing attention to that.

Sorry guys, I should have been more clear. I meant the bearing under the clutch/sprocket, not the bar sprocket. I lube the bar sprocket after every day of cutting.

That's the sprocket I was referring to as well... the bar oil will lube it.

Gary

 

[Al Smith]

Lube on the bearing,or bushing if that be the case ,should be something with a little tackiness to it.I might point out that while the pilot bearing or bushing lasts a long while ,they should be given some attention more so than they usually get,including my own.

If these things get worn badly enough it will cause the clutch drum to run atilt often damaging the clutch,drum and perhaps in extreme conditions ruin or break a crankshaft.

 

[fuzzle]

That's the sprocket I was referring to as well... the bar oil will lube it.

Gary

Bar oil will lube everything. Please pass the bar oil so I can put some on my popcorn. opcorn:

 

[GASoline71]

Bar oil will lube everything. Please pass the bar oil so I can put some on my popcorn. opcorn:

Now yer startin' to understand...:biggrinbounce2: saws are really simple pieces of equipment. Too many people try to make it waaaayyyy to difficult to just maintain the dang things.

Gary

 

[ropensaddle]

I lubed mine after four years is that good it showed
no real wear

 

[Engineeringnerd]

Low/no maintenance sounds good to me!

My old Mac went 25 years without the clutch bearing being lubed or changed, although I probably only have a few hundred hours on it.

 

[ropensaddle]

Low/no maintenance sounds good to me!

My old Mac went 25 years without the clutch bearing being lubed or changed, although I probably only have a few hundred hours on it.

Heck needle bearings seem cheap but I had sprocket off
so figured why not give it some grease and that was after
over 2000 hrs so it is low maintenance.Had changed hubs
five times though each time wore out.

 

[PA Plumber]

My 441 was "growling" a bit at idle last Tuesday. Before cutting today, I put a little lithium high temp on the needle bearings. No growl today. I guess that's good enough.

 

[ropensaddle]

My 441 was "growling" a bit at idle last Tuesday. Before cutting today, I put a little lithium high temp on the needle bearings. No growl today. I guess that's good enough.

My 372 is supposed to growl hehehe :hmm3grin2orange: