Replacable Sprocket Tips

[HickoryNick]

Okay, this is a stupid question I know, but still I'm curious...

Why have a bar with a replaceable sprocket tip? Is it really that easy to burn up a sproket it you don't take care of it?

I don't make a whole lot of plunge cuts and I've never had a bar outlast a sprocket.

If you do replace the sprocket tip, how can you get it's new rails to match the level of your bar rails that will typically have more wear on them.?

 

[daemon2525]

I am with you Nick. By the time I screw up the sprocket, I need a new bar.

 

[Lawn Masters]

I'm in the same boat. I wear the bar out before the sprocket is toast.

 

[sawinredneck]

Going with the stuid question theme here. Is it just me, or do the replacible tip bars seem to at least last longer? I get a lot more wear out of my ES bars, than my non replacable Husky bars. Just curios,
Andy

 

[Farley9n]

You may be on to something there! The last three bars that I had to throw away were sprocket tip. the bearing in the sprocket was history and not replaceable. They were small bars though, 16 to 18". I have only replaced one sprocket and that was on a 3/8 x 50 gage 24" bar from my 257 Husky.
Was there ever a concensus on weather or not they should be greased???

 

[HickoryNick]

You may be on to something there! The last three bars that I had to throw away were sprocket tip. the bearing in the sprocket was history and not replaceable. They were small bars though, 16 to 18". I have only replaced one sprocket and that was on a 3/8 x 50 gage 24" bar from my 257 Husky.
Was there ever a concensus on weather or not they should be greased???

I always used Oregon laminated bars on that old roper. We never greased the tip and never had a problem. Of course, we could've been just lucky. I got me a greaser when I got the new bar and I've tried to keep it greased up the best I can. Can't hurt I suppose.

 

[sawinredneck]

You may be on to something there! The last three bars that I had to throw away were sprocket tip. the bearing in the sprocket was history and not replaceable. They were small bars though, 16 to 18". I have only replaced one sprocket and that was on a 3/8 x 50 gage 24" bar from my 257 Husky.
Was there ever a concensus on weather or not they should be greased???

Do a search, even more confusing reading
Andy

 

[SawTroll]

To confuse the picture further, the sprocket itself (not the whole tip) is replacable on at least some laminated bars, like Oregon Pro-Lite........

.... If you do replace the sprocket tip, how can you get it's new rails to match the level of your bar rails that will typically have more wear on them.?

You will have to file or grind the rails on the new tip down to the wear level at the front of the solid bar body.

I am not using bars long enough that stiffness (or lack of it) is an issue, so I prefer the cheaper and lighter laminated bars.
The chain also tend to run smoother on them, as the drivers doesn't have to pass the joint between tip and body two times per rotation.

 

[carvinmark]

sprocket tip bars

I have never replaced the tip,usually the bar is spent with no tip problems.I thaught it was just a promotional thing to boost sales,but maby the bars are stronger when they have all that extra business at the tip.I have been advised by other chainsaw carvers to stay away from roller tip bars for carving as they wear out real fast(we plung cut alot).I don't use hard tip bars when I cut lumber or fire wood,it just seems like I always have bars with the replacable tips.

 

[Mr.]

LOG HARDER.

Fred

 

[klickitatsacket]

I know guys who replace tips on a bar 2 or 3 times. Here are some of the reasons. DIRT! If you are one of these guys who is cutting roots or dinging the ground a lot or just letting your saw sit in fresh dirt (construction sites) then you will find that you will burn up the bearings in the tip and in the clutch. WATER! cutting in wet brush a lot or in a creek can cause the bearings to fail. OIL! Not keeping your groove cleaned out will not allow oil to the end of the bar to penetrate into the bearings. OVER TIGHTENING! Running your chain too tight will wear your bar out sooner than the life of the tip. NOT TIGHT ENOUGH! If you your chain is not tight enough it will slap on the bar wearing it out prematurely. NOT GROOMING ! Not keeping your rails dressed will cause premature wearing of your bar. PINCHING! Letting your bar get pinched in a cut will cause most folks to use their saw as an expensive pry bar or a pull toy destroying a good bar and or clutch or even a crank seal and at it's best the crank itself. ROTATION! Not flipping your bar every day to distribute wear evenly on both sides of the bar and thus getting long life out of it. Just a few things to remember when you are trying to more out of your bars. I know some guys who will get as much as 800 hrs. from a bar.

 

[Mr.]

I have access to a bar shop and see very little bar wear.

How often do you guys dress your bars?

Fred

 

[Lakeside53]

I have access to a bar shop and see very little bar wear.

How often do you guys dress your bars?

Fred

When I'm milling, every 5-10 hours of cut time, and this is "usually" just a touch up to remove the start of grooving. Normal crosscut use - once or twice a year. If you can keep them in good condition, the chains don't get worn asymmetrically either.

 

[Lakeside53]

I know guys who replace tips on a bar 2 or 3 times. Here are some of the reasons. DIRT! If you are one of these guys who is cutting roots or dinging the ground a lot or just letting your saw sit in fresh dirt (construction sites) then you will find that you will burn up the bearings in the tip and in the clutch. WATER! cutting in wet brush a lot or in a creek can cause the bearings to fail. OIL! Not keeping your groove cleaned out will not allow oil to the end of the bar to penetrate into the bearings. OVER TIGHTENING! Running your chain too tight will wear your bar out sooner than the life of the tip. NOT TIGHT ENOUGH! If you your chain is not tight enough it will slap on the bar wearing it out prematurely. NOT GROOMING ! Not keeping your rails dressed will cause premature wearing of your bar. PINCHING! Letting your bar get pinched in a cut will cause most folks to use their saw as an expensive pry bar or a pull toy destroying a good bar and or clutch or even a crank seal and at it's best the crank itself. ROTATION! Not flipping your bar every day to distribute wear evenly on both sides of the bar and thus getting long life out of it. Just a few things to remember when you are trying to more out of your bars. I know some guys who will get as much as 800 hrs. from a bar.

great summary Dean... For most guys the bar is the most overlooked part of a saw maintenance!

 

[clearance]

I have access to a bar shop and see very little bar wear.

How often do you guys dress your bars?

Fred

I do it often, you can see the flare starting with the chain still on, when you take it off to clean the bar you can see the groove starting. I touch it up usually every 10-20 tanks or so, with a raker file. My experience is like others here, the replaceable tip bars do seem to last longer but when they are toast, get a new one, the saying is "don't saddle a dead horse".

 

[SawTroll]

...How often do you guys dress your bars? ..

I inspect the bar for grooving as a part of daily maintanance, and use the raker file as needed.

It keeps the need for dressing the bar at bay.

 

[havvey]

bars

To answer the mans original question: we found that if the tip goes it is cheaper/cost effective to replace the whole bar due to wear. this is on 16-20 standard bars. Now on real long or exspencive bars there might be a differnet matter. Also there is many showing up that are non replaceable/disposable. :yoyo: