Sthil 025 bar, chain and sprocket question

[Starcraft]

Hey everyone,
New to this site and somewhat new to chainsaws. I have read a few threads and the site looks to be full of helpful people with honest information. So, I was hoping you guys/gals could help me out. I have a few questions about a sthil 025 my father gave me. I am trying to figure out what bar, chain and sprocket it needs. The saw seems to run well but needs some parts replaced. Not sure if this saw is supposed to run a certain bar and chain but from what I can tell it has a 16" oregon bar that has .050 stamped on the end of it. The chain is also oregon and has 62 drive links and i believe it is .325? I am thinking of replacing the bar and chain but am having trouble finding them. I don't know if I am looking in the wrong places, if this is some weird combination, or if this should be running something different? Maybe an 18" bar and chain? I also noticed the sprocket has deep grooves in all of the teeth and the chip deflector on the inside of the side plate is worn thru and should be replaced. I'm not sure about which sprocket I need or how to tell. Also, if there is anything else I should look at maintenance wise with this saw as it hasn't been used in quite some time. I'm trying to get the saw in good working order before I take it out and start cutting. Any information and recommendations about the parts and where to look for them is greatly appreciated! This saw is going to mainly be used for cutting fire wood, taking down some dead standing trees and just general clean up on some property I have. The trees on the property are mostly poplar with some oak mixed in if that helps for bar and chain recommendations. Thanks for the help!

 

[Woodslasher]

According to Oregon, you need sprocket kit 100961X, bar number 163PXBA074, and chain number 22LPX062G. I run an 18 inch bar on my MS250, but if you’ll be cutting hardwoods a 16 will probably be better. Maintenance wise, if the saw runs fine I don’t think you need to do anything. Usually, if a saw sits for a long time with fuel in it the fuel line and carb diaphragms will need to be replaced, but not always.

 

[Pioneer]

Starcraft, if you want to stick to 50 gauge chain go with the 16 inch Oregon bar number 160pxlba074. You will have more chain choices with the 50 gauge, including the new Stihl 23 RS pro full chisel narrow kerf. I'm using this combination myself and it works great. The stock setup uses .325 pitch in the 63 gauge chain which is a goofy gauge/pitch combo that Stihl likes to use.

You can go with either a rim sprocket or a spur sprocket. The rim sprocket has a bit higher initial cost but the rim inserts are much cheaper to replace. It also allows you to easily change to a different pitch chain in the future.

 

[HarleyT]

The 025 has a different bar than the other Stihl saws that normally run the .325 chain. The rear section of the bar is open, and the slot is a different width.

 

[HarleyT]

Whereas the other "larger" bars have a bar with a tail like this.

 

[HarleyT]

And the drive link count is different between these bars. The open tail style has 62 and 68 drive links for the 16" and 18" bars.

 

[HarleyT]

The closed tail variety has 67 and 74 drive links on their 16" and 18" bars.

 

[Starcraft]

Thanks everyone for the replies and info! I think I will be going with 16" oregon bar that Pioneer mentioned and try to find an oregon chain for it. Is there a big difference with the .050 vs. the .063? Is one better/faster? And if I get a narrow kerf chain, do I need a different bar? Also, does anybody have a good place to look for a new side plate and oil and gas caps for it? Thanks again for all the help!

 

[HarleyT]

Thanks everyone for the replies and info! I think I will be going with 16" oregon bar that Pioneer mentioned and try to find an oregon chain for it. Is there a big difference with the .050 vs. the .063? Is one better/faster? And if I get a narrow kerf chain, do I need a different bar? Also, does anybody have a good place to look for a new side plate and oil and gas caps for it? Thanks again for all the help!

I would suggest getting the Stihl size .063, as no one would stock the .050 in that drive link count.

 

[Huskitoter]

.063 vs .050 only matters to the extent that the chain must match the bar. You need 20lpx for a standard .050 bar. 22lpx is for .063 bar. It's possible you have a NK bar, in which case you want txl chain to match. You can look for the NK symbol on the bar or measure the bar width to be sure.

Having a second bar is a good idea, but there is no reason to not use your present bar unless it's toasted. Search for dressing the bar for regular maintenance. After running your bar for a while, you will find out if you might prefer a longer or shorter one. You will also find that keeping the chain sharp is more important than what bar and chain you use.

Here's a link to look up Oregon's part numbers.

https://www.oregonproducts.com/en/part-finder

 

[Franny K]

You need 20lpx for a standard .050 bar. 22lpx is for .063 bar. It's possible you have a NK bar, in which case you want txl chain to match. You can look for the NK symbol on the bar or measure the bar width to be sure.

The folks here most likely would want LGX the pro choice with larger depth gauges and no bumper drive links.

Stihl and brand x use differing drive link count for same called length. A universal mount NK bar might use generic loop length.