Throwing chains

[GASoline71]

No disrepsct meant... but did you ever think that the way you use the saw might be the problem and not the saw, or bar and chain?

Everyone is assuming that you know what you are doing when cutting. We know nothing of your experience level or cutting style.

I have a buddy that throws chains off of damn near every saw he uses. I can't remember the last time (knock on wood) I threw a chain.

All this could depend on how you cut wood.

Also when you tighten your chain, are you lifting up on the bar to take out the "slop" as you tighten the bar nuts???

Gary

 

[SawTroll]

Also when you tighten your chain, are you lifting up on the bar to take out the "slop" as you tighten the bar nuts???

Gary

That is very important!!!!!

 

[SawTroll]

I have a buddy that throws chains off of damn near every saw he uses. I can't remember the last time (knock on wood) I threw a chain.

I remember two incidents, one while getting sloppy when brushcutting, and one when stumpcutting with a new chain, without running the chain in first........:taped:

 

[Bermie]

No disrepsct meant... but did you ever think that the way you use the saw might be the problem and not the saw, or bar and chain?

Everyone is assuming that you know what you are doing when cutting. We know nothing of your experience level or cutting style.

I have a buddy that throws chains off of damn near every saw he uses. I can't remember the last time (knock on wood) I threw a chain.

All this could depend on how you cut wood.

Also when you tighten your chain, are you lifting up on the bar to take out the "slop" as you tighten the bar nuts???

Gary

That is very important!!!!!

Absolutely!!!

If you are not lifting the nose of the bar when you tension the chain, then when you start cutting the bar WILL work its way up, the chain WILL slacken and clingclang, off comes the chain.
Next time you go to tension the chain, hold up the bar nose, tighten the tension screw, chain meets bottom of bar...tighten one side nut while still holding the bar up, pull the chain to test tension, adjust as necessary, then final tighten.

A short bar, 14" can sometimes rise up on its own as you tension the chain, the longer ones definitely don't.

Secondary to that, if you are twisting the saw when cutting, then clingclang, off comes the chain, especially if it is slack. I've had that happen twice

Are we on the right track??

 

[SawTroll]

Absolutely!!!
......
Are we on the right track??

At least you are......

 

[PES+]

I think Gypo got it right.Not related to your chain problem,but i noticed on one pic that your lower a-v rubber was"off center" in the crankcase hole,meaning probably that your handle is bent .It makes your saw vibrate more.

That is the chain catcher I believe you are looking at


Judging by the position of the tensioner I don't think you could get the chain and bar on with one dropped link.....just maybe on 325 but it looks like a no go to me

It does very much appear that perhaps the saw is being expected to cut a little bit beyond it's intended capability too often.

I have felled 24" trees with a 350 but not on a regular basis

 

[Poley4]

No disrepsct meant... but did you ever think that the way you use the saw might be the problem and not the saw, or bar and chain?

Everyone is assuming that you know what you are doing when cutting. We know nothing of your experience level or cutting style.

I have a buddy that throws chains off of damn near every saw he uses. I can't remember the last time (knock on wood) I threw a chain.

All this could depend on how you cut wood.

Also when you tighten your chain, are you lifting up on the bar to take out the "slop" as you tighten the bar nuts???

Gary

Gary,
No offense taken, legitimate questions. I've been running a chainsaw for over 30 years. When I was in high school, cutting firewood and selling it was how we made our spending money plus all the firewood be burned for our own use. So I feel like I am an experienced operator. I just have never had a saw throw one as often as this saw. Yes, I do raise the nose of the bar to while adjusting the chain. Thanks for the input.

 

[Poley4]

It does very much appear that perhaps the saw is being expected to cut a little bit beyond it's intended capability too often.

I have felled 24" trees with a 350 but not on a regular basis

I'm not gonna touch that one!

 

[GASoline71]

Gary,
No offense taken, legitimate questions. I've been running a chainsaw for over 30 years. When I was in high school, cutting firewood and selling it was how we made our spending money plus all the firewood be burned for our own use. So I feel like I am an experienced operator. I just have never had a saw throw one as often as this saw. Yes, I do raise the nose of the bar to while adjusting the chain. Thanks for the input.

No sweat... just tryin' to cover all the bases. Hope we can get the issue worked out for you.

Gary

 

[mini kahuna]

I have the same thing happen with a 3/8 low profile chain,on a cub cadet,the chain will "flare up" off the top of the bar when cutting,if you catch it just right it will flip the chain.
little 019t does it with picco too,but it doesn't run long enough to worry about!!
it seems to happen more on saws with a small radius bar noses.
I wonder if other guys with 488 have this happen,you seem to have that type of bar also.

 

[SawTroll]

After all the possibilities we have been trough here, I tend to believe that the real culprit is the 20" .325 setup, combined with lack of "running in" the chain, before submitting it to serious cutting......

...and a 20" bar is a really bad idea on a 50cc saw, anyway.....:bang: :bang:

Use a larger powerhead, and 3/8" chain if you really need a 20" bar!


Another thought, if you are putting just a small part of the bar into the wood (like using the long bar for reach while limbing), and twist the saw slightly, it will surely derail pretty often.

 

[alderman]

No problems here

I've been running 18" 325 on both my saws and haven't had a problem with either one.

 

[SawTroll]

Yet another thought - I saw that the sprocket is a rim one - does it float freely, to line up right???

 

[Poley4]

After all the possibilities we have been trough here, I tend to believe that the real culprit is the 20" .325 setup, combined with lack of "running in" the chain, before submitting it to serious cutting......

...and a 20" bar is a really bad idea on a 50cc saw, anyway.....:bang: :bang:

Use a larger powerhead, and 3/8" chain if you really need a 20" bar! QUOTE]


Troll,
I'll agree with you for the most part, especially the part about the 20" .325 setup. I would have rather the saw would have came with 16" or even an 18" bar, but that is what the saw came with. I am surprised though that the saw will pull the 20" bar as well as it does especially since 90% of what I cut is hardwood. I do have a 20" bar with 3/8" chain on my 036 Stihl which I use primarily felling and bucking larger logs.

 

[Poley4]

Yet another thought - I saw that the sprocket is a rim one - does it float freely, to line up right???

I haven't thought to check the sprocket for that, I will though.
Thanks again

 

[dtnodya]

Why not get a smaller bar and try that out?

That way you could eliminate/confirm the bar ...

 

[Poley4]

Why not get a smaller bar and try that out?

That way you could eliminate/confirm the bar ...

Yeah, I was going to try that yesterday, as I do have a new 16" Shindaiwa bar for it. I went to put it on and found out the two new chains I had for it evidently aren't .050 gauge, so it is back to the saw shop.:bang: :bang:

 

[PES+]

I finally saw the pic of the rim sprocket. The sprocket does not look right and may be the problem. I would remove it and inspect it closely

I have never seen a rim sprocket with a flared drive slot like that appears to be

 

[Edge & Engine]

If the sprocket isn't the problem, you definitely need to get a new bar to try. How long since you bought the saw? If it hasn't been long, I'd take it back to the dealer where you bought it and explain the problem, from what I've heard it had that problem since it was brand new, so they should at the very least give you a deal on a new bar.
Actually, the 488 comes "standard" with an 18" bar, but it can and does pull a 20" very nicely.

 

[SawTroll]

....
Actually, the 488 comes "standard" with an 18" bar, but it can and does pull a 20" very nicely.

User expectations will deside how long a bar it "pulls" - 15-16" should be much better, unless the longer one is just for reach (hate that expression, really, when related to bar lenght)...........:bang: :bang: