Chain Saw Question
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kevinj
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</font><font color="blue" class="small">( "quick tensioner" system, which is essentially a plastic flip out "wingnut" )</font>
I have this on my 018 Sthil. It works perfectly, but you have to be careful and have the mounting plates clean and tension correct. You must also hold the bar nose up when tightening the big wing nut. If you have the small saw with .043 gauge chain then too much tension will stretch the chain.
I have this on my 018 Sthil. It works perfectly, but you have to be careful and have the mounting plates clean and tension correct. You must also hold the bar nose up when tightening the big wing nut. If you have the small saw with .043 gauge chain then too much tension will stretch the chain.
kevinj
Veteran Member
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- BX-1860, L3940HSTC, B7500, Farmall M, Farmall 560D
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( "quick tensioner" system, which is essentially a plastic flip out "wingnut" )</font>
I have this on my 018 Sthil. It works perfectly, but you have to be careful and have the mounting plates clean and tension correct. You must also hold the bar nose up when tightening the big wing nut. If you have the small saw with .043 gauge chain then too much tension will stretch the chain.
I have this on my 018 Sthil. It works perfectly, but you have to be careful and have the mounting plates clean and tension correct. You must also hold the bar nose up when tightening the big wing nut. If you have the small saw with .043 gauge chain then too much tension will stretch the chain.
guyrj33
Silver Member
If you have the chain tensioned properly to start with and the wing nut thinghy is secure, then there is something wrong with the saw.
Try cheecking the chain tension frequently next time you use the saw, I suspect the easy adjust tesnioner is allowing the chain to loosen.
Also I would give the dealer a call.
Try cheecking the chain tension frequently next time you use the saw, I suspect the easy adjust tesnioner is allowing the chain to loosen.
Also I would give the dealer a call.
guyrj33
Silver Member
If you have the chain tensioned properly to start with and the wing nut thinghy is secure, then there is something wrong with the saw.
Try cheecking the chain tension frequently next time you use the saw, I suspect the easy adjust tesnioner is allowing the chain to loosen.
Also I would give the dealer a call.
Try cheecking the chain tension frequently next time you use the saw, I suspect the easy adjust tesnioner is allowing the chain to loosen.
Also I would give the dealer a call.
kevinj
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Jul 5, 2003
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- Location
- West MI
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- BX-1860, L3940HSTC, B7500, Farmall M, Farmall 560D
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( What I don't understand is how easily the chain is getting bent. Specifically, its the little guides on the inner part of the chain. They are not visibly bent, but they are out of alignment sufficiently to prevent me from getting my chain to move around the bar groove )</font>
Are you meaning the drive links?????????
Are you meaning the drive links?????????
kevinj
Veteran Member
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- West MI
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- BX-1860, L3940HSTC, B7500, Farmall M, Farmall 560D
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( What I don't understand is how easily the chain is getting bent. Specifically, its the little guides on the inner part of the chain. They are not visibly bent, but they are out of alignment sufficiently to prevent me from getting my chain to move around the bar groove )</font>
Are you meaning the drive links?????????
Are you meaning the drive links?????????
bugstruck
Platinum Member
Bent a chain with mine on saplings and pinched it many more times that could have ruined another chain. You seem to have the mechanics and adjustments under control so I don't think that's it. Not sure why your old chains wouldn't fit a new bar though?? Saplings will mess a chain up faster than real trees. Never bent one on anything over 3" in diameter. Easy to throw a properly tensioned chain on them to. Keep the chaps handy if your doing them. My Levis saved me once but that tought me something.
bugstruck
Platinum Member
Bent a chain with mine on saplings and pinched it many more times that could have ruined another chain. You seem to have the mechanics and adjustments under control so I don't think that's it. Not sure why your old chains wouldn't fit a new bar though?? Saplings will mess a chain up faster than real trees. Never bent one on anything over 3" in diameter. Easy to throw a properly tensioned chain on them to. Keep the chaps handy if your doing them. My Levis saved me once but that tought me something.
OP
proudestmonkey
Platinum Member
Ordered chaps last week on the advice of someone from here. Made with Kevlar. Should arrive this week.
The new chain "fits" the new bar in terms of size, but won't slide easily into the groove on the bar because the little teeth on the inside of the chain get bent.
The new chain "fits" the new bar in terms of size, but won't slide easily into the groove on the bar because the little teeth on the inside of the chain get bent.
OP
proudestmonkey
Platinum Member
Ordered chaps last week on the advice of someone from here. Made with Kevlar. Should arrive this week.
The new chain "fits" the new bar in terms of size, but won't slide easily into the groove on the bar because the little teeth on the inside of the chain get bent.
The new chain "fits" the new bar in terms of size, but won't slide easily into the groove on the bar because the little teeth on the inside of the chain get bent.
OP
proudestmonkey
Platinum Member
This is what I am starting to think. Maybe I'll bring in the saw, the bars, and the chains and let him take a look at them. He's a really good guy, so hopefully he will know what I need to do.
OP
proudestmonkey
Platinum Member
This is what I am starting to think. Maybe I'll bring in the saw, the bars, and the chains and let him take a look at them. He's a really good guy, so hopefully he will know what I need to do.
OP
proudestmonkey
Platinum Member
The tensioner is not automatic. Its manual. But, its designed to be faster. On most chain saws that I've seen (including my old one), there are two nuts that secure a face plate to the saw, which also holds the chain in place. To tension the chain, you loosen the nuts, and then tighten a screw to tighten the chain. Then you re-tighten the nuts. On this model (180 MS) there is only one "nut", not two, and instead of it being a galvanized metal nut, its a larger (two inch) circular peice of plastic, part of which flips out and then can be used to turn it. I am wondering if this is the problem, not enough torque with one nut, instead of two, and plastic to boot, to prevent the chain from moving side to side across the groove of the chain.
OP
proudestmonkey
Platinum Member
The tensioner is not automatic. Its manual. But, its designed to be faster. On most chain saws that I've seen (including my old one), there are two nuts that secure a face plate to the saw, which also holds the chain in place. To tension the chain, you loosen the nuts, and then tighten a screw to tighten the chain. Then you re-tighten the nuts. On this model (180 MS) there is only one "nut", not two, and instead of it being a galvanized metal nut, its a larger (two inch) circular peice of plastic, part of which flips out and then can be used to turn it. I am wondering if this is the problem, not enough torque with one nut, instead of two, and plastic to boot, to prevent the chain from moving side to side across the groove of the chain.
OP
proudestmonkey
Platinum Member
180 MS C
OP
proudestmonkey
Platinum Member
180 MS C
OP
proudestmonkey
Platinum Member
For what its worth, each time I get done using the chain saw, I let it cool down for a bit, take the face plate off, take the bar off, clean everything out, flip the bar around (tells you to in the manual), put the chain back on, and then make sure tension is correct and everything is secure. I did that with my old chain saw too. I think of it as both good maintenance and a safety thing. The more I know about how well the saw is operating, the more safe I will be using it.
OP
proudestmonkey
Platinum Member
For what its worth, each time I get done using the chain saw, I let it cool down for a bit, take the face plate off, take the bar off, clean everything out, flip the bar around (tells you to in the manual), put the chain back on, and then make sure tension is correct and everything is secure. I did that with my old chain saw too. I think of it as both good maintenance and a safety thing. The more I know about how well the saw is operating, the more safe I will be using it.
