How to untangle a chainsaw chain
When removing an old chain or putting a new chain on the guide bar of the chainsaw, it can become tangled. It can also happen with careless transportation. When the chain is tangled, it folds into rings.
Due to the lack of flexibility in the transverse direction, it is very difficult to untangle it with bare hands, because when you try to untangle a ring, a new ring is formed in another place.
It is necessary to put the chainsaw chain on a horizontal surface and spin the rings in different directions, while pulling the blade in such a direction that the diameter of the rings increases. Sooner or later, the chain will unravel into its natural position.
There is another way. you can rivet an equal link of the chain and straighten it, then connect it into a ring and rivet the riveted links back.
Trouble with a leading star
Sometimes chain slack is due to drive sprocket problems. The most common situation is when it is poorly secured. Step-by-step algorithm to Twist the asterisk:
- Remove the engine cover.
- Remove the air filter and Unscrew the candle, put in its place a special stopper to fix the piston in an immovable position.
- Use the angle grinder wrench to rotate the clutch disc clockwise to the highest position. Check the tightness of the sprocket, adjust its position. Figure 3. the driving star on the chainsaw
After tightening, reassemble the chainsaw, be sure to put on the protective cover. When assembling, check that the chain fits snugly on the bar.
How to install a bar with a chain on a chainsaw?
Often, problems in the operation of a chainsaw arise when the tire is incorrectly installed. This can be recognized by the characteristic rattling, vibration and low performance of the saw during operation. The tire is attached to the body between the outer plate, fixing is carried out with a special bolt.
Popularly referred to as the “engine assembly”, this part consists of a drive sprocket and locking bolts. It is not difficult to install the tire together with the saw. you need to remove all the protective covers, Unscrew the fixing bolts a third of the length and put the headset. Then tighten all the nuts tightly, turn the tensioner with a special lever.
Chain direction and which side to wear
A chainsaw chain, if you look closely, has saw teeth pointing to one side. Therefore, it is very easy to determine the correct direction of the saw teeth on the guide bar: if you place the chainsaw in the plane in which it is in operation, then a row of teeth are located on top of the guide bar, sharp edges should be directed to the end of the bar. While the row of teeth, which is located on the bottom of the chainsaw, with sharp edges should point in the opposite direction, towards the drive sprocket.
It will NOT work to put the chain with its teeth inward to the groove in the guide bar, it simply will not stick to the bar. Therefore, you need to put the chainsaw chain on the bar so that the guide ears of the saw blade links are oriented inside the guide bar.
Fitting the tire on Stihl and Husqvarna
Chainsaw models from the manufacturer Stihl may differ during the assembly process. Step by step guide:
- Open the wing nut, remove the chain sprocket cover. Return it on the tire all the way to the right.
- Place the chain on the bar, starting from the top, the cutting tooth on the top side must point straight ahead.
- Attach the assembled tire to the chainsaw, pull the structure over the sprocket. Slide the guide onto the shoulder bolt. Close the cover, hit the pins in the holes provided by the manufacturer.
- Turn wing nut until sprocket cover is in contact with motor housing.
- Clamp bolt back forward, drive links Must fit into bar grooves. Tightens the wing nut completely.
At the end of work, check the tension, if the headset does not move well, adjust the tension with a nut. Engage the chain brake before starting.
The Husqvarna saw chain installation algorithm is almost identical. The main difference is that in most models, the tension and adjustment of the position of the headset to the body is controlled not by one, but by two wing nuts. A separate adjustment lever is rarely found on the protective housing of the outer sprocket, therefore the tension should be adjusted only with bolts.
Important! Before using the chainsaw, you should carefully read the owner’s manual. It describes in detail all the stages of setting up and assembling the instrument.
Tensioners
The classic budget-class chainsaw chain tensioner is usually a threaded bolt with an adjusting component, standard or side-mounted. The chain tension is adjusted with the included wrench or screwdriver.
expensive models are equipped with easy-to-use devices that allow you to tension the chain with one movement of the lever or turn of the adjusting disc.
In the first case, the degree of tension is fixed with a locknut, in the second, the tire and the chain tensioner are locked in a given position by installing the cover. In both versions, reliable fixation of the chain in a given position is guaranteed, the possibility of compensating for its extension with minimal loss of working time.
Advantages of making a chain set
The chain and bar are included in the list of interchangeable equipment, so the sawfly, depending on the peculiarities of the work, can use several sets of different lengths and productivity. Average service life of wear-resistant branded tires allows the service life of three saw chains.
The cutting edges of the saw chain links need to be sharpened periodically. The indisputable advantages of using a set of several chains are uniform wear of the drive sprocket and good compatibility with the chains included in the optional set.
How to correctly put the chain on the chainsaw direction. Installing the chain on a chainsaw, how to properly tension and check the tension. Chain tension
The chain of the chainsaw together with the guide bar during operation experience the greatest stress, unlike other parts of the chainsaw. Over time, it lengthens in size due to boring gaps in the connecting links. This process occurs completely with all types of chains, therefore, when using a chainsaw, it is necessary to periodically monitor the correct tension of the chain and its wear.
Here are the chain states that depend:
- The length of her life;
- Safety of felling or timber breaking;
- ICE resource.
If the chain is overtightened, the efficiency of the sawing work decreases, and the motor and transmission are subjected to increased loads. The guide bar heats up a lot due to increased friction, the operating mode of the chainsaw goes into excessive consumption of the fuel mixture.
Tensioner device and principle of operation
The chain tension is adjusted by simply moving the bar:
- From the leading sprocket (from the chainsaw) to strengthen the tension;
- To the drive sprocket (to the chainsaw) to loosen the tension.
The tire is moved using a simple gear mechanism, which transfers the force from the adjusting screw to the tire.
There is a spike on the adjusting shaft, which must necessarily fall into the hole on the tire when it is installed. This engagement is what causes the tire to move when adjusting.
The screw is located under the hole in the cover that covers the drive sprocket, on the side or front, depending on the model of the chainsaw.
The screw in most models has a slot for a flathead screwdriver. Rotating it clockwise or counterclockwise moves the tire slowly, millimeters per revolution. This makes it possible to simply and accurately achieve the desired tension.
The tensioner mechanism is simple, therefore reliable enough. It fails for the only reason. if the teeth of the drive gears are made of soft or brittle metal. Some unscrupulous manufacturers use parts made with powder metallurgy. The teeth on such gears quickly “lick”.
In such cases, you have to change the entire node. You can tension the chain by hand or with a vise. The tire is neatly, without pressure on the grooves, is fixed in a vice, the chainsaw is pulled from the vice to achieve the desired chain tension. This is a temporary measure. The chain has to be tightened often, and without an adjusting mechanism it is inconvenient to do this.
The adjustment is carried out with the bar and chain fully installed in place, with the loosened heavy fastening nuts, of which, depending on the model, there may be one or two.
If pulling doesn’t work
With the correct installation of the chain, there should be no sagging; when pulled, the teeth come out of the grooves no more than 4-6 mm. After work, it will scroll along the tire in the direction of rotation, the stroke should be smooth and easy. If the tension correction does not help, the cause of the under tension may be due to the following factors:
- Incompatibility between the chain model (pitch of teeth, length, size) and the saw headset of your chainsaw model;
- Failure of guide sprockets;
- Breakage of the tensioner, adjusting screw;
- Lack of lubrication (the problem is solved by the additional introduction of oil);
- Mechanical damage to the bottom of the teeth, grooves in the headset.
Figure 4. Excessive stretching
If you cannot achieve sufficient chain tension, the tool must never be used. You should check the compatibility of all components, if possible, contact the service center to fix the breakdown. Using a chainsaw without a quality setting can lead to dangerous consequences.
Saw chain replacement and adjustment sequence
It is not technically difficult to change the chain of a household and professional chainsaw on your own. The key to the successful implementation of the adjustment work will be strict adherence to the recommendations of the attached instructions.
Due to the thermal expansion of the metal, the chain is installed on the chainsaw and the subsequent adjustment is made only on a cold tire.
- In the classic solution, the technology provides for the inclusion of a blocking from accidental engine start, unscrewing of threaded fasteners, dismantling of the tire and cleaning the guide groove from sawdust.
- Next, you should make sure that the dimensions of the shanks are aligned with the width of the groove, determine which side of the chain is placed on the chainsaw, fasten the tire and adjust the chain in the sequence indicated by the instructions.
- Before putting the chain on the chainsaw, you should make sure that the direction of the chain on the chainsaw meets the stated requirements, and the chain tensioning mechanism has sufficient free play.
After adjusting the new chain, it is recommended to run the saw at medium speed for 2-3 minutes, then check the chain tension again. This moment can be combined with visual inspection of the lubrication system.
How to tension the chain on a chainsaw: installation and correct operation
Regardless of the class and purpose of the chainsaw, the cutting device includes a guide bar and a saw chain with a tensioner. The instructions contain information on how to properly tension the chain on the chainsaw in order to exclude additional loads on the engine and accelerated wear of the headset.
This element of the intent mechanism is used in conditions of high variable loads, therefore, it requires constant monitoring during operation. A characteristic feature of the used saw chains is the increase in size due to the formation of gaps in the joints of the links.
Why chain tension is necessary?
The chain performs two functions at once. it directly cuts the wood and fixes the tire, preventing its arbitrary movement. The correct position and tension of the chainsaw chain allows you to fully operate the tool, avoid dangerous injuries during operation. If the saw head is installed incorrectly, it will easily fall off during sawing, injuring the operator. Even with a slight weakening, it gradually breaks the tire groove, which leads to the failure of the teeth of the driven sprocket.
In this case, excessive stress leads to an increase in the load on the rotor, a reduction in the saw’s service life. Therefore, it is important to regularly check the tension, if necessary, tighten the special mechanism on the tool body.
Important! Sagging can occur due to wear on parts. Usually this is the wear of the sprocket teeth, breakage of the outer edge of the tire groove.
Correct chain adjustment
Chainsaw performance depends to a large extent on correct chain adjustment and tension. If the chain is of normal length, then this process will NOT take much time and effort.
Important: during operation, the metal heats up and expands, which leads to an elongation of the chain. Check the tension periodically and adjust it.
The tightening process looks quite simple and takes a few minutes:
- Loosen the nuts on the overhead guard;
- The adjusting screw is the correct tension;
Important: Correctly tensioned chain easily moves along the tire with a slight effort of the hand, without making any extraneous sounds and without stopping. At the same time, with the correct tension, the links should NOT sag.
- Tighten the nuts and check the tension, correct if necessary;
Chainsaw chain tensioning algorithm
- Place the chainsaw in a comfortable position on a table or workbench.
- Let go of the tire tightening, but not too much so that it does not dangle. On the contrary, if the release is insufficient, the tire remains clamped, and this can lead to the breakdown of the adjusting screw or mechanism.
- The lower chain slack is clearly visible. Turning the adjusting screw (or wheel in keyless systems) tightens the slack.
- The tension force is checked. The correctness is determined manually. Approximately in the middle of the tire, use your fingers to PULL back the chain with a little effort. It should protrude 3-5 mm from the groove. Chain guide segments that slide inside the bar groove during operation must under no circumstances protrude completely. Their lower part must remain in the guide groove.
- The nut or wing fastening is tightened.
- The ease of movement of the chain along the groove is checked. She should walk both forward and backward. If with a little effort, this is acceptable. In operation, the tension will quickly loosen.
- If the chain does NOT move by hand, repeat the operation. The fastening nut is released and the tension is loosened.
An illustrative example of how the chain tension occurs on a chainsaw is presented in the following:
Circuits are classified according to the following parameters:
- Step. By this term it is customary to mean the distance (measured in inches) between the first and third rivets, divided in half. In fact, all existing saw chains are divided into five groups: ¼ “, 0.325”, 3/8 “, 0.404” and ¾ “. When choosing, you should take into account: the larger the pitch, the greater the performance, but at the same time, the load on the engine increases significantly;
- Drive link shank thickness. This refers to the depth of the tire’s groove, along which it moves during the sawing process. The deeper the fit, the less likely the chain will fly off the tire.