How the chain on a chainsaw should be tensioned

How to tension the chain on a chainsaw: peculiarities of correct tensioning

A chainsaw, like any other tool, needs special care. An element of a chainsaw in particular needs care, such as the chain or cutter. A chain not only needs to be sharpened, it also needs to be tensioned properly. Every chain saw owner should know how to tension the chain on his or her chainsaw.

chain, chainsaw, tensioned

Reasons for premature chain failure

The accelerated elongation of the part occurs during the running-in phase and in the last quarter of the service life. During these time intervals, the headset needs special attention and careful maintenance.

  • The cause of the rapid stretching of the saw chain can be poor quality of the material of the budget model, mismatch in the configuration of the crown and excessive wear of the drive sprocket, failure or inefficient operation of the lubrication system.
  • To a large extent, the chainsaw chain’s proper performance also depends on the condition of the bar and drive sprocket, the quality of the chain oil and performance of the lubrication system, and the timely and correct sharpening of the cutting edges.

According to professional sawyers, the durability of the harness is affected by the operator’s work style and the level of operating loads. The chains in the budget range are exposed to a higher degree of stretching, the more expensive brand-name assortments have no technical or performance-related problems.

How to determine chain pitch and size

There are three important parameters for chainsaws and electric chainsaws:

Table 1 shows the rivet spacing that will allow the owner to correctly determine the chain pitch. In addition, the instruction manual of the original chainsaw or chainsaw will always indicate the pitch, length, number of chain links.

The total length of the chain depends on the exact number of teeth on the inside. It is necessary to calculate the number of drive links, this will be the length of the chain.

Example: For a 40 cm bar you can use chains with different numbers of teeth, e.g. 57, 56 or 55. The number of teeth will depend on the model.

It is a mistake to think that you can put the same chains on all 40 cm long bars.

it is also important to know the thickness of the shank (drive link). The shank holds the chain on the bar. To understand how to measure the thickness of this part, see Table 2.

Chart 2. Shank thickness.

For non-professional chainsaws the most common chain pitch is 0.325 inches. Such chains are ideally suited for chainsaws up to 2,500 W. It is better not to choose a chain on your own, but with the help of a sales clerk or a specialist who works with chainsaw and electric saw parts.

When to retighten the chain

Based on all of the above, we can conclude that the chain on the chainsaw should be tightened every time after:

  • purchase and assembly of a new tool;
  • Chains need to be replaced;
  • sharpening outside the bar;
  • of considerable loads;
  • hard objects in the sawing area.

In general: the chain on a chainsaw needs to be tightened if you can visually see that it is sagging. It is necessary to watch for it both before and during sawing.

How the chain on a chainsaw is set and adjusted

Now let’s find out how chainsaws are tightened and how to perform this procedure correctly. The adjustment procedure is not complicated at all, and checking for looseness of tension should be done every time before operating the tool. If this is the first time you are holding the chainsaw in your hands, it is important to make the first adjustment according to the manual:

  • Initially the old mechanism is dismantled, which is stretched and can no longer be tensioned
  • The tool is laid on its side so that the bar is at the top
  • Two nut fasteners are unscrewed, and then the protective padding is removed
  • The tire is removed along with the old chain. The bar also needs to be replaced when the depth of the groove is reduced. They usually last at least 2-3 chain changes, but it all depends on the quality of the product
  • A new chain is put on the bar, but it is important to put it in the right position. The pointed bar should be on the opposite side of the bar from the tool
  • When the chain is installed on the chainsaw, you can put the bar in place, fixing it with the adjusting nuts

at this point the replacement process is complete, and the tensioning procedure still needs to be done. There are two ways to do this, which are called front and fast. The front method is the most straightforward and is carried out as follows

  • the mounting nuts for the bar are loosened, and the last part is lifted by its edge
  • the chain is tensioned to the necessary value by means of the adjusting screw
  • The nuts are used to clamp the bar in position
  • Check the tensioning by hand

Quicker method is less relevant and often used only on tools with newer chains and bars. The quick method is based on loosening the wing nut. In doing so, the screw of the tensioning mechanism is screwed to the stop in the clockwise direction. The wing nut is tightened at the end of the work, after which it is necessary to lower the handle. How the tensioning of chains on chainsaws is carried out, shown in the video material.

Gasoline chainsaw. design, settings, operation

The standard model of a chainsaw for wood cutting consists of the following basic elements:

  • ENG. Usually a 1-cylinder, 2-stroke motor with air cooling system.
  • Air filter. Requires a certain degree of cleanliness to be maintained. Otherwise the motor will malfunction, slow down and become excessively hot.
  • Starter. Represents a handle with a rope for starting the engine.
  • Gearbox. The rotation of the piston generates a torque that is transmitted via a set of gears to the cutting part of the device.
  • Clutch system. Intermediate link between reduction unit and guide bar. Keeps engine running when the chain is stopped.
  • Guide bar with chain. Fixed removable base plate on which the chain rotates with the sprockets.
  • Chain tensioning device.
  • Brake. Automatically stops chain rotation if the chain is damaged, torn or jammed.
  • Lubricator.

Motor fuel is a mix of petrol and oil. The chain saw operates according to the classic carburetor principle. the harder the gas pedal is depressed, the more gasoline and oil mixture is fed into the piston system through the carburetor and the higher the torque is transmitted to the chain drive.

Knowing the right chainsaw for your application can help you decide which is the best chain for you. These are primarily parameters such as:

  • Teeth and their correlation. The links are divided into 3 types. working or cutting, connecting and leading.
  • Profile. Chains are divided into low and high profile. In the first case, the spacing of the prongs is as short as possible, and in the second case, the prongs are as far apart as possible.
  • Thickness of shank.
  • Length.

Shortening the chain with your hands

Like any other part, a chainsaw chain will gradually wear out, and constant stress and working in different temperatures will cause it to lengthen. In this case, it cannot be tensioned properly and occasionally comes off the bar. Can it be fixed at home? Practice shows that this does not require special devices, skills or high qualifications. However, you should take care to have a vice, a file, a hammer, pliers and a punch.

Vise Flat nail file Hammer Pliers

If you have all these tools, you can safely proceed with disassembly:

  • Determine how much the length of the chain has increased;
  • Fix the chain in a vise;
  • Abrasive file or file to grind the protruding heads of rivets, while trying not to touch the sides of the links;
  • Dismantle the rivets with a punch or a crimping clamp;

Important: When disconnecting the links, be sure to count the guide tabs on the inside. There should be a match between them and the drive sprocket.

  • Remove the correct number of links and connect the chain ends. Use the old rivets to do this;
  • Break out the rivet heads with light hammer blows;
  • Remove burrs and irregularities with a file or file;

Important: Riveting and riveting the links can be done fairly quickly, but remember that they will be loose and will not last long after the repair.

Correct Way To Adjust The Chain Tension On Your Chainsaw

If the tensioning does not help

When the chain is installed correctly, there should be no slack, and when pulled back, the teeth should not come out of their slots more than 4-6 mm. After work, run it along the bar in the direction of rotation, the movement should be smooth and easy. If the tensioning correction does not help, the following may be the cause of insufficient tension:

  • Chain model (pitch, length, size) and cutting attachments of your chainsaw are not compatible;
  • Failure of the sprocket guides;
  • breakage of the tensioner or adjusting screw;
  • Lack of lubrication (you can fix this by adding oil)
  • mechanical damage to the underside of the tines and headstock grooves.

If the chain is not sufficiently tensioned, the tool must not be operated. Check that all components are compatible and if possible have the cause of the fault remedied by a service partner. Using a chain saw without proper adjustment can lead to dangerous consequences.

a quick check of chain tension is quite simply to take hold of the bar and pull it up. if chain is tensioned correctly, the tail will be sunk into the bar groove by 1/3 of its height. Excessive tensioning indicates excessive tensioning, and decreased tensioning indicates weak tensioning.

The saw should normally be able to move freely along the bar without much effort. If the cutting attachment is difficult to move, it is a sign of excessive tensioning.

When the cutting element of the chainsaw is strongly tensioned, the bar begins to heat up and wear out, increasing the load on the engine, and it quickly wears out. Do not operate the machine if the chain is loose, because the chain could jam and break while sawing, endangering the operator. The chain can come off the bar and injure your limbs. it often breaks itself and damages the bar. Also working with a loose chain element can cause one-sided wear on the guide bar, after which the saw stops making straight cuts and swings the saw away.