Stihl 025 bars and chains

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Buffalojim

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Hey All,
Just an average land owner that cuts maybe a half dozen times a year clearing trails and blow downs on 20 acres 60 miles from home. Pretty happy with my saw for my needs. Couple of questions. Looking for 18" bars and chains. Numbers from website is 3005 008 4717 bar and 3634 005 0068 chain. Found a few on eBay. Did notice a bar {right number} chain package but the chain number is 3689 005 0068. That chain is not listed on Stihl site for my saw. And there seems to be a lot more available with that number. Can anyone enlighten me? Other question is I'm contemplation a back up saw in case I get one stuck or mine does not start after traveling 60 miles. pretty happy with Stihl so I'm thinking maybe a 271 or 291 with 16" bar. Probably big enough for the majority of my cutting. And last, anyone have a parts diagram? Thanks so much for your time
 
Too answer your first question about your bar any stihl bar that starts with 3005 xxx xxxx will fit your chainsaw. Now for your backup saw what’s your budget, the saws you listed are homeowner saws you could always upgrade to a pro saw for a little more. The saw I would look at is the ms 261 $579.99. It’s a lot of money but will last you a life time
 
Hey All,
Just an average land owner that cuts maybe a half dozen times a year clearing trails and blow downs on 20 acres 60 miles from home. Pretty happy with my saw for my needs. Couple of questions. Looking for 18" bars and chains. Numbers from website is 3005 008 4717 bar and 3634 005 0068 chain. Found a few on eBay. Did notice a bar {right number} chain package but the chain number is 3689 005 0068. That chain is not listed on Stihl site for my saw. And there seems to be a lot more available with that number. Can anyone enlighten me? Other question is I'm contemplation a back up saw in case I get one stuck or mine does not start after traveling 60 miles. pretty happy with Stihl so I'm thinking maybe a 271 or 291 with 16" bar. Probably big enough for the majority of my cutting. And last, anyone have a parts diagram? Thanks so much for your time
Check your inbox for a Bar and Chain manual, 025 ipl and 025 service manual.
 
Too answer your first question about your bar any stihl bar that starts with 3005 xxx xxxx will fit your chainsaw. Now for your backup saw what’s your budget, the saws you listed are homeowner saws you could always upgrade to a pro saw for a little more. The saw I would look at is the ms 261 $579.99. It’s a lot of money but will last you a life time
I did consider the 261 but is it really worth the extra for my amount of use? $120-$170 extra for 4 or 5 times a year usage. It is a great saw from everything I have read but just not sure I'd get enough band for my buck with limited use. Appreciate the reply.
 
I did consider the 261 but is it really worth the extra for my amount of use? $120-$170 extra for 4 or 5 times a year usage. It is a great saw from everything I have read but just not sure I'd get enough band for my buck with limited use. Appreciate the reply.
I’d say so, that saw you could pass down too your grand children and I don’t know for sure but it probably weighs way less than the 271 and 291
 
I’m not sure of the major differences between the ms 290 and ms 291 besides the 291 being lighter but I bought a ms290 with. 20”” bar 8-9 years ago and ran the balls off of it. Then I did a muffler mod three years ago and I still run the balls off of it. When I first bought it was the biggest saw I owned so I pretty much used it for everything to heat my house for multiple years from 24” hardwood to limbing. . A pro saw is nice to have because of holding value and better construction but I don’t think the 291 will let you down for what your doing.
 
Now for your backup saw what’s your budget, the saws you listed are homeowner saws you could always upgrade to a pro saw for a little more. The saw I would look at is the ms 261 $579.99. It’s a lot of money but will last you a life time
Knowledgeable theif might end up with it to or accidents happen and you have that much less to replace it with later. I've had saws that succumbed to both destinies. 066 magnum and an 025. Guess which loss was easiar to absorb. The 066mag I think wasn't even a year of modest use.
Depends on the OPs needs,budget, and desire. Personally I prefer used saws for my needs and situation. I don't have a fort to store all my saws or security personnel. Sometimes I do stupid stuff when i am using my saw and it puts the saw in harms way and in the case of the 066mag i lost it was near total, small pile of parts salvageable.
291 is a bigger saw if needed, i don't think the 271 is far behind though in a considerably smaller package i think ( basing my opinion on the older models 270 vs 290, haven't myself handled a 271 or 291 if memory serving me right). Pro saws are worth it for the most part if you use them enough or you easily can afford them and not loose them circumstantially.
 
I think the biggest question between the 261 and the 271/291 comes down to the weight difference. For {call it $150} is it really worth it for the marginal amount of use the saw would get. No question the 261 is a well built saw with less plastic but my 025 has lots of plastic and has served me fairly well. Kinda steering towards a 291/271. 291 has a little bigger motor than the 271 but not even sure that bump is worth it. same weight for both those saws. Some good advice put out there. Thanks. Wish someone could of given me info on the 025 chain dilemma in original post. may have to call Stihl. Ugh. LOL.
 
I think the biggest question between the 261 and the 271/291 comes down to the weight difference. For {call it $150} is it really worth it for the marginal amount of use the saw would get. No question the 261 is a well built saw with less plastic but my 025 has lots of plastic and has served me fairly well. Kinda steering towards a 291/271. 291 has a little bigger motor than the 271 but not even sure that bump is worth it. same weight for both those saws. Some good advice put out there. Thanks. Wish someone could of given me info on the 025 chain dilemma in original post. may have to call Stihl. Ugh. LOL.
What exactly is your question for your chain?
 
What exactly is your question for your chain?
If the 3689 005 0068 would fit my saw. Saw it paired with my 18" bar on E bay [brand new] but was not listed as options on Stihl web site. There seems to be more of that model chain available. Thanks
 
I think the biggest question between the 261 and the 271/291 comes down to the weight difference. For {call it $150} is it really worth it for the marginal amount of use the saw would get. No question the 261 is a well built saw with less plastic but my 025 has lots of plastic and has served me fairly well. Kinda steering towards a 291/271. 291 has a little bigger motor than the 271 but not even sure that bump is worth it. same weight for both those saws. Some good advice put out there. Thanks. Wish someone could of given me info on the 025 chain dilemma in original post. may have to call Stihl. Ugh. LOL.
You got your 025 for a light weight saw. If you contemplate a need to get a fairly big tree cut up in the future go for the 291, it will do it faster and do it with less of a strain then the 025..
For the 025, Standard Stihl bar and chain across most the US take .325 pitch, 68 drive links, .063 gauge. There are other options but from the dealer, that is normally how they are equipped. Make sure these #'s match on the bar and the chain information. Bigger Stihl saws use a different bar mount and chain. You most likely will highly benifit with a new drive sprocket at the same time. Worn sprocket will not fit the new chain smoothly, cause it to stretch, rob some power etc.
 
I did think about a 16" bar for the 025. Then what do I do with the semi new 18" bar and half a dozen new/ semi new chains. Don't say eBay/Craigslist. Not a seller there. Wish they would fit a bigger saw but only the ms250
 
I did think about a 16" bar for the 025. Then what do I do with the semi new 18" bar and half a dozen new/ semi new chains. Don't say eBay/Craigslist. Not a seller there. Wish they would fit a bigger saw but only the ms250
The chains could fit a bigger saw but your screwed with the bar unless if you want to cut bigger holes in the bar which is possible I think
 
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