My poor MS261 was in an accident; well, so was I

[lambs]

As I write this, I am recovering from T-boning a guy Saturday in a pickup truck who didn't see me coming down the road. I hit him at about 50 mph; my Highlander is totalled, and I am quite lucky to have come through this relatively unhurt. They extracted me from the vehicle on a backboard after forcing the door open.

Problem is, I was coming home from cutting some wood and my MS261 T-boned a tool box in the back of my vehicle. The bar and chain are toast. Fortunately it stayed in the back of the vehicle, but I thought later I was sure glad I put the scabbard on it. A flying chainsaw could do some real damage in an accident. Might be a good idea to secure it with a bungee next time, although next time it might be sitting in the back of a pickup truck in a locked tool box.

I have not tried to start the saw since I am both stiff and sore and under the influence of Percocet. One of my friends picked up my things at the accident scene and brought them by today but I haven't really looked at it other than seeing the bar. I'm sleeping a lot.

I'd hate to find out the insurance adjuster only reimbursed me for a bar and chain, so I think I need to take the saw to a dealer and have it checked out, but what would you ask to have checked out? I'm thinking cracked crankcases, maybe put it through a vacuum check, see if it runs okay, leaks. I guess if I just tell them what happened, maybe they'd take it from there. Any thoughts?

Thanks, guys.

 

[rwoods]

Glad you're okay. I would think a competant saw mechanic would know what to check on your saw. All I could do is look at it and run it. Ron

 

[madrone]

Damn,,,,,That sounds like hell. Sorry about your truck, but i'm glad you're ok and here to talk about it.

I'd say your saw and everything else in the truck worth anything was damaged beyond repair and the insurance should cough up all the money to replace them (which is the money you have been paying all these years in case this ever happened.)
Even if a stihl mechanic says the saw is fine after a good check, it still could have problems next year like bad seals or a hairline fracture in the cylinder. If you signed a release to the insurance company you'll never be able to get another cent from them.

Asides from that, take care and get better quick.

 

[chopperfreak2k1]

glad you're ok brother. get that saw checked out and let us know what's what.

 

[CWME]

Glad to hear that you are ok. Good reminder to secure any loose objects while traveling. Thanks for sharing your experience.

 

[smilin possum]

Sorry to hear about this but glad you're ok you can replace all the stuff as long as your stihl here to do it. Don't know how far apart we are but if LP and me can help ya out with anything just hollar.
Joe

 

[o8f150]

i know how it feels,, glad you are ok, the truck and everything can be replaced,,, back in the winter of 95 a moron turned in front of me,, i hit him head on at 50 miles an hour,, he said he had the right away, needless to say it cost his insurance big time,, at that time i never wore a seat belt,, i remember bouncing off the steering wheel,, ever since that day i put it on first thing

 

[3000 FPS]

You could check the crank ends to make sure nothing is bent. Rest and get better.

 

[SawTroll]

Damn,,,,,That sounds like hell. Sorry about your truck, but i'm glad you're ok and here to talk about it.

I'd say your saw and everything else in the truck worth anything was damaged beyond repair and the insurance should cough up all the money to replace them (which is the money you have been paying all these years in case this ever happened.)
Even if a stihl mechanic says the saw is fine after a good check, it still could have problems next year like bad seals or a hairline fracture in the cylinder. If you signed a release to the insurance company you'll never be able to get another cent from them.

Asides from that, take care and get better quick.

And have the saw replaced with the 346xp you should have bought in the first place! :msp_wink:

Jokes aside, I wouldn't trust a saw that has been subjected to this, even if it looks OK.

 

[Chris J.]

My thinking is your saw probably came through in better condition than you might think.

I'm glad to hear you weren't seriously hurt. We have an '04 Highlander, which my wife has latched onto; I only get to drive it when we're going somewhere together or it needs servicing :msp_rolleyes:. Some photos of the saw & the Highlander would be great once you're on your feet.

 

[willysmn]

MS 261 and accident

Glad you are OK. If the bar is toast, then perhaps the bar studs are now loose or something in that area of the saw.

 

[Bounty Hunter]

Sorry to hear ya got in an accident Brother! Glad yer okay!

Saws are pretty tough...you say the bar and chain are toast, how so? did the bar nose sprocket split?

While i have never had the misfortune to be in an auto accident with saws, saws do sometimes get dropped...sometimes pretty far when from up a tree and the chicken line and lanyard's not secured. I just rebuilt a 200T that fell from 60 feet onto rock-hard ground...it hit like major-league fastball...but all it needed was a new tank assembly and top handle. The cylinder, crank, clutch, bearings, seals, intake, and the case itself were all perfectly intact.

Check it out Brother, and keep us posted...that 261 is a fine saw, and needs to be back in action, just like you!
Get well soon, and Saw Safe

 

[rob066]

Good thing your werent seriously hurt or worse. Hopefully your saw wasnt to badly damaged.

 

[promac850]

Here's what I would do with one of my saws after an incident like that...

First off, check for cracks in any areas, especially the bar mounting studs and the area immediately around that.

Second off, use a dial indicator and measure crankshaft run out. If it's less than say, .0015", you should be fine. A little more or less probably isn't gonna hurt. Anything more than .004" would prompt me to tear the saw down and check everything.

Third, if it passes the second part, I simply wouldn't worry about it.


SP and LP, you are two of the many good folk on this site. That's why I love it here... well CAD is fun, right?

 

[mowoodchopper]

Check the saw over for breaks, if you dont find any see how it runs, if it runs good ,forget about it. Its a chainsaw not a rocket ship, measuring the crank for run out is pointless, the recoil protected on side and the clutch cover the other, run the damn thing

 

[promac850]

Check the saw over for breaks, if you dont find any see how it runs, if it runs good ,forget about it. Its a chainsaw not a rocket ship, measuring the crank for run out is pointless, the recoil protected on side and the clutch cover the other, run the damn thing

(I was just trying to get the guy infected with DIAD...)

 

[jimdad07]

Glad you came out ok. Get the saw checked at your dealer to satisfy the insurance people, at least you can get the b+c replaced. Heal quickly.

 

[lambs]

Pics of the car.......

I don't have a pic of the saw here, but the bar is probably bent left 20 degrees or so, right in front of the saw. I have a metal tool box with a major dent in the front of it, possibly where the saw rammed it.

I did attempt to attach a picture of the car. Notice I hit the guy hard enough that his pickup spun around and whacked my rear end as I went by him.

Three of the doors will open, two of them have to be forced. The right rear door won't open at all, and the hatchback has to be forced as well. I guess the unibody sent the energy all the way through it.

Thanks for the ideas, guys. I sort of hope the insurance company will take the saw. Maybe it's a sign I should have bought a 362 to begin with!

I've been headachy all day and if I'm that way tomorrow, off to the doctor I go.

 

[jimdad07]

You are a lucky man, someone was looking out for you.

 

[lambs]

You are a lucky man, someone was looking out for you.

I had been bucking tops all morning for Warmth for Wake; we're probably heating 70 or so homes through the winter. Maybe someone needed me to keep cutting. This was the first time I'd started the saw since my elbow surgery on December 1st.