Need bar chain advice for MS360

[nickelmore]

I searched around but really did not find a solid answere to my question.

I am redoing a ms360 and a ms260 both had 3/8 .063 20 inch bars.

My local dealer ordered me a new orgon bar but when I looked at it it is 3/8 .50 Would this a better setup than .063?

The sprocket only says 3/8 -7 will that work with the .50 chain?

This will only be used for firewood cutting.


Thanks

 

[mikefunaro]

a sprocket is just gauge dependent (3/8) but not pitch dependent (050 or 063) so you do not need to change your sprocket. You may wish to though if it is worn.

There is no significant difference, if anything it is probably cheaper nad easier to buy 050 than 063 chain but it varies a little bit by where you are.

Stihl put a lot of 063 on saws to keep them coming back to the stihl dealer i think. Like all the 325 063 stuff is hard to find so stihl keeps the original dealer in the looop

 

[Hugenpoet]

I'm no pro logger by any stretch, but I heat with wood and cut all my firewood (and some for other family members). Also do a good amount of clearing around my property so I run my saws pretty regularly. I run .050 chain on all my saws and, because being in the east all of what I cut is less than 30", run 20" bars on everything except the MS361 which gets an 18" bar. The .050 chain works great for me and is the least expensive most readily available chain.

 

[nickelmore]

Thanks

Thanks for confirming the sprocket. When i got the saw it was in pretty rough shape and the original bars are pretty much junk.

I plan on keeping the saw for a while so I was looking for the most optimal 20 inch bar/chain for the 360 and the best 15 inch for the 260.

I feel bad that the guy had to order the bar for me, but i like to shop local when i can so I guess i will go with the .50 for now.

 

[SawTroll]

The 260 surely will run better with .325 than with 3/8", but I agree that the gauge make no practical difference - just use the one that is easiest to get!

 

[procarbine2k1]

I ran 20" 3/8 50 ga on my MS360 and worked great for me. I would step down to .325 on the MS260 if you could, but seems like there are plenty of guys out there that say they do just fine with 3/8.

 

[nickelmore]

Thanks for the advice

At this point I can go in any direction, I have 3 saws that do not have any bars, (they were junk when I bought them) The 360C will be done later today depending on how the Bears are playing.

The MS360 Needs a jug so I was going to put a 20 inch bar on it when its done. I will probably keep this saw.

Ms260 Needs a jug, I was going to put a 16 inch bar on this and most likely keep it and sell my 025.

I may try to clean up one of the junk bars to see if I can bring it back to life enough to test the saws.

 

[StihlyinEly]

At this point I can go in any direction, I have 3 saws that do not have any bars, (they were junk when I bought them) The 360C will be done later today depending on how the Bears are playing.

The MS360 Needs a jug so I was going to put a 20 inch bar on it when its done. I will probably keep this saw.

Ms260 Needs a jug, I was going to put a 16 inch bar on this and most likely keep it and sell my 025.

I may try to clean up one of the junk bars to see if I can bring it back to life enough to test the saws.

The 60cc saw/20 inch bar and 50cc saw/16 inch bar are classic and utilitarian combinations. That's how I've got mine set up. I run 3/8 on all my saws except for the 011. Keeps sharpening tools simple. My stock 026 wears a 16-inch 3/8 and cuts just fine with it.

 

[mictrik]

20" ES Bar (in 11T or 13T) 3/8 50 RSC chain... You will be very happy! I also have a 16" Duromatic I never really use and a 25" ES bar but 90% of the time my 360 wears a 20" ES 11T with RSC chain.

 

[JDNicol]

This might be absolute rubbish but anyway...
Surely a 0.05" setup should cut faster than a 0.063", since the amount of wood removed (area) per tooth would be less thus maintaining higher rpm in the cut.

 

[nmurph]

This might be absolute rubbish but anyway...
Surely a 0.05" setup should cut faster than a 0.063", since the amount of wood removed (area) per tooth would be less thus maintaining higher rpm in the cut.

i think that most manufacturers of chain have the same chassis size regardless of gauge. the DL is where the difference resides.

 

[nickelmore]

Newbie clarification

20" ES Bar (in 11T or 13T) 3/8 50 RSC chain... You will be very happy! I also have a 16" Duromatic I never really use and a 25" ES bar but 90% of the time my 360 wears a 20" ES 11T with RSC chain.

You say 11T or 13T Do you mean sprocket? The sprocket I took off these saws were 3/8-7.

The intricasies of my new hobby are becomeing a little more clear every day.

Soon I will be able to sit and at least have a cup of coffee with some of you and at least understand what you are talking bout.....

 

[mictrik]

You say 11T or 13T Do you mean sprocket? The sprocket I took off these saws were 3/8-7.

The intricasies of my new hobby are becomeing a little more clear every day.

Soon I will be able to sit and at least have a cup of coffee with some of you and at least understand what you are talking bout.....

The nose of the ES bar comes in to flavors; The first one the 11T is a narrow nose that reduces the surface area of the upper quadrant of the nose (kickback zone) to reduce the likelihood of kickback. The 13T is a slightly wider nose with larger quadrant and 13 tooth nose sprocket as opposed to the 11t nose sprocket on the narrower version.

The 3/8 7 is your drive sprocket that is attached to the clutch. The 11t or 13t refers to the sprocket in the nose of the bar. The wider 13T is supposed to be better for bore/plunge cutting and I am sure it may very well be however, i seem to plunge cut very well with the 11T. Both bars are of the same Pro construction and both are yellow (as opposed to green label) bars targeted at pro use.

Part number for the 20" ES Bar with 11T is 3003-000-8822
Part number for the 20" ES Bar with 13T is 3003-000-9622

 

[nickelmore]

another day another lesson

Thanks!!!!!