Need Help! 346XP NE, chain locked up

[clayman]

I recently had two 60' plus pines blow down and I was over cutting them up. I stopped to refuel and add bar oil, and when I restarted the chain would not move. I didn't think the brake was on (but I am an old guy and I am starting to forget stuff). I took the bar off and cleaned up the crap inside the bar clutch cover, greased the clutch, and the bar sprocket (which needed it) and saw that everything seemed to be turning free.

I put the bar, chain, and cover back on and I was trying to adjust the chain tension and found the chain still would not move. So I was going to take the clutch cover back off, and it would not come off; seemed to be hung up, but I did get it off.

The problem seems to be the brake is on. I didn't know how the brake worked, but now I see there is a brake band that goes around the clutch, and that brake band is part of the clutch cover. I can't get the cover back on as the band is in the engaged state. I took off the cover that conceals the brake band to find this out, and it all seems to be OK, but I need to get the brake disengaged to put it back together. so how can I do that?

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

I learned a quick redneck way for no cost. Take your clutch and clutch drum off. Put bar cover on without those items on and reset chain brake.

Can make a socket to fit in cover to reset if you dont want to do the above easier way IMO.

 

[z71mike]

One of the downfalls of the outboard clutch. Seen it happen on a 562. Not sure what was done to fix it.

 

[DexterDay]

If you have an extra scrench, you can cut and going the "fingers" on the small end to fit and unlock the brake.

 

[clayman]

Thanks for the advice Jeremiah, but I thought of an easier way. I could not have done this if I had not taken it apart and seen how it worked. I remembered that the gear from the chain brake bar fit pretty well into the cover even though the brake band would not slip over the clutch. So I put the cover on and held it down tight, holding the brake bar down while I did this. when I thought the brake gears were mated pretty good I pulled the brake up and disengaged the brake. This let the chain move, but not good. Giving the brake band another look I saw it was seated down good. I likely did this forcing the cover to come off. I popped it back into it's seat, and all was well. : )