Poulan Pro 330 - 16" Bar Recommendations?
- Thread starter leeave96
- Start date
Help Support Arborist Forum:
No Bill I don't think that it can be done. I have stated before that the bar mount pattern for that saw is not very common in regular 3/8's pitch.
You can go 20" no problem, and Baliys list a 18" power match that my Oregon book does not so I'm not sure about that one.
If you want to go .325 then your options are just fine.
Like I and others have said before it is a very easy mod to mount the small Husky bar to them.
So easy its not worth bothering about.
zr900
ArboristSite Guru
You can get a oregon powermatch plus bar from baileys in a KO41 mount in 3/8 pitch. I got one about a month ago. I don't have any saws that use the small husky mount and it was the same price for me to buy a new one so I went with the KO41 mount bar.
I really like the 3/8 16 setup on my 330
Mark, Baileys has them in 16" and 18". They use a powermatch bar in 325 pitch and then just put a new 3/8 tip on them.
Hope the link works
http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=ORPM+16+EP50&CAT=
I really like the 3/8 16 setup on my 330
Mark, Baileys has them in 16" and 18". They use a powermatch bar in 325 pitch and then just put a new 3/8 tip on them.
Hope the link works
http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=ORPM+16+EP50&CAT=
Last edited:
nighttrain
ArboristSite Lurker
i have a 16" Oregon bar and chain 3/8s (56 link low profile chain) on my pp330 , i got the blade and chain when i got the saw a TS i like the set up seems to work very well , 
zr900
ArboristSite Guru
Just to clarify my post was about full 3/8 not low pro 3/8
Well them folks from Bailys are just alright then! That would be the only way to get one set up that way because like I said there not sold from Oregon that way.
It still ended up a 60dl bar that way right?
zr900
ArboristSite Guru
Nope it was a 59DL, and that almost seems too long. I hope I don't run out of adjustment before the the cutters are wore down.
Oh, the dreaded McCulloch/Homelite 59dl chain! LOL
No biggie really though. I still intend to do the .325-3/8s shoot out on this thing if I ever get caught up on projects around here.
I myself cant see going down to a 16" bar on this, 18-20 should be fine and I have some smaller hot rods to run the 16" bar.
I'll bet your 330 will smoke with that 16 on it though.
zr900
ArboristSite Guru
As far as the 59DL chain I must be lucky to have 3 OPE dealers within 10 miles and about 15 within 30 miles, so getting any chain has never been an issue.
The saw is very fun to use with the 16" bar. When I ordered it I also ordered a loop of square chisel to try out. With a 16" bar it is a very nimble/powerful limbing saw.
I did however pick up a Oregon 20 Pro-Lite bar in the 41 mount in .325 pitch for $10 on e-bay so now i just need a clutch removal tool for the 330.
The saw is very fun to use with the 16" bar. When I ordered it I also ordered a loop of square chisel to try out. With a 16" bar it is a very nimble/powerful limbing saw.
I did however pick up a Oregon 20 Pro-Lite bar in the 41 mount in .325 pitch for $10 on e-bay so now i just need a clutch removal tool for the 330.
The clutch tool is #530031116.
Worth every penny and I think mine was less then $5 from the dealer.
Worth every penny and I think mine was less then $5 from the dealer.
Streblerm
Addicted to ArboristSite
RE: clutch puller
If I could've found one locally for five, I would've bought it. Paitience isn't one of my virtues, however, so I made one. Not the prettiest welds, but it works.
On a side note, I bought a new clutch spring online for my e-bay special. Apparently it was backordered so the vendor just substituted the three shoe clutch instead. The three shoe clutch requires only a standard socket to remove.
If I could've found one locally for five, I would've bought it. Paitience isn't one of my virtues, however, so I made one. Not the prettiest welds, but it works.
On a side note, I bought a new clutch spring online for my e-bay special. Apparently it was backordered so the vendor just substituted the three shoe clutch instead. The three shoe clutch requires only a standard socket to remove.
zr900
ArboristSite Guru
Is that a socket with some 1/4" bolts welded to it?
What sizes.
What sizes.
Streblerm
Addicted to ArboristSite
Yep, that is a cheap 9/16 socket with two 1/4" bolts welded to it. I cut the heads off after welding them on.
The cheap 9/16 socket OD was a little bigger than the center of the clutch, so I had to tweak the bolts just a hair with a big pair of vice grips. It works fine. A 1/2" socket is a little small, and I didn't want to sacrifice a decent socket.
I use it on my impact. I know some recommend against it, but it has always worked well for me. I pull the starter cover and hold the flywheel with my hand. A little zap breaks it loose like a charm. I give it about the same tightening it back up.
I wouldn't want to use it day in/day out, but it does the job. Besides, I'm giving my dad the e-bay special. I don't need the special tool for the replacement 3 shoe clutch. You know I had to put it on my saw. Dad will probably never wear out a sprocket anyway.
The cheap 9/16 socket OD was a little bigger than the center of the clutch, so I had to tweak the bolts just a hair with a big pair of vice grips. It works fine. A 1/2" socket is a little small, and I didn't want to sacrifice a decent socket.
I use it on my impact. I know some recommend against it, but it has always worked well for me. I pull the starter cover and hold the flywheel with my hand. A little zap breaks it loose like a charm. I give it about the same tightening it back up.
I wouldn't want to use it day in/day out, but it does the job. Besides, I'm giving my dad the e-bay special. I don't need the special tool for the replacement 3 shoe clutch. You know I had to put it on my saw. Dad will probably never wear out a sprocket anyway.
Thats too painfull to look at those welds. 
You got to put some heat to em 
I make alot of stuff too because like you say I need it now!
But the right tool at that price can make me wait if I need to as it seems I got better things to do with my time.
It's not like I dont have another saw to use in the meantime.
You got to put some heat to em I make alot of stuff too because like you say I need it now!
But the right tool at that price can make me wait if I need to as it seems I got better things to do with my time.
It's not like I dont have another saw to use in the meantime.
volks-man
Arboristsite.com Spooner
:agree2:
i've been known to use a very large diameter socket and cut away all but two protruding 'studs' with an angle grinder. same result with no bird-#### welds.
:greenchainsaw:
in all seriousness though, you gotta do what you gotta do.
I finally got my 16" bar, Oregon Power Match set-up for .050 3/8 pitch chain #72 Oregon. Bailey's sent me a 60 drive links chain, but it is to long and I am thinking if I have it cut down to 59 DL it will still be to long.
My question is - have you found 59 DL to work out OK?
I am thinking I should cut the chain down to 58 DL - what do you think?
On another note, the 330 is much more balanced with the 16" bar vs the 22" bar.
Thanks!
Bill
Farm_Boy_61
ArboristSite Member
20" Bar
I ordered a 20" pro lite bar from baileys and a new chain loop. I just received it today and put them on the saw and it seems like in 20" seasoned hickory it is around 2 seconds faster on a cut.
I ordered a 20" pro lite bar from baileys and a new chain loop. I just received it today and put them on the saw and it seems like in 20" seasoned hickory it is around 2 seconds faster on a cut.
zr900
ArboristSite Guru
59 DL works fine, but I haven't used mine enough to tell if it will stretch more than the adjuster can take up. I think 58 would work fine also.
Update: I had the 60 drive link chain cut down to 59 drive links. I was going to go with 58 drive links, but it looked like that would force the bar adjustment to push the rear of the bar into the sprocket - so 59 drive links.
We'll see how that works.
I cannot understand why Poulan would design a saw with such an odd ball bar mount - but that's what you get with a $200 saw.
Bill
We'll see how that works.
I cannot understand why Poulan would design a saw with such an odd ball bar mount - but that's what you get with a $200 saw.
Bill
Well Bill, that saw is actually the end of a design that has been around awhile and the 041 mount is a quite popular actually, but mostly in .325 pitch.
I imagine it would have been quite a expense to redesign that case just to change the bar pad.
Myself and others had stated that the bar mount on the saw was less then the best when the talk first started about these saws.
I said before if you wanted a good 3/8's bar for it the best option is to go with a small Husky mount bar and be done with it.
I'm guessing that you had Bailys change the tip on that bar to run 3/8's and evidently the tip is a different profile or something to end up with that odd drivelink count.
Last edited:
