Chain and sprocket question

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flbosco

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Confused… If I buy a 20” bar with a .050 width, why do I need to know the number of links in the chain? Can’t I just buy a 20” inch chain, in this case a .325 , width of .050 so it fits in the bar, and that’s it. Would any .325 sprocket fit or do the number of links impact number of pins needed. Thanks
 
A 20' chain on Husky can have different numbers of drive links due to the distance of the rim to the farthest blade stud,lets say.Profile of the blade is different,if you take a 026 ,the blade is much larger than a Pro Lite on a 346,so you need more links.Usually,if you install a 8 pins instead of a 7,you need uslually one more drive link.And rim are different also,if you take a Stihl.325 rim and want to install it on a Oregon sprocket,it wont fit because dia and distance between slots are different.
 
The number of drive links just has to match whatever bar you use. I believe some brands have slightly different link counts for a stated bar length. If you're using a Stihl bar, the link count is etched on the bar right by the model # and all the other specs.

The sprocket shouldn't impact how many drive links you need, unless the bar were at the far ends of the slot...
 
True bar length will wary, even if the "called" length is the same ? what Hi-Octane said. Wider tips are often compensated by a slightly shorter bar.

If you use the bar on the bar mount they are designed for, the dl number stamped on the bar will usually fit with both 7- and 8-pin sprockets (rims), but you will often (always?) need a dl more with 9-pin - like if you use .325x9 on a MS361.

There has been reports on mis-marked bars, but it is far from common.
 
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Thanks for the explanations, I now understand. I can't believe how much I have learned about chainsaws off this site in the last two months. Thanks again
 
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