Chain Comes Loose

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Jsup

ArboristSite Member
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Got two Echo chainsaws. The customer, a professional landscaper, complains that no matter what they do, the chain loosens up after a few minutes of use right after they tighten it.

First thing is, the machines were both FILTHY. So I cleaned all the crap out of it. Thinking it could be an oiling problem. I'm going to dig into it today. Any other suggestions? I never had anyone with this problem before.
 
Likely badly worn sprockets....

But, unfortunately the chains are likely ruined as well.

Post some pics..

Attached are pictures of the two saws. YOu can see one has a different kind of clutch than the other, it's external instead of internal.
 

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Those are worn no doubt, my question is how tight are they tensioning the chain? are they over tensioning them causing them to heat the chain and stretch. Have a guy I know that even after explaining to him how and why to adjust the tension to a certain point he still believes if you can put a four foot cheater pipe on the tensioner adjuster and get it even tighter that its a good thing. Now even though it is Husky chain it has been messed up so bad when cool you can adjust it run the saw a cut or two and have to re-adjust then after another cut it is loose again and there isn't enough adjuster left to get it to tighten where it has been stretched so bad. It's to bad since it is a decent Husky 455 but the sprocket/bar and chain are all trashed and all need replaced.

Have the bar rails been trashed/changed color from heat/deformed?

Are the chains sharp/quality chain brand? I know it's the basic questions but sometimes it's the simple things that can be causing the issue. Dull chain=heat which leads to stretch then the over tensioning starts.

If you are going to be replacing those you may want to try to see if he is willing to go to rim sprocket system if they make them for those saws (you didn't say what model). I switched my sons CS-590 (kind of expensive to go to rim system) but I have just always preferred the rim systems.
 
Seems there is some good info here, so im going to ask...

Did you power wash them things or something?


Sent while firmly grasping my redline lubed RAM [emoji231]
 
How about the nose sprocket? One of those sprockets looks alright the other about where it should be replaced.

And what might that mean in a whole paragraph or so.



Is the size of the chain, as in number of drive links appropriate?

OK, By "no matter what they do" I am just quoting what they told me. Not sure what they mean by that.
 
Seems there is some good info here, so im going to ask...

Did you power wash them things or something?


Sent while firmly grasping my redline lubed RAM [emoji231]

I cleaned them up with brake cleaner, and powerwashed what was jammed in there. It works. The saws run fine, engine wise. My first thought, with all the crap that was jammed in there, was that it was an oiling issue, the oil couldn't get to the bar.

I'm doing chain saws because I service other equipment, and they are bringing them to me, and I don't want to send them somewhere else. I'm learning as I go. What I lack in intimate knowledge, I make up for in effort. (I hope).
 
Those are worn no doubt, my question is how tight are they tensioning the chain? are they over tensioning them causing them to heat the chain and stretch. Have a guy I know that even after explaining to him how and why to adjust the tension to a certain point he still believes if you can put a four foot cheater pipe on the tensioner adjuster and get it even tighter that its a good thing. Now even though it is Husky chain it has been messed up so bad when cool you can adjust it run the saw a cut or two and have to re-adjust then after another cut it is loose again and there isn't enough adjuster left to get it to tighten where it has been stretched so bad. It's to bad since it is a decent Husky 455 but the sprocket/bar and chain are all trashed and all need replaced.

I think that's what they were doing. They were pretty tight when I got them.

Have the bar rails been trashed/changed color from heat/deformed?
NO

Are the chains sharp/quality chain brand? I know it's the basic questions but sometimes it's the simple things that can be causing the issue. Dull chain=heat which leads to stretch then the over tensioning starts.

not sure of the brand/quality of the chain. It looks OK, not really dull, but not really sharp either

If you are going to be replacing those you may want to try to see if he is willing to go to rim sprocket system if they make them for those saws (you didn't say what model). I switched my sons CS-590 (kind of expensive to go to rim system) but I have just always preferred the rim systems.

What do you see as the advantage?
 
Landscaper. Cutting saplings and such is when you're most likely to throw the chain.

Explain how to clean the groove and oil port on the bar. Got to keep the chain sharp for that work.

I'm going out on a limb and guessing they buggered the drive links at some point when the chain came off. That will quickly wear the bar groove if you don't file them down. Check side to side chain play in the groove. If loose, you may be able to dress the bar down to get to some tighter groove.
 
If the sprockets are worn that bad so is the chain, I’d check the chain for wear between the links too. Plus the bar sprockets too. Time for a new drum, new bar and chains. Looks like they wore it out.

I’ll bet they never removed the clutch cover to clean the saw and the groove in the bar? Seeing wear like this says the oil isn’t getting to we’re it needs to go.

I change all my saws over to rim and drum, with the sprocket nose bar the saw chain is on wheels/rollers like a bandsaw. Adding power to the saw. It’s cheap to change a rim. It’s a big difference when we rollerize a saw.

I picked up a used husky 350 that I couldn’t turn the chain around to sharpen it. It was so bad a ratchet noise was coming from the clutch drum. It’s rollerize now.

Btw, add a tad of grease on the inside of the new rim/drum spline. I’ve seen them wear out too.
 
Keep in mind I'm going out on a limb here and guessing, ground guy saws?

Also at the time that I changed my 590 over Oregon hadn't released them yet, I don't know if they have but if they have I am sure it would be cheaper.
 
The only time I seen a bar push forward is when the c clip was missing on the bar screw adjuster?

Don’t do maintence on your equipment, pay me now or pay more later. My saws were my life.
 
If the sprockets are worn that bad so is the chain, I’d check the chain for wear between the links too. Plus the bar sprockets too. Time for a new drum, new bar and chains. Looks like they wore it out.

I’ll bet they never removed the clutch cover to clean the saw and the groove in the bar? Seeing wear like this says the oil isn’t getting to we’re it needs to go.

I change all my saws over to rim and drum, with the sprocket nose bar the saw chain is on wheels/rollers like a bandsaw. Adding power to the saw. It’s cheap to change a rim. It’s a big difference when we rollerize a saw.

I picked up a used husky 350 that I couldn’t turn the chain around to sharpen it. It was so bad a ratchet noise was coming from the clutch drum. It’s rollerize now.

Btw, add a tad of grease on the inside of the new rim/drum spline. I’ve seen them wear out too.

Yep. I think you're right, that they never cleaned it, and oil wasn't flowing like it should have. I think you're 100% right. Every piece of equipment that leaves the shop is cleaned. De-greaser, powerwashed, and "detailed". Clean machines tend to run cooler, run longer, and you can see if something is leaking, or not right.

I think that's the right remedy, I'll see if he wants to spend the money. If not, what should I offer for the two saws?
 
The only time I seen a bar push forward is when the c clip was missing on the bar screw adjuster?

Don’t do maintenance on your equipment, pay me now or pay more later. My saws were my life.

As a friend of mine says, there's a high cost of being cheap. As my dad says...there's never time to do it right, always time to do it over.

I'll do maintenance all day long over repairs.
 
I build multimillion dollar machines my co worker said to the boss do you want quantity or quality? He’s lucky we had a union.
 
Bill, quantity wins over qualty these days. Maybe the union IS some good these days.
JSUP, I think you knew the answer to this when you posted, just wanted a wingman.
I'm with you.
Help is just cutting whatever and however. They just get a check on Friday. If they blew out the oil grooves in the bar rails like they should after cutting shrubs and stumps, they PROBABLY wouldnt be coming to see you. If somebody took the repair cost for their disregard out or their checks every week, I bet they would be more careful, and you would be less busy.
 
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