greasing sprocket tips

Do you do it or not? I always used to grease the sprocket tip on my bars in a religous manner years ago, but now I dont and I cant tell the difference. When I was juvenile spacing I always did it, running my own saws, but the bars always got thrashed before the tip wore out (stump jumping with the back of the bar). After working for tree service companies I notice no one does it but I cant be sure of the effect because different people use the same saw. Is it truly a benefit or does the tip get enough lube from the chain oil? So the question- is it worth it or not?

Either you do it or you dont. I personally dont now, since the bar oil should be adaquate to keep it moving smoothly, and thats just fine with me. one less thing to worry about.

I do. If the manual or instructions say to lube something, there's got to be a reason. That is a good point about the bar wearing out before the tip.

I do every time if fill the bar oil tank. Can't hurt and only takes a minute to do.

I also do every time I fill up, it can't hurt any and at least it helps dispurse all the crap.

Never do or did...never had any problems.

Stihl says to do it and even sells the grease, but they took the hole away on many of their bars.

My owners manuals specify greasing the sprockets, but the new bars being put out by Stihl anyways say they no longer require greasing which I guess is why there is no longer a grease hole.

http://www.stihlusa.com/chainsaws/guidebars.html

Grease it regularly or not at all; if there is no grease and sawdust crud surrounding the little rollers, it is open to the bar lube to get in and provide lube for ther roller bearing. If the grease gets old, dust filled and hard, it can allow the bearings to go dry but still seal out the bar lube.

A couple of years ago my Stihl service rep told me that most people didn't use the grease hole right so they quit putting them in. He told me the time to grease is when finished for the day to flush out sap acids such as found in Palm tree wood. Bar oil will take care of running lube requirements.

I grease during every refuel. It cant hurt.

Never. What Frank (Crofter) said.

Way back in the twentieth century we greased the tips regularly. Now it's said it isn't necessary. I usually grease when touching up/filing the chain.

I cant see grease plugging up the tip to the point of not letting oil inside. The oil and heat involve would quickly disolve the grease.

anybody every sprayed wd-40 or carb cleaner or whatever in the hole to watch the old grease and soap dust and grunge and whatever else come flowing out? seems like that would then be the time to repack the bearings.

when i have the saw in the vise to sharpedn it i'll grease the bearing. didn't help the stock husky bars on the 372's. they would blow out on a regular. gotta love those GB's. i change everything over to GB 50 gauge. marty

Ben I agree that fresh grease will flow well. Grease that has had the lighter components sucked away by dust and packed in crud will no longer flow to the rollers and can turn into something more like Bakelite than grease.

I suppose it might harden a bit if it sat for 15 years or somehting.

Ben do you use the same grease for the clutch roller bearing? How often do you grease it?

I use a little bit of dry film, chain lube on the clutch bearing, but not very often. The bearing is only in use when the saw is idling, which I never let mine do for any length of time.