Needle bearings

Might be a 'newbie' question...but I seriously don't know the answer to it, so I had to ask. What, if anything, do you guys use to lubricate a needle bearing when you install it - talking about the bearing that rides under your clutch drum/spur sprocket. Seems like lubrication would attract dust and debris and increase wear, and every saw I have tore down has had NO signs of lubrication (greasy residue) on the bearing, but that doesn't mean squat...so, let me know!

Thanks, Josh

i use stihl bearing grease to grease the needle cage. i may not be the right way to do it. i only use about the size of a the top of a thumb tack.

i use husky bearing grease on the clutch bearing, mainly because i got several tubes of it in a lot of husky parts i bought. when i did not have that i used stihl trimmer head grease (the clear stuff) bearings need lube, if they are dry its asking for trouble.

NWCS said:

bearings need lube, if they are dry its asking for trouble.

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I agree with you! But like I said, it seems like the grease would attract dust and dirt, and form a gritty paste that would wear on things faster. How many people actually pull their saws apart to grease them, and how often?

I will pick up some kind of grease for them...something high performance and in a small quantity. I guess the interval should be every time you change your rim sprocket/spur sprocket?

i grease every sprocket/rim change. have not had any problems with the bearing getting nasty and self destricting when greased. i do alot of my cutting in sandy wood.

Mostly the clutch is spinning too fast for the majority of the "dirt" to get near the bearing.

Wood dust mabey, but this wont hurt anything.

Bar Oil

Bar oil or 10/40 will work. Good grease also okay if it is disassembled. I often clean my saws with gas on the job using a air presurized refillable cannister filled with gas. Much more economical than carb spray or other commercial sprays. After spraying in the area of the needle bearing it is always important to re-oil the bearing. An oil squirt can works perfect for this.

Four Paws said:

I agree with you! But like I said, it seems like the grease would attract dust and dirt, and form a gritty paste that would wear on things faster. How many people actually pull their saws apart to grease them, and how often?

I will pick up some kind of grease for them...something high performance and in a small quantity. I guess the interval should be every time you change your rim sprocket/spur sprocket?

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Since I'm not sure how often, I do a lot, maybe every 3-4 gallons of gas and it always seems to be dry when I do. I clean it with saw gas if in the woods, and like heavy synthetic chassis grease,(mostly because it's whats in the grease-gun in the truck) my thought there is it would have more of a stay-put quality and not mix with dust as quickly, and not get into the clutch as quickly?

It only takes a few minutes and look at what needs to be replaced if it seizes, the crank-shaft! Thats all the motivation I need.

Husky recommends that their clutch drum bearings be greased regularly, which they then say should be done at weekly intervals. They specify to use only a high quality bearing grease. On my 359, with its outboard clutch, you don't have to remove anything other than the clutch cover. The end of the crankshaft is drilled so that all you have to do is push your grease gun tip to the hole and give it alittle squirt of grease. opcorn:

Is the bearing lube hole in the crank a common thing amongst Husky saws? Heck, you could give it a squirt at the end of every day when you've got the clutch cover off for cleaning anyway. Just a little would help push out any contamination thay may have gotten in there during the day.

I use a dab of wheel bearing grease when it's disassembled. An excessive amount of grease may get flung out onto the clutch shoes & cause slipping. Wear isn't a big factor since the bearing is only spinning when the saw is idling.

Same as mbopp - just a dab of auto/truck wheel bearing grease.

Any grease will work, but it's the bar oil that lubes it. Stihl now ships saws from the factory with only the smallest lube on the clutch drum bearing - barely noticeable..

JimmyM said:

Is the bearing lube hole in the crank a common thing amongst Husky saws? ...

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I believe so, at least on the newer models, with outboard clutches.

These bearings do their task only when the saws are idling, so I don't think lubrication is very important.

My 281XP has the hole in the end of the crank for lube. Certainly not a new model, but maybe cause its a pro saw?

Dan

Lakeside53 said:

Any grease will work, but it's the bar oil that lubes it. Stihl now ships saws from the factory with only the smallest lube on the clutch drum bearing - barely noticeable..

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Say that again, Andy!!!!

If the crank shaft has a lube hole in it I inject grease in using a medical syringe, if not then I just oil with engine oil eveytime I clean the clutch housing.

Seen a lot of saws with wobbly clutch drums due to poor lubrication!

Spud