Chain Gauge, what's the diff?

[maestro]

Hey gang, I normally just troll and learn but today I have a question. Bought a Husky 395XP from a landscaper (yeah, I know...) and put it in some wood yesterday. Came with a 28 inch Oregon power match bar and I assumed, incorrectly, with the "matched" chain. After an hour of work on some downed wood, the chain was flopping all over the place. Figured it just needed to be tightened but the chain adjuster was already cranked to the stops. Realized it had the wrong chain on it and I packed up to head home. When I got it on my bench I discovered that the bar called for a 3/8, .058, 92 drivers and what was on there was a 3/8, .058 Stihl chain with 93 (I counted em 4 times!) drivers. Not sure how this happened. The drive sprocket is stock at 7 slots and all the documentation I can find indicates this should have a 92 drive chain. Long story short, there are no good Husky dealers in mid county St. Louis that I can find and the Stihl dealers had no interest in helping. Ended up getting someone to take a drive link out since I need to run it tomorrow. I'll order what I need from Baileys this weekend. My gauge question comes in when one of the Stihl dealers told me Stihl doesn't run .058 gauge chain on any of their saws and the Husky dealer who ended up fixing my old chain said he didn't carry it either. What is the usage difference between .050, .058 and .064? Should I change the bar/chain combo to something besides .058? I understand drive link count and there have been some great explanations in this forum on pitch but I still don't get the difference in gauge. Thanks for your time, you guys have already taught me a ton.

 

[mtngun]

Stihls used to be predominantly 0.063", now most new Stihls are 0.050".

Husky seems to like 0.058".

One is not better than the other, but ......

There are more big (36" and up) bars available in 0.063".

There are generally more 0.050" chains available than other gages -- but that may vary from place to place.

Bars are expensive, so since you already have a good 0.058" bar, might as well stick with it.

 

[Steveo_supremo]

Stihl saws don't run .058. Stihl saws run .050 or .063 You cannot buy a bar for a Stihl saw with a .058 groove (as far as I know). Stihl does, however make .058 chain specifically for guys who want to run Stihl chain on other brands of saw (Husqvarna mostly). Husqvarna saws can and do run any of the 3 guages. In other words, You can buy a bar for a Husqvarna in .050, .058, or .063 Where I live, everyone runs .058 on Huskys but I think .050 is more common in other parts of the world, it seems to be a bit of a regional thing.
As far as Your drive link count. Sometimes one manufacturer will make thier bars slightly shorter or longer than another even though it's called the same length and they specify on the bar how many drive links it takes. So the previous owner of Your saw probably walked into a Stihl dealer and said "I need a chain loop for a Husqvarna with a 28 inch bar" and walked out with that chain because 93 drive links is common for a Husky with a 28" bar.
Hope that helps.

 

[Vibes]

That chain could have been stretched a little. I can't see an extra driver maxing out the tensioner.

I would just order up the .058 chains that you need. It seems in my neck of the woods it depends on the dealer as to what guages they prefer.

 

[WVshooter]

Changing the bar gauge would also require changing the sprocket rim, not expensive, but something to remember. Try to limp through with what you have until you can order chains in.

I guess I'm just spoiled to have good dealers nearby.

 

[J.W Younger]

Changing the bar gauge would also require changing the sprocket rim, not expensive, but something to remember. Try to limp through with what you have until you can order chains in.

I guess I'm just spoiled to have good dealers nearby.

He may want a new rim when replacing the chain but they are'nt guage specific.

 

[maestro]

Thanks guys, that clears some things up. I was just thrown off because Baileys and the Oregon chain book list all 3 gauges for darn near every type of chain but none of the dealers I talked to carried the .058 and indicated that chain wasn't used. I guess the more you learn, the more you end up needing to know. I'll keep searching for a quality dealer in my part of the world. Back to trolling for me! Thanks for the help!

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

I guess the more you learn, the more you end up needing to know.

Yeah, ain't that the truth!