Chainsaw clutch drum bearing

[stihl only]

Huskys often have a grease hole at the end of the shaft, so they are easy to grease.......

Yep they do......

Cause they couldn't figure out how to put the clutch on the right side of the clutch drum, so they drilled a hole in the crank

 

[Fish]

I have a bunch of "Fishisms".

I am thinking of putting out a desktop calender next year....

 

[husky455rancher]

bearings get grease you cant pack em with oil.

 

[retired redneck]

I use red HI temp grease on drum Bering once a month when cutting, and bar tip every other fill up have used this for 30 yrs works for me...:greenchainsaw:

 

[goatchin]

Is that right,never greased the tip on a greaseable tip.I grease mine every tankfull and have for many years,probabaly don't have to so often but I figured it would not hurt.I have never had a tip fail on me yet.

yup...but i've only been running saws since i was 13 and am a month short of 18. So theres only a couple years under my belt-learning as i go, teaching myself from expierence and what i read from here

 

[046]

here's what you really need!!!

nah... any quality lithium grease will do just fine...
will repack bearing anytime drum comes off... just don't use too much.

 

[Brad101]

I would say probably dosnt hurt to use a little grease on em when you might have the sprocket drum off for some reason. But really they get plenty of oil from the bar and chain. A good thing to do is rev the saw up a bit after using to clear the crud out and lube the bearing with the bar and chain oil. Should be good enuff.

 

[Philbert]

. . . But really they get plenty of oil from the bar and chain. A good thing to do is rev the saw up a bit after using to clear the crud out and lube the bearing with the bar and chain oil. . . .

How does bar and chain oil get to the clutch drum bearing?

Philbert

 

[Brian S]

I use grease too, just wheel bearing grease from my automotive grease gun.

I have worn out only one of these bearings, on a Poulan WT. I'm pretty sure now it was because I used to run the chain SUPER tight. I didn't know any better at the time.

The used Makita 6401 I bought from HD had a badly worn bearing when I got it, but the clutch springs were also shot and there was a missing spacer shim in between the clutch and drum. Probably all related to being an ex-rental.

 

[Brad101]

How does bar and chain oil get to the clutch drum bearing?

Philbert

These are not sealed bearings. The bar and chain are warm and so is the bar oil that comes out of the saw. The oil gets pretty light when warmed up. It easily passes between the crank/sprocket drum/bearing/clip and washer or whatever setup there might be with small openings. the oil is flung all over the place. It gets in there, believe me. Also when the saw is ran out of bar and chain oil the berring will dry up fast too due to excess heat and lack of lubricant. It basicaly works the same way the sprocket tip on the bar gets its lube from bar and chain oil, just not as direct a route.

 

[Philbert]

I have worn out only one of these bearings, on a Poulan WT. I'm pretty sure now it was because I used to run the chain SUPER tight. I didn't know any better at the time.

I only really learned about the bearings when one failed. Saw (MS 250) wasn't running right, little 'fingers' of the plastic bearing cage were sticking out near the washer. Figured something was wrong. Fortunately, it did not cause other damage.

Later, I learned at a training seminar how to service them proactively - pretty simple thing to dab it with grease when cleaning behind the drum (STIHL) or to shoot a little grease through the crankshaft hole (Husqvarna).

It easily passes between the crank/sprocket drum/bearing/clip and washer or whatever setup there might be with small openings. the oil is flung all over the place. It gets in there, believe me.

I get it with the bar sprocket nose, because the chain passes over the sprocket and the oil can drizzle in along the sides to the bearings. I might accept that it also works with the clutch bearing if the inside of the clutch drum, the clutch, etc, were covered with an oil film when I took them apart.

I'm going to stick with the dab of grease.

Philbert

 

[046]

yup... it's too easy to put a dab of grease... to prevent a load of troubles later.

I only really learned about the bearings when one failed. Saw (MS 250) wasn't running right, little 'fingers' of the plastic bearing cage were sticking out near the washer. Figured something was wrong. Fortunately, it did not cause other damage.

t

 

[Fish]

Stihl have to say it is a non-issue, I do put a dab on myself, but it is just because I am a nice guy.....

 

[Fish]

As a person that works on small equipment, I see most lube failures due
to over greasing.

 

[046]

after putting a dab of grease on clutch bearing. wipe off grease on surface of rollers, leaving only grease inside cage.

otherwise grease will be slung out, headed toward clutch shoes.

As a person that works on small equipment, I see most lube failures due
to over greasing.

 

[056kid]

the shoes will burn it up in a matter of seconds. if i have grease with in reach while looking at the bering i will grease it. i put some bel ray grease in my sp 81 today while fooling around with sprockets and rope.


as for tips, no need for grease, hot bar oil and wood gets the job done good nuff.

 

[woodyman]

Let me see if I have this right.I never have to grease or oil my drive sprocket bearing and I never have to grease my bar tip(if you have a Stihl bar you don't have to anyway).So all these years I have been very wasteful with my time and grease.Why do they put those little holes in the top of the bars and all those grease guns they sell what are they for.Is something going on here that I don't know about,I am so confused.

 

[Philbert]

Let me see if I have this right.I never have to grease or oil my drive sprocket bearing and I never have to grease my bar tip(if you have a Stihl bar you don't have to anyway).So all these years I have been very wasteful with my time and grease.Why do they put those little holes in the top of the bars and all those grease guns they sell what are they for.Is something going on here that I don't know about,I am so confused.

The tiny holes in the bar are to save weight, and the grease guns are to help wiggle your bar and chain out of a log when the kerf closes unexpectedly.

(But just in case you are serious, I grease my clutch bearing occasionally and let the bar oil take care of the bar tip sprocket bearings - do that one ALWAYS or NEVER, but don't change your mind half-way)

Philbert

 

[woodyman]

As a person that works on small equipment, I see most lube failures due
to over greasing.

Do you mean like a greaseable bearing with seals and you over grease and blow the seals out.Twice a season I pull the wheels off my cheap push mower and clean and grease them,it's just a bolt going through a plastic wheel and 15 years latter I am thinking of replacing them.