Handle guard/skid plate

[thomasinvancouver]

Is anyone using a handle guard/tank protector or skid plate on their saw? I saw a bare aluminum one on eBay for my 462. I’ve seen some other 462s with skid plates. What’s the benefit of these? Are 462s fragile?

 

[Big Block]

I mostly see them on wild land fire fighting saws. I assume to protect the tank when set on embers or felling a burning tree.

 

[Maintenance supervisor]

It protects the fuel tank incase of a drop, I have one on my 088 and 066 .
Weight is not really a concern for those saws.
If you blow the chain off it can protect the corner of the tank also but thr newer saws usually have this covered.

 

[Chevboy0167]

Heck yeah they help. I put one on my old MS310. Mainly to protect the bottom of the fuel and oil tanks.

Bought an ebay project MS290 for my uncles brother a few years ago that ran but needed some love. A week after I got it in the mail, I went to grab it and found it on the floor on its side. No biggie, shop cat must have knocked it off of a 2 foot tall bench. Went to add more fuel to it and it all ran out on the floor and my boot! WTH?? Looked at the bottom and see a dime size hole in the fuel tank side. Mother ..........! Must have fell on a rock or something... I dunno. No treats for kitty that week. That was expensive used saw after replacement lower half.

Also, we had a Derecho storm here last summer. ran the MS310 for days. Was bucking a wind blown stem at friends place off of his garage. Cutting 3 ft from root ball and stem pinched bar, ripping saw down to the ground rear handle first. She dug in about 3 inches of dirt. I heard plastic creaking....... oh s**t. I figured for the worst but after lifting stem chunk with tractor, saw sprung back to normal shape with no breaks or cracks at all. The skid plate took most of the hit. Bent it just a bit out of shape but I removed it and bent it right back. Put it back on and got back cutting again. Worth it!

Just put an orange one on my new 562XP 3 weeks ago. And got one for my 55 Rancher project.