Houston ...we have a problem

[Kevin]

I went to see my Husqvarna dealer to buy a 335 and it is only available with the intenz bar,

Has anyone seen this saw with the new side tensioner on the saw?

 

[Newfie]

Hey Kevin,

I hadn't noticed it until you mentioned it, but now that... I was in the dealers yesterday and saw a saw that had the intenz bar, it was the 335xp. Didn't click until just now how odd that was. Looking at the Bailey's flyer right now and they have the "california special" (45cc on a 335) and I quote "other features include Air Injection air filtration system and Oregon Intenz Bar with side mounted chain tensioner"
I kind of thought the intenz bar was "homeowner" technology?

Newfie

 

[Kevin]

I called Baileys and they couldn`t give me the info on the chain tensioner, I have a feeling that they mean side tensioning "on the bar" .
I have another feeling that the extra 10cc is to make up for what is lost on all the epa stuff.

 

[Kevin]

I can`t believe they would make a saw and disable the chain tensioner on the saw then make you buy one specific bar in order to operate their saw.

I called my Stihl dealer and he didn`t know an MS200T was a Stihl saw.
He didn`t even know what an Arborist is.
A few minutes of flicking through pages he found it!

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Think about how the tensioner on an old-fangled saw works. There's a litle screw thingy that pushes out on the bar. They always break or wear out, and once they get loose they don't hold very well.

The intenz bar is tough and strong and pushes againt the studs, not just a little tiny baby peg, that lines up with a little hole in the bar, and it is fast and accurate to adjust, and holds much better.

Having used the intenz bar for a year now, I say it rules.

Look to see it on more saws. All they do is abandon the old adjuster parts, and add the intenz. On larger saws, it may not have the size to weight ratio that the aluminum bars do, so that might be something they need to work on.

 

[Kevin]

I can`t help but think they would be more trouble than a standard bar.
If water got in there and froze it would seize it.
I`m not saying they shouldn`t be available to those that want it but they should at least let me decide what I want on my saw.
I don`t have a choice if I want the 335.
I can`t see it being too good for business.

http://www.oregonchain.com/pdf/Bars/IntenzBarsF_B0601.pdf

 

[Mack]

Meet the new "McHusky", available at department stores everywhere!
I've only seen these bars on bottom line stuff so far, and no one seems to care much for them. They do jam up with crud, and I've seen one stripped out, (maybe they forgot to loosen the bar nuts first?).

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I've seen a number of normal bar tensioning screws striped, or the nylon box they go in.

I never did it, always the hired help or something. No, realy, it wasn't me.

I know acouple guys with these new bars that like them. I called up into the tree "Dude, like, your bar tensioner fell apart!" he laughed at me.

 

[Newfie]

Maybe this is why madsen's is listing the 335 under the consumer saws and not the pro saws anymore?
The Intenz system without a tensioner on the saw seems kind of shortsighted when it comes to compatibility with other bars. I know I wouldn't buy a new saw if it wasn't compatible with some of my other gear or another vendors bars. I don't buy the argument about the tensioner on the saw wearing out as being justification for this. Of course they wear out, so you spend a couple of bucks and replace it. Pretty easy.

Just a step closer to the trend that the rest of big business has gone to. It doesn't matter what you make, how good it is or if the customer is happy. All that matters is the bottom line so that the shareholder is happy! Excuse the rant.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

You can still buy the parts and install an old style bar, like you say it's only a few bucks. You can also buy most saws without a bar.
If you try the intenz you won't go back.
What's up with sticking a screwdriver all sideways into the little crack where you can't reach???
The one thing Sthil has going for it is the lack of that screwed up technology.
If you are going to rip on something, pick on something worth ripping on...like me!

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Hay Stihl has the see through gas tank too!

 

[Kevin]

Anyone here using the 200T ?

 

[treeclimber165]

I got one of those Intenz bars a couple years ago for my cs-3400 Echo. They had a promo with a free chain if ya bought one. It was cheaper than the standard Oregon bar and chain combo, so I tried it. I haven't used the tensioner in the bar, still use the regular one. I guess it has seen about 9 months use, considering my 18 month hiatus from climbing. It's due to be replaced soon. I'll use the regular bar next time. This feature has no value to me.

Kevin- what does using a 020T have to do with the Intenz bar from Oregon? Perhaps you fell on the wrong thread?

 

[rbtree]

I'm with you, Brian, I don't like the Intenz either. Finicky, hard to fine tune correct tension. Move it just a bit and it tightens/loosens a lot. If the bar is a tiny bit loose (which of course it shouldn't be) it will loosen right up. No big deal, I can live with it, but took the adjusters off an old saw and switched bars anyhow.

 

[treeclimber165]

Yup, if you must get the Intenz you can just get the regular tensioner and adjust tension like a normal bar. I only got it cause the combo was cheaper with the promo.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

I am surprised at the negative comments about the intenz.

It makes installing or adjusting a chain so much faster, instead of ten turns of the little screw hidden behind the bar, you have less than one turn, you never have to line up the little peg with the little hole, and the intenz is a much stronger set up. I wrecked my old adjuster a couple times, hopping out of the tree with my saw hanging off my belt, and hit the nose of the bar on the ground. I biffed the white metal the adjuster was mounted in. This set up is much stronger.

I never had any problem adjusting the bar, I can't imagine what you are doing wrong. I also never had it clog up or break, so I don't see that as a problem.

The price is right. They don't wear out and you get new adjuster mechanism each time you replace the bar.

The biggest arguement in favor of the intenz, is that the old technology is so bad. Just think about the engineeering of the little screw mounted in white metal, the little peg in the slightly larger hole in the bar, the location of the screw, it's all so ducky and hard to use, not to mention slow.

 

[Kevin]

Brian,
I`ll buy the 200T, it`s got what I want.
I just want to know how reliable that saw is?
The 335 has been stripped of the tensioning device
which is still mounted in the front of the saw where it`s hard to get at even if I had them put it back in and remove the intenz bar.
Husqvarna is slow to catch on or maybe they just can`t be bothered catering to a select few that know what they want in a saw.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

About the only differance with the 20t and 200t is the better fluid caps and the put the hight needle back on the carb.

 

[greenguy]

We have six 20t and they are all about 3 or 4 years old. run good. 200t runs good love the caps, hate the spark arrestors though. The 20's don't seem to take falls very good. droped one the other day gas tank broke. rubber bushings break alot.

 

[Kevin]

Bought the 335.
They`re putting the original tensioner guts back in the saw which suits me just fine.