How much does your dealer charge to repair a chain?

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DSS

DSS

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Friend of mine brought me his 029 that he pinched in a cut. He very slightly bent two drive links, and I didn't have any .325 .050 presets, so I took it to the local Stihl dealer. Went back to get it and was told it wasn't worth fixing. This is a new RSC been sharpened maybe twice.

They said by the time I bought the parts and labour, it was over $30 plus tax, but they would be glad to sell me a new chain for $22.95 plus tax. How much do stihl presets cost anyway????

You guys that have a good dealer close by are very lucky. I'm all about buying local but I just can't support these guys. They also want almost $70 for a 16" .325 stihl bar with non replaceable nose.

Is this not a little out of line?:confused:
 
the last time I bought stihl brand presets it was like $3ea! they really hit you for those dang things. I'm about 90% sure my local stihl dealer would have said the same thing. they like to charge $80/hr shop rates though...:msp_scared:

I'd buy 2 of them for $6 and fix the chain yourself.

The $70 bar was way out of line! I just bought a new 24in rollomatic ES with replaceable tip at my dealer for $71.

My dealer will kill you for new chain and chain repair though so I got my own spinner and breaker. Just ask MoJim how much he paid when we went to the dealer during the GTG. I think he got a 24in chain and he got hit for $35!
 
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Just hammer it sorta straight and run it.

Presets come for free in the box when I buy rolls of chain. I don't know what it would cost. Its more of a pain in the butt, than anything.

Sam
 
Preset and tie straps are about $1 per set when you are only buying a few, but you get more than plenty when you buy bulk chain. Each drive link that needs to be replaced would take 2 presets, unless you could section in a new piece of chain for all the bent drive links. It would probably take about 10 minutes to fix it so the dealer just shot high because they didn't want to do it. It's easier for them to grab a chain off the shelf that was put together at a factory and make their 20-40% mark-up for running the cash register.
 
nstueve said:
the last time I bought stihl brand presets it was like $3ea! they really hit you for those dang things. I'm about 90% sure my local stihl dealer would have said the same thing. they like to charge $80/hr shop rates though...:msp_scared:

I'd buy 2 of them for $6 and fix the chain yourself.

The $70 bar was way out of line! I just bought a new 24in rollomatic ES with replaceable tip at my dealer for $71.

My dealer will kill you for new chain and chain repair though so I got my own spinner and breaker. Just ask MoJim how much he paid when we went to the dealer during the GTG. I think he got a 24in chain and he got hit for $35!
Click to expand...

I spun up a 20" loop of Stilh RSLK for MoJim at the GTG for $15ish.

Next time check eBay for Stihl presets. I've seen them $5+4 shipping for a pack of 7.
 
Our shop charges $8 to sharpen or fix or lengthen or shorten. So for example, if you wanted your chain sharpened and shortened 1 drive link, it would be $16 plus tax.

We don't charge for the presets & tie straps if we do the work.

We charge 35¢ per drive link to make a new chain, any size, so a 72DL chain would cost $25.20 plus tax.

I wish we charged more to sharpen if the chain is still on the saw. Especially the folks that bring in the electric chainsaws. They are a real PITA to remove, sharpen, and re-install.

Anyway, I suppose we should be up around $10 per chain to sharpen/shorten/lengthen as most shops around here are that price.
 
I guess my local shop is cheap $16 for a new chain up to 18"

I did hear that they quoted a guy $75 shop labor for sharpening and installation of his chain. I told him to just go buy a new chain.

I have a saw there now that I just checked on I hope there not going to be $75ing me too much on that one for fuel line filters and new carb screws. I guess I should have asked.
 
Were the OP's prices in USD or Canadian? That might make a difference.

I know it's not the same as a bent link, but I've had a few cases where the chain had been thrown and the DL's got dinged such that they would no longer run through the bar. I touch them up with a Dremel tool to smooth out the dings and they work fine.

I have been on this forum for several years now, and just saw the term "presets" for the first time. I assume it's some sort of repair link maybe? Someone 'splain that one to me please...and thanks.
 
I don't have a spinner/breaker, any chains I make I do by hand. I have carlton and oregon presets but no stihl, because stihl chain is too damn expensive here. They want $40 for 84 dl.

This is canuck dollars yes, but that's still a stupid amount of money. Our dollar is very close to yours anyway maybe even a little higher.

And I did flatten it out with a hammer best I could, its still just a bit tight in the bar slot. If it was my saw I'd run it but I don't want to give it back like that. I think I'll put a 3/8 rim on it and give him one of my b/c's till I order him a chain online. I may get some stihl presets on the bay too.
 
DSS said:
I don't have a spinner/breaker, any chains I make I do by hand. I have carlton and oregon presets but no stihl, because stihl chain is too damn expensive here. They want $40 for 84 dl.

This is canuck dollars yes, but that's still a stupid amount of money. Our dollar is very close to yours anyway maybe even a little higher.

And I did flatten it out with a hammer best I could, its still just a bit tight in the bar slot. If it was my saw I'd run it but I don't want to give it back like that. I think I'll put a 3/8 rim on it and give him one of my b/c's till I order him a chain online. I may get some stihl presets on the bay too.
Click to expand...

If the drive link is peened and won't go into the groove just use a flat raker file to remove the burr.
 
Well, if a shop takes such a task in for a set amount, and his tech spends an hour grinding burrs off of drive links, the shop owner gets cranky!!!

Learn how to do it ypourself, and you will see why!

The ties straps are not free by the way!
 
You guys can be happy! Here a 72dl 325 1.5mm chain costs 29€ ~38$! Was just at shop that's going out of buisness and they have everything -20%. So I bought quite a few spare stihl chains! I even called home about the sizes. Disturbed my son who was alone at home with his girlfriend!:msp_scared: I think I should make photos of all bars and keep them on my mobile phone for reference. That makes it easier because I was there with my wife and she called him too about different measurements in the livingroom. No more disturbing. :msp_biggrin:

7
 
If you go into a shop with a chain with several boogered up drive links, and they don't charge you a price approaching a new chain, then you need too stick with them up until the going out of business auction.
 
I do all my chain just for the convenience of it. There's one dealer and he'll do it for free every time I needed one done but the 20 miles each way in fuel and time wasn't worth it. I bought a breaker and spinner and a few loops of chain and I've been doing all of it myself for the last 2 years.
 
Fish said:
If you go into a shop with a chain with several boogered up drive links, and they don't charge you a price approaching a new chain, then you need too stick with them up until the going out of business auction.
Click to expand...

Very true. Lots of things you would do yourself do not make economic sense in a shop. Just the way it is.
 
DSS said:
This is canuck dollars yes, but that's still a stupid amount of money. Our dollar is very close to yours anyway maybe even a little higher.
Click to expand...

Indeed, its actually been higher for a bit now. I kind of like it more when it was worth less as I now LOSE money when I transfer paypal funds to my bank. I may have to start selling my saws in CAD, not USD. :p
 
I charge 10$ most repairs take 2-10 drive links of chain and 2 presets and tie straps
and 5 minutes of labor to repair. I figure for time, parts and labor this is a reasonable charge.

I tell people up front 7$ for a sharpening and 10$ to fix a kinked chain
most of the time it's better to just replace the chain for 20$.
 
I cant believe what Im missing out on ! We repair any chain for our customers for free. Maybe we should start charging a little , sound like most dealers do.
 

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