How much does your dealer charge to repair a chain?

[galde]

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. EDIT: A bent chain usually goes with a bent bar. That needs to be looked into.

Is this not a little out of line?

Straightening bent drive links, respinning loose rivets, or replacing broken teeth is part of my normal routine in sharpening chains. If I had your chain in for sharpening, I would do whatever needed to make it safe and productive.

 

[Patrick62]

My 2 cents worth

The dealer has to maintain the safety of the chain. That means replacing damaged components. Might be a touch high for replacing a few drivers... However, 70 clams for a bar?? Baileys!

As for the boogered up chain I would simply stick it back on the saw and whirr it up a couple of times. Burrs don't last long at 9000 rpm. I toss a chain a few times a year and have only had to file a few drivers flat and run it again.

 

[discounthunter]

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.

you probably have a ton more repeat customers too!

 

[Philbert]

My local dealer was charging about $3 to shorten a chain last time I asked. He might charge more to lengthen a chain or to replace damaged links. A good deal if the chain is fairly new, or if it is an expensive one. Probably would have to add $7 to $8 if I asked him to grind any new links down to match the others and sharpen the chain (16" loop).

I have since bought one of the Bailey's spinner/breaker combos primarily to salvage chains, more than to make loops from bulk reels.

The cost of pre-made loops are often pretty close to the bulk price, depending upon the chain. Happy to pay a few $ more for a factory spun one. But every chain I 'save' is worth $15 to $30: pays for the spinner/breaker pretty quickly. I was also able to re-size a bunch of chains that were bought for a 62 DL 16" STIHL bar to fit a 67 DL 16" STIHL bar!

Bailey's sells pre-sets and tie straps that fit Oregon/Carlton/Woodsman Pro chain for under a buck a set - it's the shipping that will kill you unless you are just adding it to a larger order. I have ordered bags of 10 STIHL pre-sets & ties straps from my dealer for slightly more.

If anybody has 'excess' STIHL pre-sets hanging around from buying reels of chain, please PM me - I would love to talk to you!

Philbert

 

[TommySaw]

We charge somewhere around 50 cents/dl and $5 per repair. So if you have more than one bad section it's a separate repair. We don't like giving out chains with multiple tie's, so the pricing encourages replacement on really messed up chains.

 

[eiklj]

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.

A chain requires one preset and one tie strap to join 2 links. The preset is simply a tie strap with 2 pins pre-riveted so when you join them, you simply spin or rivet the other half of the pin. Bulk chain generally comes with a bag of X many of each to make loops.

 

[DSS]

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!

Yes, I know how to do it myself, I believe I mentioned that. I didn't have any presets to suit this chain. There are no burrs on the drive links, one of them is bent badly, another one less so.

And I never said anything was free, I would have been quite happy to give them 10$ to fix an almost new chain, 30$ not so much. This is the same dealer who told me that nobody was making semi chisel chain anymore, so I guess I should have known better.

 

[stihlavarna]

We charge somewhere around 50 cents/dl and $5 per repair. So if you have more than one bad section it's a separate repair. We don't like giving out chains with multiple tie's, so the pricing encourages replacement on really messed up chains.

exact same price here at my local dealer, but I think it's for Oregon chain.

 

[dh1984]

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?

thats what they told me the last time i broke a chain while cutting fire wood. but i had a spare chain to put on my saw. And the one i broke it went in the trash can.

 

[parrisw]

I totally understand why they don't want to spend the time to fix a damaged chain, just not worth their time. I know, because I work in a shop, there are just many things I wont do. Now if that customer just spent a pile of money, it would be a different story, but you always get the people that spend no money with you, and yet expect you to do little simple things for free or next to nothing. Now I'm not saying this was you Chris, just saying this is how shops operate sometimes. I've fixed broken chains, damaged chains, that would just not be worth it for someone to pay me to do the same thing for one of their chains. Anyway just another point of view.

 

[Nardoo]

Chris, be thankful you don't live in Oz. My Stihl dealer has a sign by the counter to loosen your pants while you wait in line. Saves him time.....


Al.

 

[w8ye]

I bought a nice one year old Husky 350 for $125 but the new looking chain wasn't on the John Deere bar. About four pulls and it was running.

When I got the chainsaw home I spotted the preset to be 3/8 LP on a .325 chain. Then I saw all the DL's were dinged when the chain would not fit in the bar. Took me 2 hrs filing with a raker file to smooth out the DL's so the chain would fit in the bar and a trip to a dealer and $5 to put a .325 preset and tie strap in. The chain must have jumped off every time the 3/8 LP preset came by a sprocket?

The guy told me the new looking Husky 350 was a stupid chainsaw for you could not keep the chain on it. It was actually the fault of whoever put the chain together? Also I found the brake band to be broken.

Not to worry, chainsaw/B&C has worked fine ever since.

 

[Wagnerwerks]

you probably have a ton more repeat customers too!

My local that shortened my first ever chain for me laughed when I said "how much do I owe you". I bought 15 chains in one shot a few days later from the same guy.

I'm in no way saying you shouldn't charge. I'm just saying it swayed my next $200 purchase in his favor.

 

[Boogieman142]

last time I needed a stihl pre-set I went to the dealer and he just said take it.

 

[parrisw]

My local that shortened my first ever chain for me laughed when I said "how much do I owe you". I bought 15 chains in one shot a few days later from the same guy.

I'm in no way saying you shouldn't charge. I'm just saying it swayed my next $200 purchase in his favor.

Ya for instance, my friend/tree service guy, said I'm stopping by after work if you don't mind having a look at something for me, and I'm bringing beer!! Well, I said yes that wont be a problem at all.

 

[DSS]

I totally understand why they don't want to spend the time to fix a damaged chain, just not worth their time. I know, because I work in a shop, there are just many things I wont do. Now if that customer just spent a pile of money, it would be a different story, but you always get the people that spend no money with you, and yet expect you to do little simple things for free or next to nothing. Now I'm not saying this was you Chris, just saying this is how shops operate sometimes. I've fixed broken chains, damaged chains, that would just not be worth it for someone to pay me to do the same thing for one of their chains. Anyway just another point of view.

I know what you're saying Will, and you're right, I spend no money at this place at all. But I certainly would if they weren't retarded.

The Makita may get a workout tomorrow depending on the weather.

 

[bcorradi]

I know what you're saying Will, and you're right, I spend no money at this place at all.

I think u answered your own question.

 

[Bill G]

I would think so, but, I don't 'do' Stilhvarnas. Maybe not looking for repeat customers.

OPE shop south of town a 3/8 x .50 x 60 loop is about 15 USD for example. I keep going back................................................

That is really good on Stihl chain

 

[Bill G]

the last time I bought stihl brand presets it was like $3ea! ..............

That is completely out of line. Had you said something before I came you way on 10-6-12 I cold have dropped off a small bag

 

[Bill G]

Anyway, I suppose we should be up around $10 per chain to sharpen/shorten/lengthen as most shops around here are that price.

So you want to charge more to sharpen a chain that your cost is to sell them a new one?????????? Not a shop I would frequent.

Everyone needs to make money, that is a given, No one needs to rape and pillage because they are pissed off, If you are not happy change where you work