How to tell if its a .325 or 3/8 ????

[Saw Monkey]

I've been reading the forums here for some time and have learned a great deal through reading and many searches. Its time for my first post!

I have a Husqvarna 351 saw that I purchased new several years ago. The dealer pulled the powerhead out of the stockroom and when looking to match it up to the 18" bar I requested discoverd he didn't have a Husky bars in the 18" size. So, he included a Sandvik 18CJL50STA SpeedTip bar along with an Oregon 33 chain . Its been a great saw. Recently while reading up on saws I wanted to research the bar and chain combo on this 351. The Sandvik (Windsor) 18CJL50STA shows up as a 3/8" while the 18CJL50STJ is a .325. So, does this saw might have a 3/8" chain on it? The Oregon 33 chain on the saw only says 33 without any suffix (LG, etc). Reading up on things on Arboristsite leads me to believe that the 351 has a .325 chain from the factory and to switch to 3/8 the drive sprocket needs to be changed. This leads to my question. How can I determine the size of the drive on my saw?

 

[Dadatwins]

Should be some other marks/stamp on the bar or sprocket showing .325 or 3/8. I think oregon stamp 33 on the drive link is a .325 chain. If you are going to switch over to 3/8 you need to match chain, sprocket, and bar. They MUST all be the same. Check with Bailey's a sponsor of this site, they can set you up with Husky parts for your saw. Welcome to the site.

 

[HiOctane]

Dont forget they are two thickness .050 and .058 for the drive link(the thing that runs in the blade groove). A 33 chain is .050 thick and a 34 or 21 will be .058 thick.In the Sandvik part no the 50 after CJL is the thickness of the drive link.

 

[Saw Monkey]

Thank you for the input.

Let me explain myself a little better. I'm trying to figure out what I have, not trying to change. I realize anything the chain touches (bar, tip, and drive) must match the chain. The dealer set up this saw when it was purchased so I'm assuming its all one size. I'm just trying to figure out which size it is. I'm thinking its most likely a .325 because the drive (and oiler?) would have been that size on the powerhead as delivered by Husqvarna. However the bar seems to be a 3/8 bar. Then again, after checking the replaceable SpeedTip bar end I see the end itself is marked STA-325 so maybe the bar tip is a .325 ,as is the Oregon 33 chain, and the default for the saw head. Is the replaceable tip saw bar itself "one size fits all" for either chain size?

Thanks!

 

[Saw Monkey]

Dont forget they are two thickness .050 and .058 for the drive link(the thing that runs in the blade groove). A 33 chain is .050 thick and a 34 or 21 will be .058 thick.In the Sandvik part no the 50 after CJL is the thickness of the drive link.

Excellent!

So this makes sense to me. The 33 is a .050 size (.325) and the bar is a 50 groove (.050). The main bar member number throws me a bit based on the Windsor part number chart I referenced in my original post. Oh well.

 

[HiOctane]

Thank you for the input.

Let me explain myself a little better. I'm trying to figure out what I have, not trying to change. I realize anything the chain touches (bar, tip, and drive) must match the chain. The dealer set up this saw when it was purchased so I'm assuming its all one size. I'm just trying to figure out which size it is. I'm thinking its most likely a .325 because the drive (and oiler?) would have been that size on the powerhead as delivered by Husqvarna. However the bar seems to be a 3/8 bar. Then again, after checking the replaceable SpeedTip bar end I see the end itself is marked STA-325 so maybe the bar tip is a .325 ,as is the Oregon 33 chain, and the default for the saw head. Is the replaceable tip saw bar itself "one size fits all" for either chain size?

Thanks!

Ok with a 33 chain and STA 325,you are running 325,if you had a 72 chain,it will mean you are on 3/8 .Usually a 51 is always on 325 system.The tip is replaceable ,available in both pitches .325 or 3/8 depending of the chain you are running and the sprocket.

 

[Saw Monkey]

Ok with a 33 chain and STA 325,you are running 325,if you had a 72 chain,it will mean you are on 3/8 .Usually a 51 is always on 325 system.The tip is replaceable ,available in both pitches .325 or 3/8 depending of the chain you are running and the sprocket.

Hey, great! A helpful and painless first post!! Question answered.


Thanks everyone.

 

[Gould Gibbons III]

I came across this post while running a bar number from a used, 18", Windsor speed tip bar. I have the exact same issue. The bar is clearly marked as a 3/8 .050, but the tip is stamped .325 STA. I can only assume that someone either changed the tip at some point to a .325 or Windsor will install the tip to match the pitch as requested at the time of purchase.

 

[cus_deluxe]

Yep, sombody probly switched the tip at some point.

 

[kevin j]

The little plastic Oregon chain tool is handy. Measures chain pitches, file diameters, groove width, something else I can't recall. 2 or 3 dollars at saw shop, $5 on Amazon.

 

[kevin j]

this

 

[sunfish]

I came across this post while running a bar number from a used, 18", Windsor speed tip bar. I have the exact same issue. The bar is clearly marked as a 3/8 .050, but the tip is stamped .325 STA. I can only assume that someone either changed the tip at some point to a .325 or Windsor will install the tip to match the pitch as requested at the time of purchase.

I have several new speed tip bars with the same number on the bar, but with either .325 or 3/8 tips. Seems the bars are the same, but the tips are clearly marked. So they did come from the factory this way. Very good bars by the way!

 

[Gould Gibbons III]

I do like the Windsors. I have several. Hopefully Carlton can do them justice and keep the quality.