Broke a clutch spider and stripped a flywheel with an impact. Your solution is not fool proof. Again, you're ignoring the fact that these saws are cheaply made. Just admit it and this argument can end.
MS180C refusing to be dismantled - nightmare!
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I like that bold type on "does not"....
I'll have to study up on that....
Keep telling people these saws aren't more fragile than most and people will keep breaking them. You're doing no one a favor. I'm simply trying to protect people from breaking their saw. You must be trying to sell them new ones.
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I am ignoring the fact that they are cheaply made because you have torn them up?
Again, you have no real argument, no real facts, so your weak argument has to resort to personal attacks.
MANY have broken them using traditional methods that work on most all other saws.
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OK, go into detail on the broken clutch spider. How did you do it?
Then describe the flywheel incident. How could you shear a key with an impact?
Then describe the flywheel incident. How could you shear a key with an impact?
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That was a personal attack?
Now that is funny!
Carry on gentleman. Make your own decision. Either treat the cheap homeowner made Stihl saws with extra care, or you can contact HarleyT to sell you another new one.
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How did you shear the key?
thomasjf
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Personally, I never expected a $170 ms170 to be equal to a pro saw. Neither in performance or quality. However, they are a good lightweight saw for light weight work. And yes, I've worked on several, and own a couple. I keep mine fueled, ready to go for occasional trimming and such.
The key here is lightweight. If you want bullet proof, go for something heavier and pay the price. Expecting a $170 saw to be built like a pro saw is just a little silly.
The key here is lightweight. If you want bullet proof, go for something heavier and pay the price. Expecting a $170 saw to be built like a pro saw is just a little silly.
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And get rid of your fuel tank vents!!!! They are evil!!!!
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That was a great, helpful post.....
Is that all you've got? Try keeping your replies relevant and on topic. You're demonstrating that you have no argument.
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OK, to the topic. What is your method these days for removing a clutch on a Stihl MS170/MS180?
Or have you just stopped trying?
Or have you just stopped trying?
I use air impact on all mine. No problem yet.
I've never had to hold it when using an air impact, just leave the sparkplug in and make sure it's going the right direction. Tops of pistons on those little saws are thin so don't use a piston stop.
krushing73
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Buy a replacement engine off eBay for 40 bucks and run it like you stole it.
Ibeatgodzilla
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Well I apologise to anybody who came to this thread and found somebody starting internet arguments that nobody is interested in - not very helpful for anybody else with a similar problem trying to find a solution online and coming across this thread.
I'll just make a couple of objective points, and leave it at that.
I don't think "I"' bent the KM130 conrod using the machine at low revs doing light hedge trimming duty under no load whatsoever, that sudden loud bang and instant stopping of the machine certainly came as a surprise. I'd never taken it apart - it was only two years old at the time - and it had always worked perfectly. Still no idea what caused that. The conrod in the MS180 isn't bent, something has snapped on the inside as the engine goes round and round even with the piston held down - it doesn't push it up any more. I'm not blaming the manufactuer - my new MS180 clutch came off nice and easily, as it should, with a battery air gun. I may however wonder if a previous owner had had it off and over-tightened it - having bought it used, who knows. The flywheel key isn't sheared by the way. Stihl are very good quality. So are Makita, Rolls Royce, Bose, Yamaha, and many other companies. But none are perfect, some models have flaws, sometimes only a limited amount from a certain production run, and more often than not it's the consumer's problem, recalls are too expensive and embarrassing. Sometimes it's unskilled owners, sometimes it's flaws in equipment, sometimes surely both.
I did try an 'impact with nothing but the spark', it didn't work (after the battery one failed, so did the attempt with the air gun), hence trying something stronger. I'm sure the person who insisted on that approach would have had as much trouble as me had they been challenged with this particular saw. As for the replacement engine suggestion... Good idea, but I need to remove the clutch to take the current engine out of the plastic body of the saw...
And each tool has its place - Although I have no issues undoing things with impact guns, you must be careful when using them to tighten things, if you don't have one with adjustable torque settings - for example you don't want to strip threads in aluminium, or do up a wheel nut so tight with an air gun that if you get a flat tire in the middle of nowhere, you can't undo it with the useless basic tool kit that came with the car (I know a few people who have been in that position, tried their best but given up and waited for the breakdown services to come). it's easier to gauge and know how much force to apply with a handheld tool; breaker bars simply give more leverage and make lighter work of it than a regular socket arm. As somebody who restores classic cars I'd say the breaker bar is more frequently useful than the impact gun. Just today I tried undoing some driveshaft bolts that I'd left soaking in WD overnight (though they were so tight it probably didn't penetrate). My (big) snap-on compressor, and snap-on air gun did absolutely nothing to them, nothing whatsoever. I lowered the axle for greater access and used the breaker bar - and all twelve came off nice and easily. None burred, none broken. Just like all the head bolts I've ever removed. None of which have ever broken. Perhaps it's how it's used that makes the difference. I might cheekily suggest that perhaps the person advocating using only impact guns doesn't know how to use breaker bars properly without destroying their nuts and bolts
And yet other times the breaker bar is no good because you're putting leverage on the nut/bolt from a distance, with large directional force, making it tricky with small, lightweight objects - like chainsaws - where the force of an impact gun, coming straight on to the head of the bolt, in line with it and not trying to lift the whole thing up, can be much better to work with. Each tool has its use.
No disrespect but I do feel like I have been given unhelpful opinions here (not from everybody of course). Not something that needs to be furthered, but just saying that calling me a moron and saying that I don't know how to use tools and machines isn't answering any questions. My knowledge or abilities with tools have never caused any problems with other Stihl tools, and not stopped me successfully restoring quite a few classic cars. As for whether I'm a moron or not I guess that's a matter of personal opinion, but you shouldn't make opinions of people you don't know based on so little. Regarding the matter of the discussion - the ridiculously tight clutch on the chainsaw - the reason this thread was started... Neither breaker bar nor impact gun did the slightest thing to it; the chainsaw itself having been replaced I've now come to the conclusion that this dead one unfortunately isn't salveageable for any spare parts though would require clutch removal - ie at least half of it. Shame. Yes I do agree that the MS180 is cheap and nasty when it compared to other Stihl models, but it too has its place with the convenience of its light weight (that said I do prefer my 023 - the 180 is a backup), I have an 066 and 038 too which come out when they are needed, but which are a bit heavy and a bit overkill for a lot of light work. Let's be sensible, there's no point putting extra strain on your back if you don't need to.
I hope nobody feels the need to chuck their dummy out of the pram and start compulsively making retorts to me - but if so they'll fall on deaf ears. I've decided there's no more point wasting time trying to salvage any more from the dead saw - it's scrap now - I have a new one to replace it, and the best thing we've come to for an answer to my question is 'even though it certainly should have done, I was simply unlucky with this saw as the clutch still would not come off regardless of whether an impact gun or a breaker bar was used'. End of story, good night.
I'll just make a couple of objective points, and leave it at that.
I don't think "I"' bent the KM130 conrod using the machine at low revs doing light hedge trimming duty under no load whatsoever, that sudden loud bang and instant stopping of the machine certainly came as a surprise. I'd never taken it apart - it was only two years old at the time - and it had always worked perfectly. Still no idea what caused that. The conrod in the MS180 isn't bent, something has snapped on the inside as the engine goes round and round even with the piston held down - it doesn't push it up any more. I'm not blaming the manufactuer - my new MS180 clutch came off nice and easily, as it should, with a battery air gun. I may however wonder if a previous owner had had it off and over-tightened it - having bought it used, who knows. The flywheel key isn't sheared by the way. Stihl are very good quality. So are Makita, Rolls Royce, Bose, Yamaha, and many other companies. But none are perfect, some models have flaws, sometimes only a limited amount from a certain production run, and more often than not it's the consumer's problem, recalls are too expensive and embarrassing. Sometimes it's unskilled owners, sometimes it's flaws in equipment, sometimes surely both.
I did try an 'impact with nothing but the spark', it didn't work (after the battery one failed, so did the attempt with the air gun), hence trying something stronger. I'm sure the person who insisted on that approach would have had as much trouble as me had they been challenged with this particular saw. As for the replacement engine suggestion... Good idea, but I need to remove the clutch to take the current engine out of the plastic body of the saw...
And each tool has its place - Although I have no issues undoing things with impact guns, you must be careful when using them to tighten things, if you don't have one with adjustable torque settings - for example you don't want to strip threads in aluminium, or do up a wheel nut so tight with an air gun that if you get a flat tire in the middle of nowhere, you can't undo it with the useless basic tool kit that came with the car (I know a few people who have been in that position, tried their best but given up and waited for the breakdown services to come). it's easier to gauge and know how much force to apply with a handheld tool; breaker bars simply give more leverage and make lighter work of it than a regular socket arm. As somebody who restores classic cars I'd say the breaker bar is more frequently useful than the impact gun. Just today I tried undoing some driveshaft bolts that I'd left soaking in WD overnight (though they were so tight it probably didn't penetrate). My (big) snap-on compressor, and snap-on air gun did absolutely nothing to them, nothing whatsoever. I lowered the axle for greater access and used the breaker bar - and all twelve came off nice and easily. None burred, none broken. Just like all the head bolts I've ever removed. None of which have ever broken. Perhaps it's how it's used that makes the difference. I might cheekily suggest that perhaps the person advocating using only impact guns doesn't know how to use breaker bars properly without destroying their nuts and bolts
And yet other times the breaker bar is no good because you're putting leverage on the nut/bolt from a distance, with large directional force, making it tricky with small, lightweight objects - like chainsaws - where the force of an impact gun, coming straight on to the head of the bolt, in line with it and not trying to lift the whole thing up, can be much better to work with. Each tool has its use.
No disrespect but I do feel like I have been given unhelpful opinions here (not from everybody of course). Not something that needs to be furthered, but just saying that calling me a moron and saying that I don't know how to use tools and machines isn't answering any questions. My knowledge or abilities with tools have never caused any problems with other Stihl tools, and not stopped me successfully restoring quite a few classic cars. As for whether I'm a moron or not I guess that's a matter of personal opinion, but you shouldn't make opinions of people you don't know based on so little. Regarding the matter of the discussion - the ridiculously tight clutch on the chainsaw - the reason this thread was started... Neither breaker bar nor impact gun did the slightest thing to it; the chainsaw itself having been replaced I've now come to the conclusion that this dead one unfortunately isn't salveageable for any spare parts though would require clutch removal - ie at least half of it. Shame. Yes I do agree that the MS180 is cheap and nasty when it compared to other Stihl models, but it too has its place with the convenience of its light weight (that said I do prefer my 023 - the 180 is a backup), I have an 066 and 038 too which come out when they are needed, but which are a bit heavy and a bit overkill for a lot of light work. Let's be sensible, there's no point putting extra strain on your back if you don't need to.
I hope nobody feels the need to chuck their dummy out of the pram and start compulsively making retorts to me - but if so they'll fall on deaf ears. I've decided there's no more point wasting time trying to salvage any more from the dead saw - it's scrap now - I have a new one to replace it, and the best thing we've come to for an answer to my question is 'even though it certainly should have done, I was simply unlucky with this saw as the clutch still would not come off regardless of whether an impact gun or a breaker bar was used'. End of story, good night.
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Two conflicting quotes?
Just to be fair.
An air impact wrench, and an air powered ratchet are different tools.
And trying to remove the clutch "after" snapping something inside that causes the engine free spin, one might have to hold the flywheel lightly with your hand to offer a little more resistance so the impact action will have better effect.
Just enough to keep the engine from spinning freely.
But the impact tool is the best for this job.
