MS290+MS193T+MS200T Bar/Chain Gauge Question

[AlotL1keVegas]

So I have 3 MS290s. One saw has a 18" .325" .063" bar/chain.
The other 2 have 16" .325" .063" bar/chain.
So I just came across a great deal on a new in the box, Stihl 18" 3/8" .063" Bar for $20.
Now I am a little confused here with the speciations of the bars. The bar lengths are an obvious answer. But what I dont get, is what the heck do the other numbers mean?
Is the .063" the gauge of the bar? And if so, what does the whole. 325" or 3/8" mean?
Is .325" and 3/8" interchangeable?
Or would I need to get a new clutch drum sprocket?
Would I also have to get a 18" 3/8" .063" chain, if I were to get that cheap new bar?

Similar question for the MS193T & MS200T
I stopped into 2 different Stihl shops today and looked at a brand new MS194T.
The one saw had a .043" bar/chain on it.
At the other shop, there MS194Ts had .050" bar/chain.
Is 043" and .050" interchangeable?
Or do you need a new clutch drum sprocket?

So basically, what the heck do the specifications on the bar actually mean?

Also, can someone tell me what would be the proper size bar/chain for a MS200T and a 026 Pro?
Much appreciated.

 

[Franny K]

So I have 3 MS290s. One saw has a 18" .325" .063" bar/chain.
The other 2 have 16" .325" .063" bar/chain.
So I just came across a great deal on a new in the box, Stihl 18" 3/8" .063" Bar for $20.
Now I am a little confused here with the speciations of the bars. The bar lengths are an obvious answer. But what I dont get, is what the heck do the other numbers mean?
Is the .063" the gauge of the bar? And if so, what does the whole. 325" or 3/8" mean?
Is .325" and 3/8" interchangeable?
Or would I need to get a new clutch drum sprocket?
Would I also have to get a 18" 3/8" .063" chain, if I were to get that cheap new bar?

Similar question for the MS193T & MS200T
I stopped into 2 different Stihl shops today and looked at a brand new MS194T.
The one saw had a .043" bar/chain on it.
At the other shop, there MS194Ts had .050" bar/chain.
Is 043" and .050" interchangeable?
Or do you need a new clutch drum sprocket?

So basically, what the heck do the specifications on the bar actually mean?

Also, can someone tell me what would be the proper size bar/chain for a MS200T and a 026 Pro?
Much appreciated.

Have you ever bought a new loop of genuine Stihl chain? There is generally a folded up paper in there that should answer most of what you want. The owners manuals are also generally downloadable from the Stihl site and they also have the recomended bars and chains. It is in my experience kind of hard to get a Stihl place to approve of anything but what the literature shows.

.043" or 1.1mm .050 or 1.3mm .063 or 1.6mm those are the gauge of the chain and bar, the width of the bar channel and drive link thickness not interchangeable and not fussy as to sprocket. The exception is in 1/4 inch pitch where the 71 class picco Stihl chain uses a different sprocket than the 13 class 0.050" 1/4 pitch. you state .043" gauge chain which is it 1/4 or 3/8? Husky and Oregon have mini .325 with 0.043 gauge that also use a dedicated sprocket not the normal .325 one but that is not Stihl.

.325 and 3/8 are the pitch or average spacing of the rivets. two pitch increments between drive links. .325 is exact 3/8 is sort of rounded off and using .375 is not really correct. These two will need separate drive and bar nose sprockets.

There is a drive link count for sensible sized drive sprocket on the side of a Stihl bar. Pay attention to this more than the called length.

 

[AlotL1keVegas]

Okay, I see now. So could I technically use a 3/8" .063" chain on a .325" .063" bar?

 

[Lightning Performance]

Okay, I see now. So could I technically use a 3/8" .063" chain on a .325" .063" bar?

It will chew things up doing that. Didn't read all the above discussion.
Lp375
Regular375
And 404 keeps your pitch sorted. They all have two or three gauges
43
50
58
63
The short version

Match your pitch and gauge.
Three mounts on Stihl bar tails and two on most other brands not using the 14mm tails.

Skipped 25 or 1/4" mostly made in 50 gauge
80 gauge is mostly 404 or 1/2" for heavy commercial machine use most times

 

[Lightning Performance]

Also, can someone tell me what would be the proper size bar/chain for a MS200T and a 026 Pro?
Much appreciated.

3005 is not a 12mm tail mount
12"-18" 375lp or picco chain in 043 or 050 1.2mm or 1.3mm

They can be converted to 1/4" chain so watch your spur numbers. The bar tip also changes.

200T:
3005 small tail mount
It can be
375lp or picco in 043 or 050
1/4" is not recommended by me ymmv

026/260
3003 12mm tail mount
375 050nk, 050, 058 or 063
Hard nose runs any pitch if you match the gauge. You can get a 375lp kit for these and run that setup like many do on a 261 also. They take different spurs or rims and drums but run the same bar mount 3003 12mm slot.

325 comes in 050, 058 and 063.

16" and up bars on 024 and up excluding 025/250 or 251.
You need to match your spur or rim and sprocket nose to each chain setup. Rims have no gauge most times they all except 063 gauge. Replacement sprocket noses vary some are all 063 some are 058 and some only take 050 depending on the manufactures brand like one rivet Oregon or three rivet Stihl ES bars. E bars have no rivet to change just the nose so changing pitch is generally not done without a pro tip ES bar.

Clear as mud

Edit: running 058 or 063 nose sprockets on 050 chain is an industry standard for Stihl. No need to hunt for 050 and 058 gauge tips. You likely won't find them now days. Oregon makes several gauges but most just buy the 063 and match their pitch.

 

[Franny K]

Okay, I see now. So could I technically use a 3/8" .063" chain on a .325" .063" bar?

.325 and 3/8 are the pitch or average spacing of the rivets. two pitch increments between drive links. . . These two will need separate drive and bar nose sprockets.

The ratio is 9 increments of .325 is very close to 8 increments of 3/8. Think like a roller chain industrial 40 (4/8 pitch) industrial 50 (5/8 pitch) different sprockets.

 

[Lightning Performance]

Okay, I see now. So could I technically use a 3/8" .063" chain on a .325" .063" bar?

With a sprocket nose change ONLY to match your pitch. Same goes for the rim or drum at the power head.

 

[SteveSr]

Okay, I see now. So could I technically use a 3/8" .063" chain on a .325" .063" bar?

No.

1. Pitch on the bar (nose sprocket) has to match the pitch on the drive sprocket - i.e. .325 bar nose to .325 drive sprocket.

2. Gauge of the chain has to match the gauge of the bar. - .050" chain to .050" bar.

When buying a chain the drive link count must match what is printed on the bar. The actual bar length is somewhat irrelevant.

 

[AlotL1keVegas]

Oh, ok i see now. So the .325" / 3/8" is the pitch of the drive sprocket and nose/ the spacing between the drive links. That makes more sense