MS880 keeps breaking off chain tensioner stud

[RileyT]

There should be a torque spec for those bar nuts, torque it and back off the tensioner.

 

[northmanlogging]

I've run saws without the tensioner on it at all, the bar nuts hold the bar in place. Especially on a longer saw, 088 with a 72" or 84" bar, no tensioner on it.

Anything longer than 36" I wouldn't even bother trying to get the chain on the bar when assembling, just bend the bar sideways until you can pop the chain over the tip, then loosen the nuts a little, jerk it tight (helps if you have a vice or two guys) and tighten the bar nuts

This probably make the most sense. Cant break if it isn’t there. I dont think that tensioner could push a 36”
.404 bar. It would snap for sure.

while this could work, its also a great way to not have good chain tension... and then throw a massive .404 chain (not a good idea)

while we're talking about it, I regularly run a 50" on an 084, I've never had a problem using the stock tensioner, you have to wiggle the bar a little bit to keep any binding out of it, but its not like I'm breaking out a cheater bar and trying to strip thread on the tensioner to accomplish it.

And I know plenty of folks that run longer bars without issue

 

[HarleyT]

Hard to say much without any pics.