Okay.... saw chain questions

[KRS]

Hey guys; you already convinced me to buy Stihl saw chains; but my local dealer didn't have any in 20" for my MS310.... so I bought a two-pack of Oregon chains to use in the mean time.

Today while cutting some mesquite the chain was thrown.

I opened the Oregon plastic case and tried to install the 20" D70 chain and it's too short !?!?!?

What gives? Did I buy the wrong chain? I've opened the two pack and got a little dirt on one of the chains.... and I didn't save the receipt.

Seems like a simple thing; buy a 20" 3/8" chain and it should fit my 20" bar for my 3/8" chainsaw.... right? What am I missing?

KRS

 

[STEVEGODSEYJR]

are you sure that the oregon chain is the right number of drive links for your bar? hopefully this will help

 

[sawinredneck]

Different bar manufatures.
The DL count should be stamped on each bar, I would bet the DL count doesn't match the DL on the loops you have!

 

[Tzed250]

Stihl 20" bars are 72dl.

 

[KRS]

I thought the 20" would cover it!

Aw crap.

 

[Jonny Quest]

Thrown Chain?

How did you throw the chain. Don't overlook that issue also.

Most bars have all the important info stamped or printed on them (towards the mount): Pitch, Gauge and Drive Link count

JQ

 

[KRS]

I was cutting horizontal (tree was standing) and the 8" piece I was cutting off began to fall and I moved the saw into it and the piece hit the chain and it popped off.

It happed very fast but I think that is was caused it.

KRS

 

[Roy M]

Bars are not created equal between manufacturers. 72DL is the most common but there are 70's and 74's out there. What does the label on the Oregon pack say?

 

[KRS]

Label reads D70, 20".

That's it.

KRS

 

[Modifiedmark]

Thats it right there. D70 is a 70 drive link Vangaurd chain in .050 gauge.

Your Stihl is a 72 drive link bar and you need to know what gauge it is. For some reason that I don't know why, most Stihls around here that I see use a .063 gauge bar and chain.

 

[juststumps]

Label reads D70, 20".

That's it.

KRS

D70 = DRIVE LINK 70,,, 20" = fits OREGON 20" bar

like someone said,,, not all bars are the same...

and like someone else said, the drive link count is stamped on the bar...

if you can't read it due to wear, just count the links...

 

[KRS]

Like everything else in life... I guess I'm still learning.

Thank you!

KRS

 

[cuttin-4-heat]

go buy a bar that matches the chains if you cant return them. just use them in the nasty stuff to spare your good b/c combo. not a total loss, all in how you look at things.

 

[Modifiedmark]

go buy a bar that matches the chains if you cant return them. just use them in the nasty stuff to spare your good b/c combo. not a total loss, all in how you look at things.

I'm not so sure its that easy to find a Stihl mount bar in 70dl. Good luck with that.

Just ebay the chains.....

 

[turnkey4099]

I'm not so sure its that easy to find a Stihl mount bar in 70dl. Good luck with that.

Just ebay the chains.....

Why not salvage the chains? Just take it down to the nearest 'fix-it' shop and tell them to insert 2 DL and a cutter in each one. Couple bucks should do the job. Of course that depends on the gauge being right. My 20" 310 bar says 72 DL and .050. With luck you can locate a buddy who has a chain breaker/spinner and have him do it.

I also don't buy prepackaged chains. I order from the sponsor's here. Even with shipping you will beat the cost at the local stores.

Harry K

 

[Philbert]

Why not salvage the chains? . . .

+1

Although chains are a 'consumable' part of the chainsaw, they don't have to be 'disposable'. A good saw shop can add the few extra links, or make you one usable chain out of your 2 (especially if you damaged some links on the thrown chain) since they are almost new.

It's the difference between a shop that services saws, instead of a store that just just sells them.

Philbert