Poulan 3400 B/C and a few other questions

[tec498]

I think the B/C on my Poulan 3400 is waaayyyyyy to big for it... It's a 20" Tilton bar and the chain is huge, maybe a .404 but I can't tell. The rakers and the cutters are really far apart and I've never seen a chain like that. It doesn't pull very hard at all in any wood. Thats the way it came set up when I got it. What B/C combo would you guys recommend? I've done some searching and I'm not really sure what bar will fit on the saw and what chain to buy for the bar after that. I also have a bumper spike and screws for it has screws broken off inside the holes already :at-wits-end: Does anyone have a suggestion on how to get those screws out or will they need to be drilled out?

 

[PLMCRZY]

I think the B/C on my Poulan 3400 is waaayyyyyy to big for it... It's a 20" Tilton bar and the chain is huge, maybe a .404 but I can't tell. The rakers and the cutters are really far apart and I've never seen a chain like that. It doesn't pull very hard at all in any wood. Thats the way it came set up when I got it. What B/C combo would you guys recommend? I've done some searching and I'm not really sure what bar will fit on the saw and what chain to buy for the bar after that. I also have a bumper spike and screws for it has screws broken off inside the holes already :at-wits-end: Does anyone have a suggestion on how to get those screws out or will they need to be drilled out?

I had a 18" 3/8s on mine, it can run a 20" 3/8s no problem.

 

[Guido Salvage]

The 3400 I bought new in the early 80's came with a 20" bar and chain. The ones I have acquired since have had everything from 16" - 20" bars as well as bows on them. Though they will pull 20", the old formula of dividing the saw's displacement by 3 to get the maximum bar length puts you at 18".

 

[Javelin]

It should run 3/8 without too much trouble but 404 is a no no on that saw!

 

[CTYank]

I think the B/C on my Poulan 3400 is waaayyyyyy to big for it... It's a 20" Tilton bar and the chain is huge, maybe a .404 but I can't tell. The rakers and the cutters are really far apart and I've never seen a chain like that. It doesn't pull very hard at all in any wood. Thats the way it came set up when I got it. What B/C combo would you guys recommend? I've done some searching and I'm not really sure what bar will fit on the saw and what chain to buy for the bar after that. I also have a bumper spike and screws for it has screws broken off inside the holes already :at-wits-end: Does anyone have a suggestion on how to get those screws out or will they need to be drilled out?

My 3400 had OEM 20" sprocket-nose bar for "std" 3/8" chain. Worked just fine, still does (along with other bars), so long as the chain is properly sharpened. In hickory, sugar maple, etc. The bar mount is pretty generic, so there are many that'll fit.

I made my own set of bucking spikes from 11 ga steel. You can use "easy-out" or other such tool. If you're a good free-hand machinist, you can drill the broken screws and use a tap to drive them out.