poulan pro 5020 clutch cover mod

[heyduke]

it never fails. i remove the chain to sharpen it, or replace the clutch drum with the echo 3900 rim type, and when i bolt it all up and wipe it off with a rag, i look over and there is the outer plate for the clutch cover sitting on my bench. yeah, they put a nice cast aluminum cover on this saw to help stiffen up the plastic body but they omitted any way to fasten the outer plate to the cover. eventually you will lose it changing chains in the field...



fill in the cavity in the cover casting with jb-weld.


after curing, center punch


drill for a 4mm x .75 tap. go all the way until you just touch metal.


tap deep enough for a 4mm x .75 x 12mm screw.


have a cool one. yes, there is clearance in the bar for the allen head screw, but if you're worried, use a flat head.

 

[Chris-PA]

Nice! I've added some outer bar plates to the plastic covers on my Poulans. One is attached and one is loose - I like the attached one much better! I wish they had metal covers like the 5020.

 

[heyduke]

Nice! I've added some outer bar plates to the plastic covers on my Poulans. One is attached and one is loose - I like the attached one much better! I wish they had metal covers like the 5020.

you could probably find something that would work, maybe a husky part. working that high carbon spring steel isn't easy , so it would be hard to make one yourself, even if you could find material.

next time i do this job i'll use a thread insert. i just didn't have any 4mm time-certs or ez-loks.

 

[heyduke]

Nice! I've added some outer bar plates to the plastic covers on my Poulans. One is attached and one is loose - I like the attached one much better! I wish they had metal covers like the 5020.

i should have mentioned that this is a recent purchase, refurb, $135 to my door. i've had fairly good luck with these saws but you have to work the chain and tune them. they are really easy to tune. set the low at max rpm and the richen it an eighth of a turn. set the high 'til it is blubbering pretty bad then lean it 'til it's screaming, then richen it until it just starts to four stroke. do it right and they make good power for a 50cc saw. the chain is another matter. you really need a grinder with a 1/4" or 5/16" wheel to set the depth gauges. or a good chain. hombres complain about the weight but that doesn't bother me. however, they are too fat. they remind me of an ample woman trying to wiggle thru the door at walmart. i think if they lost that "easy start" nonsense they could slim them down at least an inch.