Sprocket: To grease or not to grease?

[sawkiller]

I have heard a little of both sides of this argument and I still grease mine religously! I never understood the theory that the grease attracts dirt? That just don't make good sense to me centrifugal force is throwing stuff out of that sprocket at all times unless you are burying your saw in the dirt between uses I just can't see it. I know someone will say stuff collects in the bar rails so let me say in advance the bar does not spin thereby it has no centrifugal force. In all the times I have greased mine I have yet to see any dirt come out with the excess grease.

Just my thoughts!
What is your opinion?

 

[dingeryote]

No lube here.

Bar oil carries the grit out and gets flung.
Grease stays put like it's supposed to and holds grit.

If what you are doing is working. Keep at it.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[sawkiller]

I would love to see a side by side with some one who cuts wood everyday!

 

[Patrick62]

my .02 worth

I have greased them, I have forgot to. Can't see any difference.
New Stihl bars don't have grease holes (try drilling it, I did...)

At the speed these things are going I have to agree that grease is probably to thick to provide decent lube. If the oiler is high enough then a certain amount is going to be channeled (flung?) at the sprocket, and some of it is going to make it's way down to the bearing. It would not take much to keep it alive.

Over engineer this thing. Design a bar with a oil channel and a diverter off drive end, and get some oil to the bearing, and also the lower bar rail. might actually be possible with a laminated bar!

 

[firewood guy]

I have heard a little of both sides of this argument and I still grease mine religously! I never understood the theory that the grease attracts dirt? That just don't make good sense to me centrifugal force is throwing stuff out of that sprocket at all times unless you are burying your saw in the dirt between uses I just can't see it. I know someone will say stuff collects in the bar rails so let me say in advance the bar does not spin thereby it has no centrifugal force. In all the times I have greased mine I have yet to see any dirt come out with the excess grease.

Just my thoughts!
What is your opinion?

I have a coupla' friends that have gone through Stihl training and work @ outdoor power equip shops.. they recommend a little grease on them thar sprockets!! I use Chevron Delo HD moly 5% EP 2 on all of my Stihl's and wear out bars ten to one over sprockets/ rims. The Stihl rim is very protected if you keep the saw clean daily. There is no substitute for good maintenance!!

 

[firewood guy]

I have greased them, I have forgot to. Can't see any difference.
New Stihl bars don't have grease holes (try drilling it, I did...)

At the speed these things are going I have to agree that grease is probably to thick to provide decent lube. If the oiler is high enough then a certain amount is going to be channeled (flung?) at the sprocket, and some of it is going to make it's way down to the bearing. It would not take much to keep it alive.

Over engineer this thing. Design a bar with a oil channel and a diverter off drive end, and get some oil to the bearing, and also the lower bar rail. might actually be possible with a laminated bar!

Stihl ES bars have an oil channel in the bar for sprocket (tip) lube, but does not address DRIVE sprocket lubrication. I think that (????) was the question??

 

[logbutcher]

No need for grease in roller sprockets.
Oregon, Stihl, Baileys ....used them all on various saws for years without greasing. No harm, and for most here a waste of time. If your saw is putting out enough oil, the sprocket will be lubricated.

However, if you like those tiny grease guns in your rig, fine. You may grease.:biggrinbounce2:

 

[savageactor7]

We've always greased.

 

[logbutcher]

We've always greased.

You may....................grease away. :monkey:

No technical need. Butt, CAD allows you to do anything you want.

 

[CTYank]

I have heard a little of both sides of this argument and I still grease mine religously! I never understood the theory that the grease attracts dirt? That just don't make good sense to me centrifugal force is throwing stuff out of that sprocket at all times unless you are burying your saw in the dirt between uses I just can't see it. I know someone will say stuff collects in the bar rails so let me say in advance the bar does not spin thereby it has no centrifugal force. In all the times I have greased mine I have yet to see any dirt come out with the excess grease.

Just my thoughts!
What is your opinion?

Only nose sprocket that ever failed on me, was the one I never greased- OEM Echo CS-315. Of course, that was after hours of serious cutting of major blowdowns after a hurricane passed over us, so who knows?

From Physics 101, I'd not expect b&c oil to get to roller-bearing nose- not with things moving.

No problem in recent years giving nose bearing a quick shot of grease after use.

 

[o8f150]

i run echos and was told by echo and my dealer both that the bar oil keeps the tip lubed,,no grease needed

 

[indiansprings]

I've got some saws that I owned and used for a long time, one a Stihl 028 has been around since new in 1978. It has been used countless hours in some tough nasty conditions, (clearing fence rows, cutting off multifloral roses and has been used in cutting cords and cords of wood, I'd be afraid to put a number to it and the sprocket was never greased. Finally last year lost the tip out of the sprocket on it's third or fourth bar. First bar I've ever lost the tip out of. I prefer the stihl es bars, so far they have been really tough.
I've never greased, prefering to let the oiler handle that job. Too each his own, a little grease might be okay, but I see it as a vehicle for holding abrasive material in and causing premature wear.
I figure I will wear the bar out before the sprocket will go bad.

 

[Suz]

I've had both bars on my Stihl. The tip on the original non grease one went south pretty quick. Now I'm running an aftermarket bar that has the grease holes.
I think one way the dirt gets into the tip is when the operator pushes the dirt and grit that is in the grease hole into the sprocket when he drives the grease into the tip.

Those of you who "grease" what kind of greaser do you use? And if you use a refillable one how do you refill it without getting your hands all greasy?

 

[olyman]

I have greased them, I have forgot to. Can't see any difference.
New Stihl bars don't have grease holes (try drilling it, I did...)

QUOTE]

get a spade carbide bit--will drill right thru the bar--

 

[woodyman]

Interesting thread.I have greased my roller tips for the last 30 years but on my new 7900 Dolmar I decided not to and see what would happened.I have run about 10 tanks through it now felling and bucking up red oak and see no difference in the tip.I have also run my ported 346 without greasing the tip the last 8 tanks and it checks out good to

 

[logbutcher]

Poll:

Raise hands, those who believe ("believe", I say) that the wise Stihl engineers and techs ( and Oregon, and .... ) wood design a bar and roller nose without a grease hole that NEEDS greasing ? :monkey::monkey:

Tell me, you who wood violate a virgin bar with your carbide bit ?

 

[nomak]

Poll:

Raise hands, those who believe ("believe", I say) that the wise Stihl engineers and techs ( and Oregon, and .... ) wood design a bar and roller nose without a grease hole that NEEDS greasing ? :monkey::monkey:

Tell me, you who wood violate a virgin bar with your carbide bit ?

not me I would take it to work and circle mill it with a carbide flat bottom endmill.. drills can break to easy and also leave you with a chewed up hole in the bar.. as far as the grease goes I grease mine from time to time cause I look at it like the needle bearings in a driveshaft u-joint. if you dont grease them every now and then they get water in them and rust and then you get rust dust which eats them away over time then your needle bearings are shot..so the grease is probablly more of a protectant from the elements (moisture and such...) from the wood you cut rather than a grease for keeping it from seizing up at high RPM's if you dont grease it every time you use it...just my thoughts on the matter.....

 

[WOODHOGG]

saw bars

Hi, this maybe like greasing the tip but what i have run into with a saw was it
acts like the chain is too tight but when you pull down on the chain its as loose
as it should be. Itook the bar off and looked at it could not see anything wrong
with it,but i get the impression that channel in the bar is closing up when it gets hot,so i took a 4"wide chisel and hammered it into track to see if i could spread it open. Maybe someone this site may have a idea whats wrong.
The saw is a shindowa 488.thank's

 

[Fronty Owner]

We've always greased.

youve probably also changed the oil in your truck every 3 months or 3000 miles which ever comes first.

Ive not cut long enough to know the old days. Just know what the owners manual says and what others have taught me on cutting.

 

[logbutcher]

If you greasers aren't careful with your pronouncements, I will burst into the Bryll Cream commercial.
Remember: "....a little dap will do ya....." :yoyo: