Sprocket: To grease or not to grease?

[2dumb4words]

I remembered reading this thread some time ago, then today I stumbled upon this. Clearly the ancient ones thought it mattered. These were made to be workhorses for the logging industry.

I'd guess modern bars are designed to better capitalize on bar oil to lube the sprocket. Should be adequate. I'm not so sure those using canola or whatever are getting the most out of their bar/sprocket. It seems like the stresses involved would test the limits of your lube.

Makes me wonder how many hours are possible under extreme loads.

 

[Gologit]

I remembered reading this thread some time ago, then today I stumbled upon this. Clearly the ancient ones thought it mattered. These were made to be workhorses for the logging industry.

I'd guess modern bars are designed to better capitalize on bar oil to lube the sprocket. Should be adequate. I'm not so sure those using canola or whatever are getting the most out of their bar/sprocket. It seems like the stresses involved would test the limits of your lube.

Makes me wonder how many hours are possible under extreme loads.

Nose sprockets are considered to be consumables. For a firewood cutter a sprocket might last several years. For a logger they might be toast in a couple of months.
Everybody should have a spare or two on hand. They're easy to replace. When you blow one out just change it in the woods or switch to your spare bar and replace the old sprocket when you get home.

 

[Ronaldo]

I got a logger friend and he claims that he cant tell much if any difference in greasing or not greasing. He uses the tip (nose) way more than the typical firewood cutter as he does a lot of bore cuts when felling and he replaces the sprockets often.
As for me......if there is a hole I grease it when sharpening the chain, cant hurt.

 

[blades]

Got to love life time lubrication, or never needs lube- problem is whose lifetime, none of these items have lasted as long as me. Kinda sums it up in a nut shell--Planned obsolescence, or design function for x hours of operation between failures.
For me if it has a grease port or oil port it gets lubed.
Vehicles vs 3k oil change- just do it, oil collects crud, crud damages bearings or bearing surfaces. A lot of the current crop of engine tolerances are so tight that bushings and bearings are not used in areas like the camshaft journals - they rely on vapor ( yes vapor) lubrication of the mating surfaces. At the higher operating temps and in some cases rpms of to days engines lubrication properties of oil and such breakdown. 3k oil change cheap insurance.

 

[firebrick43]

Years I religiously greeased u joints on balers, hay conditioners, and truck drivelines. Remember the dodge farm truck needed u joints about every 40000 miles (was used constantly to tow and haul to its max load). Then I bought a dodge with u joints without a grease zerk. Still good after 165000 miles when I sold it and the current owner hasn't changed them yet either. Bale u joints are lasting longer know with sealed bearings. Front hubs went south at 150000 but memory says I had done bearings and seals a time or two on each of my older trucks in addition to the 24000 mile clean and repack. Last 2 vehicles have had 10000 mile oil changes on mobile 1 synthetic and oil analysis says I could go further. I say don't greease them!

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Years I religiously greeased u joints on balers, hay conditioners, and truck drivelines. Remember the dodge farm truck needed u joints about every 40000 miles (was used constantly to tow and haul to its max load). Then I bought a dodge with u joints without a grease zerk. Still good after 165000 miles when I sold it and the current owner hasn't changed them yet either. Bale u joints are lasting longer know with sealed bearings. Front hubs went south at 150000 but memory says I had done bearings and seals a time or two on each of my older trucks in addition to the 24000 mile clean and repack. Last 2 vehicles have had 10000 mile oil changes on mobile 1 synthetic and oil analysis says I could go further. I say don't greease them!

IF they were "sealed" like those zerk-less U-joints you bought, I'd agree with you... BUT the nose sprocket isn't, so I grease them.

SR

 

[Toyboy]

Right or wrong I agree with Ronaldo. If it has a grease hole I'll do it, it's there for a reason. Being a weekend warrior homeowner, I've never lost a nose sprocket either way. I have wore out the bar & chain once or twice.

 

[Tiewire]

I'm a non greaser. Never wore the nose out before the bar. I'm just a firewood cutter and rarely plunge cut though.

 

[snoozeys]

I'm eager to know what greasers use as I've only seen grease sachets as opposed to a cartridge ... so what grade or form of grease is comparable to the bar grease you can find at your local chainsaw outlet ????

 

[KenJax Tree]

I just use Lucas all purpose grease

 

[Whitespider]

I've only had one bar with a grease hole for the tip sprocket... it was the only bar I've ever greased (still have the little grease gun thingy)... and it was the only bar I've ever lost a sprocket bearing on (shrug)
I've seen a few others go bad (three if I'm rememberin' correctly)... every one was running used motor oil for a bar 'n' chain lube (shrug)
I've never lubed a drive sprocket (or clutch drum) bearing either... never have lost one... and every one I've ever had off was plenty "wet" enough (shrug)

Likely, at some point in the past, there was darn good reason for greasing such things... but also likely, metallurgy has improved, designs have improved, lubricants have improved, and the understanding of how they relate to each other has improved. Still, no matter how well designed and maintained, "stuff" does fail, especially things that move and/or get hot... it-is-what-it-is... and that's why we have "servicing dealers" and "parts departments". After all, the larger "pro" bars do have "replaceable" tips correct?? I see that as a concession that "stuff", in fact, does fail... it-is-what-it-is (shrug)

The sprocket tip bearings on both my Stihl bars have never been "dry" from use. How do I know that?? Well, I've flushed them with solvent and compressed air until they were "dry" a couple of times (checking for "play" in the bearing) so I know what a dry bearing feels like... they've never been "dry" from use, if anything they're over lubed during use. Still, if there was a grease hole in one of my bars, and the manufacturer recommended greasing... well, I'd grease it I reckon... but I certainly wouldn't sweat it if I forgot or ran out of grease (shrug)

To lube, or not to lube??
Do whatever makes ya' feel all warm 'n' fuzzy... it likely don't make sour owl crap difference either way.
Heck, some guys wash 'n' wax their saws... some even lay them on the pillow next to 'em at night.
Me?? I just blow the thing off with compressed air and toss it under the work bench out in the non-climate controlled shop (shrug)
*

 

[Wood Doctor]

Just for the record, there are a few Stihl bars with sprocket noses that do have grease holes. For example, 3003 000 5221. I have this bar mounted on my MS361.

 

[cantoo]

Somebody ask a wood carver, I'm sure they do more plunging than anybody, well maybe not more than 08f150 but more than most.

 

[StihlRockin']

My first boss when I got started in the early 80's greased his religiously. I started too as well, then things happen like you run out of grease, can't find the gun, in a hurry, blah, blah, etc, then you get lazy and forgo the grease all together. I recall running that bar hard, as being a youngster I didn't have a lot of money then. I didn't grease the bar tip long and gave up and I ended up wearing out the rails before the ungreased tip ever failed.

SR'

 

[stihlonlynow]

I figure the engineers that designed it know more about it than I do. So if it has a grease fitting or hole in this case I grease it. I have seen bars wore out from running loose chains, and dry ruined clutch drum bearings. Its grease for me.
Besides there is no such thing as centrifugal force!!

 

[StihlRockin']

I figure the engineers that designed it know more about it than I do. So if it has a grease fitting or hole in this case I grease it.

On the surface that makes sense. However, if you think about it, many companies put out products and it's the actual users who put the product to the true test and fancy their own modifications based on that use. Simple evolution and need for improvement fires one's creativity to make something better, faster, stronger, etc.

To make this analogy fit, myself and some others have found not greasing yielded any problems.

~~~~~~~~~

If one wants to grease, go for it and be well. If one wants to make a big deal out of it and starts to get all huffy of this difference of opinion, I'll ask you to step outside.

Of course I won't be following you, so enjoy being by yourself in the parking lot. LOL!

SR'

 

[steved]

Years I religiously greeased u joints on balers, hay conditioners, and truck drivelines. Remember the dodge farm truck needed u joints about every 40000 miles (was used constantly to tow and haul to its max load). Then I bought a dodge with u joints without a grease zerk. Still good after 165000 miles when I sold it and the current owner hasn't changed them yet either. Bale u joints are lasting longer know with sealed bearings. Front hubs went south at 150000 but memory says I had done bearings and seals a time or two on each of my older trucks in addition to the 24000 mile clean and repack. Last 2 vehicles have had 10000 mile oil changes on mobile 1 synthetic and oil analysis says I could go further. I say don't greease them!

That could boil down to inferior grease in the gun, not the frequency of greasing.

I know for a fact that Lucas Red n' Tacky cost me a set of ball joints, and several ujoints, because it is far from water resistant like it claims. Pumped rusty nasty grease out between greasings (3k mile intervals).

I also know TSC "premium" grease cost me four sets of bearings in a tandem axle trailer because that stuff is so poor quality...brand new Timken bearings galled and failed with less than 3k miles.

After changing up to Schaeffer 274, and a lesser amount of Mobil 1 synthetic grease, I stopped seeing the rust from ball joints ( would actually see the water expelled from the joint), and the next set of trailer bearings lasted well over 25k miles (then I sold the trailer).

Point being, use good grease...

 

[steved]

Just for the record, there are a few Stihl bars with sprocket noses that do have grease holes. For example, 3003 000 5221. I have this bar mounted on my MS361.

Both my Stihl bars have grease holes, even my replacement Carlton and cheap Homelite bars have grease holes...

I didn't grease them till I read about it here...I was told by my father they get enough oil from the bar. I decided that it was easier to grease than not...

 

[stihlonlynow]

Who's huffy?
For the record being an ex stihlonly owner....and the ES bars not having grease holes..
I often forget to grease them. And have never lost a nose bearing....not in the sprocket tip anyway.
I normally destroy the bar long before the tip bearing wears out. I have never changed a tip...I have welded them back in after twisting them out of the bar ...
I was expecting some flack about the centrifugal force comment...

 

[StihlRockin']

Who's huffy?

Who's huffy? You may want to add "argumentative" to that list as well.

LOL! Just kidding. In my post I directed comments to you, then when I was done I did this... ~~~~~~~~~~~ Which to me I'm done and now addressing everyone.

Of course the 2nd part is meant to be funny. Had to point this out because like I've seen here many times over and over, I think some read threads too fast, come to their own conclusions on what is being said, then misinterpret what I or others have said... thus creating a real reason to "get it on". !!!!

But hey, you want to create something from this, step outside. LOL!

Always fun... fun always. Life's too short to have it any other way.

StihlRockin'