stihl 026 bar size

[nstueve]

Should I buy a new Stihl bar or is there another brand of bar I should look at? Oregon, GB, Carlton??

How much do you love your saw? I suggest:
1.) Total Super Bar (Tilton Equipment :: Total Super Bars)
2.) Stihl ES Rollomatic
3.) Oregon Power Match
Notice all three have replacable sprocket tips which significantly increases the life of the bar! If your an average wood cutter and don't use ur saw much you could get by with a Oregon Pro-Lite. If you have ever recked a bar by dinging the tip you can attest to how nice replaceable tips are. The tip is the quickest to wear so being able to replace the tip and grind the rail square for $10-$15 is cheaper than buying another $40+ bar.

An 18" .325 works pretty dang good on an 026 even in our moderate sized northern hardwood: birch, sugar maple, silver maple etc. (around 12" diameter or less). I used to sell a lot of 026's with 20" .325 b&c combos to our friends our west. I always thought tThat was a lot of bar for an 026, but it seems to work good for them. I've heard of 026's having 24" bars and around here that would be unfathomable. To each their own I guess.

24in is WAY too much for 50cc's unless you are talking about a new ms261 modded and ported. Even if my ms260 was ported I probably wouldn't go over 18in 3/8. I like cutting, not bogging out and getting stuck!

 

[Whitespider]

I have both 16" and 20" bars (.325) for my (stock) 026, and it pulls the longer just fine, even buried (but ya' ain't gonna lean on it). I actually think it balances better with the 20, but handles better with the 16 in tight spots. An 18" would be a fine compromise (dad runs an 18 on his and likes it). I've seen an 026 pull a 3/8 24", it wasn't a show-stopper but it handled it pretty darn well... considering.

 

[RedShift42]

I've been running my lightly-MM'ed 026 w/ an 18"-3/8" for several cords now and have been downright pleased w/ the balance, handling, & speed. However, 95% of our trees here are spruce w/ the occasional birch, so I can't speak to how things might be w/ a hardwood diet.
Locally all 026/260's were sold w/ 20"-ers, mine included; I jettisoned it after one use and the saw's personality changed.
For a moderate-use firewood saw in this environment I'm surprised how well this setup works and feel no need to consider a shorter bar. Heck, it's even taking the edge off my craving to find a 361!


-Eric.

 

[Frank Boyer]

A muffler modded 260 works with a 20" bar. Make sure to readjust the carb.

 

[rsmn]

How much do you love your saw? I suggest:
1.) Total Super Bar (Tilton Equipment :: Total Super Bars)
2.) Stihl ES Rollomatic
3.) Oregon Power Match
Notice all three have replacable sprocket tips which significantly increases the life of the bar! If your an average wood cutter and don't use ur saw much you could get by with a Oregon Pro-Lite. If you have ever recked a bar by dinging the tip you can attest to how nice replaceable tips are. The tip is the quickest to wear so being able to replace the tip and grind the rail square for $10-$15 is cheaper than buying another $40+ bar.

Thanks for the info.

I went with the 16" Stihl Bar .325 3003 008 6813 from the local Stihl dealer for $42+tax. The 026 saw came with a near new (and sharp) 16" .325 Stihl chain (looks like a full chisel RS?). I also put a new air filter on it. ($24). It's ready for wood. I've got about $250 total into it now. Hopefully it wasn't too bad of a deal. It's an older 026 (1994 according to the dealer) and in great condition. (BTW it has plastic handle, clear gas tank, hi/lo adj screws on the carb.)

 

[OlympicYJ]

I've got the 260 pro with a 3/8 .50ga 20" bar. As someone said earlier it doesn't win any races and it works better in soft wood than hardwood. I'm gonna be going to an 18" soon. I'm thinking a sugi to make it as light as possible. I had a 25" on it before just to see what it would do and it was not viable by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[SawTroll]

My "new to me" 026 came with a 20" bar (3/8, .50), but I ended up putting my 18" (.325, .63) bar and chain on it and really like how it cuts/handles. Probably what I'll keep on it, but I do have the 20" set-up if I ever decide I need a little extra reach.

You really need a 15 or 16" .325 bar, as the main setup, and use the longer ones only when you really need them.

 

[Anthony_Va.]

Theres was some guys cutting up the trees we cut from from fencelines for firewood this week. Two of the trees were close to 40" Red Oaks. They had a Stihl 360 with a 36" stihl bar on it with a skip tooth chain. It was taking them a few minutes to make each cut. It was sad to see that 360 work so hard and gain so little.
I had to go grab my 372xpw with a 32" bar on it and put them fellows in shock for a moment. They could'nt believe how it ripped that Oak up with the long bar. I finally told them that it had been tinkered with a little.

I had a point......oh yea, a saw can pull a longer bar than it's meant for but you can expect a loss in power and more wear on your saw. A 260 with a 20" bar will work, but like I said, it's going to slow it down alot, especially in bigger wood. I run an 18" on mine with .325 Stihl full chisel and it cuts pretty good to be stock.

 

[Whitespider]

You really need a 15 or 16" .325 bar, as the main setup, and use the longer ones only when you really need them.

It is impossible to make a silk purse from a sow's ear... but sometimes the sow's ear is enough.

 

[OH_Varmntr]

A muffler modded 260 works with a 20" bar. Make sure to readjust the carb.

My 026 is muffler modded and sports a 20" .325" with Stihl RSC chain.

I dropped a 26" black walnut today with it today since my 360Pro is gone (traded it for a Jeep) and my 088 is still apart waiting on parts so it's the biggest running saw I have as of now.

Slower, yes, but if you know how to run a saw, as in razor sharp chain and tuned just right, and don't just lean on it all the time you can do it no problem.

 

[mummertcody]

do you have an pictures of your 026 muffler mod i have thinking about doing it for a while.

 

[Frank Boyer]

On a 260 there is one 1/4" hole for the outlet in the cover. Take the cover off and make that hole 3/8-7/16". Then make a hole above it and below it. Very simple 20 minute mod that works. Andy (Lakeside) posted this a few years ago. Readjust the carb and enjoy.

 

[Mad Professor]

Whell my FIRST Stihl was a 028s,

It had a 0,035 bar , 16"

It was a dawg compared to my Homlite super XL w/20" or 24"

Your 026 wont compare with the Homie either,

Run a 16" 0.0325 with RSC

 

[capetrees]

I've run a few 260s and 270s into the ground and by far my favorite combo is the 260 Pro w/ 16" bar, .325 pitch. It came with an 18" bar but I changed because of my investment in all the 16" chains I had accumulated. For bigger stuff I run a 440 w/ a 25" chain and regardless of size of saw or length of chain, the sharp chain makes all the difference. I've had the 440 bog down due to dull chains and the smaller 260 burn through the same material with a sharper chain.

 

[Only Stihl USA]

hey all i have been creeping around here awhile. i a 026 with a 16 inch bar now i was wondering how bad it would hurt the performence to put a 20in on it?

I run a 25" tuned up on my stihl, bought in Oregon, absolutely a raped ape on oak and pine, 026 pro with 25" greatest saw i have, husky with 28" when i want to cut rounds for hours on end without stopping.

 

[Biggzz]

On a stock 026, a 20-inch bar and chain will bog when buried full length in hardwood unless you ease up on it in the cut. If you just want it for limbing and lighter branches and trees, the 20 will help keep you from having to bend over as much. If you are cutting softwoods like conifers, a 20 is a bit more feasible. Saw balances like crap with a 20 on it, BTW.

I run a 16 inch B&C in 3/8 on mine.

Mine rips with a 20 inch bar , never bogs out at all.... no matter the type of wood or size of log. I've been a arborist for 12 years and have had my own Tree Service now for 3 years. It's my favorite go to saw as far as weight to function , cuts just as good as my 028 super , ms290 and ms390

 

[Biggzz]

Mine rips with a 20 inch bar , never bogs out at all.... no matter the type of wood or size of log. I've been a arborist for 12 years and have had my own Tree Service now for 3 years. It's my favorite go to saw as far as weight to function , cuts just as good as my 028 super , ms290 and ms390

And BTW it doesn't throw off balance bad enough to bother you at all.

 

[EKreider89]

I just bought a 18” .325 chain from the local Stihl dealer today for my 026. It’s Number is 3003 812 6817. It just is lettered with “Stihl Farm Boss”. I had seen the above mentioned Stihl ES Rollomatic. Is this the same bar? What’s the quality of this specific bar. Haven’t used the bar yet in case I should return it and use the money towards something better.

 

[Wood Doctor]

+1 on the 18" .325 bar size, just muff mod and your set with am excellent combo.

An 18" Stihl Farm Boss bar will work fine. I bought an 18" bar for my 026 PRO but never installed it. I still have the 16" on board along with .325 pitch chain. I really don't think it would have any trouble with the 18", but a 20" bar would seem too much load. Why overload it?

 

[Mad Professor]

I just bought a 18” .325 chain from the local Stihl dealer today for my 026. It’s Number is 3003 812 6817. It just is lettered with “Stihl Farm Boss”. I had seen the above mentioned Stihl ES Rollomatic. Is this the same bar? What’s the quality of this specific bar. Haven’t used the bar yet in case I should return it and use the money towards something better.

The ES bar is more heavy duty. It's a solid bar instead of laminated and has a replaceable tip.

The "farm boss" is same as the Stihl E bar. Decent bars and should be fine for your 026.