Stihl Bars?

[Stumpcutter]

Hi Guys:

Been an Avid reader for many months, and acquired great knowledge from all of your guy's experiences and expertise. Thanks to all, that take the time to help the new guys with all our questions and problems. I tried doing a search on this question, but have not found much. So here it is: Are Stihl Bars better than the after market brands like Arbor Pro or Oregon etc? Just trying to compare, if price is a indicator the Stihl's should be better, but are they? I need to get a new 20" bar for my MS460 and just wanted input on which on to buy. Also is a Narrow Kerf Bar and chain combination a good choice for a MS260 Pro, or does the saw have to much power for the narrow kerf set up?

Thanks for your input

Stumpcutter

 

[computeruser]

Stihl's ES Super bars are good bars. I think that most would place them a bit above Oregon PowerMatch; not sure about ArborPro, but I suspect that the same would apply to them, too. Lots of folks dislike the Oregon tips, which ArborPro also use, so that might be a point to consider. A search on the topic of bar preferences/rationale will bring up a number of posts on the topic.

On the subject of narrow kerf bar/chain setups: http://arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=28769

 

[TRUSSMAN]

I need a new bar for 046 also, this will interesting.
Jeff

 

[skwerl]

Stihl bars are very good but overpriced IMO. A Stihl bar will not wear as fast but the difference isn't enough to justify the huge price difference.

I run 24" GB Titanium bars on my 372's, I get them for $42 each plus shipping. They are very good bars (worst characteristic is the cheap paint which wears off in a week). I recently bought a 24" Stihl bar for an old restored 038Magnum and the bar cost me $67 plus tax. It might be slightly better than the premium GB bars but it ain't $25 better.

 

[Mr.]

Stihl bars and tips rule. They should be greasable, but if you have a drill handy they are.

Fred

 

[Mr.]

Stihl bars are very good but overpriced IMO. A Stihl bar will not wear as fast but the difference isn't enough to justify the huge price difference.

I run 24" GB Titanium bars on my 372's, I get them for $42 each plus shipping. They are very good bars (worst characteristic is the cheap paint which wears off in a week). I recently bought a 24" Stihl bar for an old restored 038Magnum and the bar cost me $67 plus tax. It might be slightly better than the premium GB bars but it ain't $25 better.

You're getting hosed on the bars and us on the saws. $50 for a 25 inch.

Fred

 

[bwalker]

Stihl bars and tips rule. They should be greasable, but if you have a drill handy they are.

I have wondered about doing this, but someone said that Stihls tip was sealed. Is this true?
As for bars. The orange GB's are decent, but the tips are not the best. The made in Canada Windsors have decent tips but soft rails. The Oregon powermatches have soft rails and the tips suck. I in fact have one in the garage right now that didnt make it through 10 cord of firewood before it went south.

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

I use Stihl bars. What did you search for? This has been talked about before. Do a search for "Oregon + Woodsman Pro + bar) If you add Stihl to your seach criteria, you'll get every post on the site.

I've put alot of hours on Stihl bars and haven't been disappointed yet.

Welcome to AS. And thanks for searching first. Most don't.

Jeff

 

[Lakeside53]

Stihl bars and tips rule. They should be greasable, but if you have a drill handy they are.

Fred

I agree on the Stihl bars, and particularly like the ES series.

Is there some specific reason why you want to drill a hole in the tip to grease it?

Stihl dropped the "grease" hole a long time ago when they introduced the oilmatic chains. Their chains have a groove in them that carries the oil to the tip, or so they say.

 

[woodfarmer]

bwalker

i would say stay with stihl bars for stihl saws, i used a windsor bar on 038 for ten years, i also have oregon powermatch on my jonsered, twelve years and it finally splintered on the rails. thats cutting firewood maybe avg 6-8 cord per year, dress the bar after everyday cutting, and it will last a long time, you must be hard on the bar to only get 10 cord out of it.

 

[pinus]

The bar groove and oiling holes are good to clean after evry chain swaping, and no problems with ES bar tip

 

[smokechase II]

stihl bar good price

I was at Madsen’s in Centralia Wash yesterday and got two 3/8th 50 ga 32" stihl bars for $53.80 apiece. (With an out of State License I avoided state tax). But being from Central Oregon, I only get to make it to those cheap prices occasionally when I'm up North for some other reason)
Stihl protects its dealers well. No shipped stuff from them.
But if you can make Centralia, the price thing for Stihl quality is not a point of contention any more.
The stihl stock 3 part air filters for 044,440,046,460,066,660 saws were $21.80
Roll of 3/8th 50 ga, full chisel, full skip square filed was $216.00 and so forth...
They don't carry the metal headed plastic wedges; will have to pay postage on those from Baileys.

 

[bwalker]

, you must be hard on the bar to only get 10 cord out of it.

Bore cutting, dirty firewood is hard on the bar.
One thing I must say in praise of Oregon is that the paint process has improved on the Made in Canada bars. The bar I have that just fried the tip had the paint fall of imediatly while the a newer one I bought seems to be holding up great.

 

[Jack Russell]

A great Bar That's Over Looked

I have all the bars that has been suggested on this thread. They are good But out of curiosity I tried a bar I had never heard of The SugiHara made in Japan. Have purchase three off eBay . The bar is lighter, yet the quality is there It is not cheap made and the price of bar is not cheap I can tell the differents with the 25" bar on the Stihi MS360 in weight. At the end of a work day the small differents in weight means a lot in how you feel.

I did get feed back from some members on the Forum first. The ones that had used this make of bar gave it high Marks.

Jack Russell

 

[Mr.]

I agree on the Stihl bars, and particularly like the ES series.

Is there some specific reason why you want to drill a hole in the tip to grease it?

Stihl dropped the "grease" hole a long time ago when they introduced the oilmatic chains. Their chains have a groove in them that carries the oil to the tip, or so they say.

Go through alot of tips. Have YOU ever seen one come out while cutting?

Grease is good.

Fred

 

[Freakingstang]

I don't have any experience with stihl bars, but according to the local dealer, stihl is the only one that makes it own bars, chains and rim sprockets. I like their chain on my husky's and would think their bars are of good quality.

I ran oregon powermatch bars on the 365's, but the saw I used the most continually wore the rails bad. I would have to dress the bar a lot after everyday of heavy firewood cutting. I have added a Total bar to the 372 spec 365 and have been very happy with it. It might be a tad heavier, but it doesn't wear like the oregon's did.

 

[bwalker]

Go through alot of tips. Have YOU ever seen one come out while cutting?

Yep..They turn blue and spread open.

 

[Lakeside53]

Go through alot of tips. Have YOU ever seen one come out while cutting?

Grease is good.

Fred

Not me personally.

I have seem a lot of ES and standard bars that come into the shop, many old and in shocking condition (a little grind now and then, and a groove clean-out won't hurt), but the tip and bearings seem to hang together just fine. We even stopped carrying tips and bearings in stock 'cos they almost never sold. I just love the guys that come in with a really worn bar and beaten up sprocket and want a new chain, but wont pay for the bar grind or a new rim sprocket.

It might have to do with the type of wood being cut (pretty much all softwoods out here; do the tannins in oak corrode your bearings?), type of bar lube (maybe.. but a stretch), type of chain (do you or others having trouble use the stihl chain?). All guesses...

Stihl obviously thought the hole wasn't required or they would have left it in place.

 

[skwerl]

The problem with using grease is that after 5 minutes of use it no is no longer in the bearing. It's around the outside of the bearing and it does two things. It sticks to any dirt that might come by and holds it right there next to the bearing. It may also prevent the bar lube from getting in and flushing away the dirt.

IMO cleaning the tip with compressed air once or twice a week is much better maintenance than pumping a bunch of grease into it. Air will get ALL the crap out and when you fire the saw up, fresh clean bar lube will be able to lubricate the bearings. The last tip I blew out was about 4 years ago on a POS Oregon Pro91 laminated bar. My bars typically get replaced due to being bent or worn, but almost never due to tips blowing out. I've never greased a tip in my life.

 

[bwalker]

I grease all mine, not to lubricate, but to prevent corrosion when not in use. The grease is quickly flushed out by the bar oil.