Stilh MS 460 brake lever

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Wood Doctor
Joined
Jan 10, 2008
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12,563
Location
Omaha, Nebraska
Broke my brake lever today. Does anyone on here sell used parts or do I need to go through a dealer.
Thanks
It will be a bear cat to fix this yourself. That's the way it is. Dealers make a bundle fixing broken Stihl chain breaks. Get ready for sticker shock.

I have fixed several of these and it takes special tools, a few of which that I have made myself in my shop. It's not really easy for any mechanic.
 
angelo c
Joined
Dec 3, 2008
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Peoples Republic of North Jersey
It might work as well as mine that I made in my shop:



It's the big spring that will drive you crazy.

Edwin,
Im confused. what part of the broken brake is giving you problems?
the spring expansion ? or the broken handle replacement ?
Ive never really had a problem with the Stihl springs...
looks like your tool will work great as will a standard Brake tool.
I helped my buddy instal many pool covers a few years ago and they have a tool that slides under the spring and over the screw...same Idea.
Its just a pipe with a handle and a section cut out to slide over the screw/post. wrap spring around pipe, push the spring forward with the fulcrum, slide off spring onto post.
 
spindrift7mm

spindrift7mm

Changing the World One Saw at a time !
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Jul 22, 2011
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481
Location
Loomis, California
Everyone I tear down I pull the brake system down. A couple of old screwdrivers bent a little on the tips work well. The linkage studs need to be inspected. Get the part number off your broken part as there are different brake handles for the different saw handles. Ken
 
drf255

drf255

BAD CAD
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Socialists Republic of New York
I've never had a problem either. I take them apart on any full rebuild.

Take lots of pics, each step.

As for the big spring, if you have the old tool for adjusting drum brakes (the one that slides through the hole behind the wheel to turn the star adjuster) it works quite well.
 
ChoppyChoppy

ChoppyChoppy

Tree Freak
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Jun 17, 2013
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AK
Actually can you explain how you use that took? Is it just to slip a spring around the catch? It almost looks similar to the tool used for truck (semi truck) brakes to get the springs on and off.
 
Wood Doctor
Joined
Jan 10, 2008
Messages
12,563
Location
Omaha, Nebraska
Actually can you explain how you use that took? Is it just to slip a spring around the catch? It almost looks similar to the tool used for truck (semi truck) brakes to get the springs on and off.
Here's the deal. The tool I made makes it a snap to install the very powerful spring that activates the chain brake. You can wrestle with this forever with a screwdriver, pliers, and any other typical hardware store tool. Stihl sells one that works, as mentioned above. So does mine.

The idea is rather simple. The cup on the end of the tool wraps around the stud that the strong spring must grab. The spring's end wraps around the tool. As you lever the tool backwards, the end of the spring slips downward until it is behind the stud. Then you lift the tool up, and the spring snaps in behind the stud. A drop of oil near the back of the tool's tip makes it work even easier because the spring will slip downward more easily.

I should have made one of these ten years ago.
 

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