High Quality Chainsaw Bars Husqvarna Toys

Chainsaw drive links versus pitch

Scott Kelsey

Super OPE Member
Local time
2:30 AM
User ID
6375
Joined
Jun 10, 2018
Messages
243
Reaction score
277
Location
Wisconsin
Country flag
Hi, I am newer to learning the ins and outside of chainsaw chain and I have a question. If you had the same size chain, say 24" for example, but one was .325 pitch and the other was .375 pitch would this change the number of drive links between the two chains? Thanks for any and all help.
 

Dub11

Saw R skeery
GoldMember
Local time
2:30 AM
User ID
2014
Joined
Oct 21, 2016
Messages
34,438
Reaction score
146,038
Location
Kansas
Country flag
Yes it would. And you have to consider bar shape too. I have a 18" K095 in .325 and 3/8s (.375) and the .325 is 72dl and the 3/8s 68dl. And now to really mix it up I have 18" 3/8s lp on a poulan and its 62dl.


What kind of saw are you running?
 

Scott Kelsey

Super OPE Member
Local time
2:30 AM
User ID
6375
Joined
Jun 10, 2018
Messages
243
Reaction score
277
Location
Wisconsin
Country flag
Dub11,

Thank you for the reply. The saw is a Stihl 661 with a 24 inch Cannon bar running a .375 .050 chain. I found a chain I am wanting to purchase. It is new old stock Oregon, and the chain is 24" .050
.404 pitch. I am just looking to run this chain on larger logs when need be and would like to find a few of these chains.
 

chipper1

Here For The Long Haul!
Local time
3:30 AM
User ID
1463
Joined
Jun 25, 2016
Messages
6,273
Reaction score
23,585
Location
Grand Rapids Mi
Country flag
If you are looking to run .404 I'd gun for the new stuff in .063 gauge its gonna oil better and you will have an easier time finding a bar for it.
Yes, that 661 will have a hard time oiling that 24 lol.
 

chipper1

Here For The Long Haul!
Local time
3:30 AM
User ID
1463
Joined
Jun 25, 2016
Messages
6,273
Reaction score
23,585
Location
Grand Rapids Mi
Country flag
Hi, I am newer to learning the ins and outside of chainsaw chain and I have a question. If you had the same size chain, say 24" for example, but one was .325 pitch and the other was .375 pitch would this change the number of drive links between the two chains? Thanks for any and all help.
Hey Scott welcome to OPE.
Looks like Wayne is getting your questions all answered for you.
Don't worry about my post above, just giving him a hard time:stick:.
 

Dub11

Saw R skeery
GoldMember
Local time
2:30 AM
User ID
2014
Joined
Oct 21, 2016
Messages
34,438
Reaction score
146,038
Location
Kansas
Country flag
Hey Scott welcome to OPE.
Looks like Wayne is getting your questions all answered for you.
Don't worry about my post above, just giving him a hard time:stick:.

Those Stihls are stingy man.
 

Scott Kelsey

Super OPE Member
Local time
2:30 AM
User ID
6375
Joined
Jun 10, 2018
Messages
243
Reaction score
277
Location
Wisconsin
Country flag
That brings up my next question. Before I ran the saw yesterday in wood for the first time I ran the chain to make sure I was getting oil. The chain looked oiled well so I proceeded to cut. At the end of the evening I checked it again but did not see any oil on the chain nor was the saw "slinging" any oil onto the ship floor as many people say it should. I do know the oiler is turned almost all the way up. Any thoughts or suggestions? Also, why do you say the .404 won't get proper oil? Does the actual cutting teeth get oil or just the drive teeth?
 

Dub11

Saw R skeery
GoldMember
Local time
2:30 AM
User ID
2014
Joined
Oct 21, 2016
Messages
34,438
Reaction score
146,038
Location
Kansas
Country flag
It's more like .063 gauge oils better than .050. Was the oiler hole plugged?
What brand of bar are you using?

On a few of the new Oregon bars I have I have enlarged the oiler hole to my liking.
 

Scott Kelsey

Super OPE Member
Local time
2:30 AM
User ID
6375
Joined
Jun 10, 2018
Messages
243
Reaction score
277
Location
Wisconsin
Country flag
I will check the oiler hole in about an hour and a half as it is at the inlays. Do they plug that easy? The bar is a Cannon bar. Maybe I will look at the size of the oiler hole. Thanks for all the help. This is a nice community.
 

chipper1

Here For The Long Haul!
Local time
3:30 AM
User ID
1463
Joined
Jun 25, 2016
Messages
6,273
Reaction score
23,585
Location
Grand Rapids Mi
Country flag
That brings up my next question. Before I ran the saw yesterday in wood for the first time I ran the chain to make sure I was getting oil. The chain looked oiled well so I proceeded to cut. At the end of the evening I checked it again but did not see any oil on the chain nor was the saw "slinging" any oil onto the ship floor as many people say it should. I do know the oiler is turned almost all the way up. Any thoughts or suggestions? Also, why do you say the .404 won't get proper oil? Does the actual cutting teeth get oil or just the drive teeth?
Pull the bar and run the saw without the bar to see if it's oiling well if it is, clean the oil hole on the bar and reassemble and see if it's spraying off the bar after a minute. The oiler is keeping the drive teeth and the bar lubed, it will also lube the nose sprocket if you have one on the bar and it lubes the joints where the rivet connects everything together on the chain. It isn't meant to lube the teeth but if you are raving the saw out of wood the teeth will get oil on them.
The 661 should have no problem oiling a 24" bar, that was part of the joke I was making above with Wayne.
Let us know how it goes.
 

Philbert

Chainsaw Enthusiast
Local time
2:30 AM
User ID
737
Joined
Jan 30, 2016
Messages
4,421
Reaction score
17,838
Location
East Dakota
Country flag
If you had the same size chain, say 24" for example, but one was .325 pitch and the other was .375 pitch would this change the number of drive links between the two chains?
Yes.

But you would also have to change the drive sprocket on the saw's power head, and the nose sprocket on the guide bar (if it has one) to match the new pitch.

The chain, bar, and sprockets need to work as a system. Change one, and you may have to change to others to fit.

Pitch, gauge, and drive link count are the key things to know what chain will fit your saw.

But there are different types of chain. I use the example of tires for your car: the numbers on the sidewall (e.g. 'P 225 R 15') determine if the tire will fit your rims / wheels. But then you can choose high speed tires, mud+snow / off road tires, all season radials, etc. Chain types include: full chisel, semi-chisel, chipper, carbide tipped, skip sequence, etc.

Lots of information in this booklet:
http://en.oregonproducts.com/pro/pdf/maintenance_manual/ms_manual.pdf

Philbert
 
Last edited:
Top