Tips for high use saws...

[pro94lt]

What's your tips or little things you do to high use saws? Here are some of mine.
On the 3 series husky after a lot of use the top cover will vibrate enough and wear down the tabs to where it won't fit snug anymore. You take off the top cover, remove the threaded dowel fasteners that are inside the cover and grind a 1/16 or so off the bottom, install and they'll fit snug again.
On saws with a snap fit air filter remove the filter and bend the metal fastener to where it holds it tighter, I've had filters wear to the point they wobble a lot and don't deal tight.

On the older saws with throttle rods, not cables make sure it's actually opening the butterfly on the carb all the way, I've had several 2100, 288 and others wear to the point you couldn't open the the carb all the way. It looks like they designed a u in the rod so you could bend them to bring it back to 100%
What tips you got?

 

[Stihlbro]

Good tips. I think a good cleaning is necessary. Keep the cylinder fins and behind the recoil cleaned out.

 

[Czed]

clutches need to be cleaned occasionally I've worked on a couple of saws where debris.wires cable etc . have wound around the clutch and chewed up the cases and oilers.

 

[czar800]

Must be a husky thing

 

[Canadian farm boy]

Here we go again....lol

 

[czar800]

I always say clean air & plenty of oil. Sharp chains and clean bars help a saw last.
A few things I've notice wearing on my older Stihl is the bar studs at base that the bar goes over. I've had a few AV mounts wear down.

 

[Wood Doctor]

The bars on heavy use saws wear to the point that the drive links on a new chain will touch bottom and lift up the chain. At that point, pitch the bar because it will wear the toe of the drive link round and the chain jumps the track rather easily.

I remove burrs on the sides of the bar with a mill bastard file and flip it each time I sharpen the chain.

Clean the air filter more frequently--any time that I remove the chain for sharpening or replacing and get rid of the gunk inside the bar's groove.

Give the clutch/sprocket cover a bath.

 

[jmssaws]

Clean your recoils and flywheels fellas and keep your airfilter clean.

I see dead saws everyday that would be alive if those 2 things were done.

Most don't clean the flywheel and recoil but please do your saw will thank you.

 

[Wood Doctor]

On heavy use saws, check the rim sprocket more often. I serviced one from a tree-trimming company that had let the chain slice right through the rim sprocket. The operator kept tightening the chain to keep working and eventually the chain ate through the rim sprocket, the clutch cover splines, and almost reached the needle bearing. The chain was ruined also.

As they say, "...anything to get the cutting job done."

 

[CoreyB]

Ummmm trade them in on a new saw. Like a Dolmar 6100.

 

[bikemike]

Keep cooling system clean, clean filters and sharp chain run the chit out of them

 

[psuiewalsh]

rinse out the oil tank and fuel tank with mix. I have dumped out half a cup of chips out of tanks. They have to stick to the screens and filters during use.

 

[d.l.d]

Make sure the clutch drum needle bearing is cleaned and lightly greased every so often. Seen a lot of saws that ive got in for repairs that are high use and that ive bought for parts with such badly worn/bad needle bearings that the drum was cutting into the oiler so much it was leaking or melting the plastic case on the homeowners saws, that the case was deformed so much the oiler gear wasnt even touching the worm gear. Possible some of those were a combination of clutch slipping and heating up from chain issues and worn bearing. But none the less think its a good thing to check every so often.

 

[raumati01]

Great thread, I got a bunch of trade ins from a chainsaw repair shop that had been trashed mostly through lack of simple maintenance.

 

[Mag Craft]

My tip is. When you see a problem or potential problem fix it right away or suffer the consequences.
I worked on a MS460 not to long ago for a tree service co. The clutch springs were bad and the chain would never stop moving at idle. Before I could get the springs the guys were using the saw and putting on the brake at idle, well the thing got so hot I believe it distorted the crank seal which caused a air leak the saw ran lean and they scored the crap out of it. One indicator was the plastic around the clutch drum was melted pretty good. Oh well.

 

[CR888]

Fresh mix at consistant ratio, clean air filter, fuel tank/filter, keep B/C clean and hit it with a raker file when burrs form. Sharp chain. Propane torch spark arrestor to clean. Compressed air to blast out debris and keep cylinder fins clean. Run at wot and avoid idle for prolonged periods. Check and tighten fasteners, add some copper/zinc based high temp lube to muffler bolts.

 

[angelo c]

For high use saws.....


Ba dump bump.....




Start with a "Stihl "

 

[Wood Doctor]

High use saws can quickly become zero use saws. All you have to do is ignore simple maintenance.

 

[pro94lt]

I've got some extremely used saws with spring a/v my 394 is still going I really don't know how but the handle bar rubber is rubbed so thin it's almost wore through to the aluminum handle, and the springs are so flimsy I feel a new set of AV springs might make it feel a bit better??? Anyone replaced springs due to being wore out? I've only replaced broken rubbers or springs not the entire system...

 

[Agent Orange]

Clean your recoils and flywheels fellas and keep your airfilter clean.

I see dead saws everyday that would be alive if those 2 things were done.

Most don't clean the flywheel and recoil but please do your saw will thank you.

What's the best way to go about this? Remove the cover and blow it out? How often?

Make sure the clutch drum needle bearing is cleaned and lightly greased every so often. Seen a lot of saws that ive got in for repairs that are high use and that ive bought for parts with such badly worn/bad needle bearings that the drum was cutting into the oiler so much it was leaking or melting the plastic case on the homeowners saws, that the case was deformed so much the oiler gear wasnt even touching the worm gear. Possible some of those were a combination of clutch slipping and heating up from chain issues and worn bearing. But none the less think its a good thing to check every so often.

Care to walk me around this? My saws have to last me my lifetime.