026 cutting sideways

[Dustin4185]

I know this sounds like a dumb question but hear me out.

Dad borrowed my recently acquired 026 to cut firewood on a log job near his house. He said it started cutting sideways so he changed the chain. I just put a new bar on it and had two new chains. The new chain did the same thing. It wasn't doing this last time I ran the saw. I checked the mount and clutch cover and didn't find anything out of the ordinary. Chains are still sharp. I also put a new rim sprocket on. It seems like the rim sprocket is pinned to one side. I ran it a little in the shed, and the bar seemed to heat up fast. It is oiling fine.

What could cause this? I know I have had a rough day and I ain't thinking straight (440 post!) but I have looked at most everything. Could the needle bearing be bad?

 

[Canadian farm boy]

I'm guessing your bar needs to be serviced. You might have some bad burrs on the bar rails and/or the bar rails may be worn uneven.
I think if your clutch needle bearing was that bad you'd be throwing chains and likely be hearing some bad metal on metal noises.

 

[Dustin4185]

New bar also. I just checked the needle bearing and they are all there, but there is some play in the clutch drum. The shaft looks like it has got hot as well. How much movement is acceptable? It moves about an 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch at least if I press on one side. I don't hear anything bad, but I could be missing it.

 

[RI Chevy]

Just asking, but does the chain and bar match up?
I would try a different matched bar/chain set. A known match. Could be either the bar or chain mismarked in the package. Just thinking outloud.

 

[Dustin4185]

Just asking, but does the chain and bar match up?
I would try a different matched bar/chain set. A known match. Could be either the bar or chain mismarked in the package. Just thinking outloud.

I will try one off a 290 next week. I will be out of town this weekend. That is the only saw I have access to with a .325/0.063 bar. Everything else I have is 3/8/0.050. I thought about that but everything seems to fit right. The only thing is it cut fine the last time I used it. I checked all the cutters and they are not rocked/dull/bent/etc. The new chains are Stihl brand and definitely .325.

 

[dall]

try it with the old bar before switching the clutch drum

 

[Motorhead]

Measure the cutters with calipers to see if they're the same length

 

[Dustin4185]

try it with the old bar before switching the clutch drum

No way! It had some no name Chinese junk on it. It's already in the scrap bin. It was also a 3/8 bar with .325 chain. That's why I had to get a new rim sprocket, bar, and chain. Will the spur sprocket and needle bearing from a 290 fit an 026? If so, I may try that also.

 

[Dustin4185]

Measure the cutters with calipers to see if they're the same length

I will in the morning. If they are different, it is not detected by the human eye and probably came from the factory like that.

 

[RI Chevy]

No way! It had some no name Chinese junk on it. It's already in the scrap bin. It was also a 3/8 bar with .325 chain. That's why I had to get a new rim sprocket, bar, and chain. Will the spur sprocket and needle bearing from a 290 fit an 026? If so, I may try that also.

I don't think so on the spur sprocket.
290 to 026.
I think 290 to 390 are in the same class.

 

[dall]

i didnt know about the old bar i just thought you replaced it because it was old

 

[dall]

the bar from the 290 will work on the 026

 

[Dustin4185]

i didnt know about the old bar i just thought you replaced it because it was old

I didn't mention it. Not sure what they were, no markings whatsoever. The paint had come off due to the bar oil where they were clamped by the clutch cover.

 

[RI Chevy]

I know this sounds trivial, but just be sure everything matches as far as gauges and size of bar, chain, sprocket, etc. And be sure the bearing is the right one.

 

[fearofpavement]

My guess is that it's the chain. I know you said it was sharp but that's where I've found the problem to be the vast majority of the time with a saw cutting curves.

 

[TJ the Chainsaw Mechanic]

It's made to cut corners people.

 

[jimmorrison]

Can you install the bar and chain without the clutch cover? Just snug up the bar nuts by hand, use a spacer if necessary. This way you should be able to check if everything lines up correctly.

 

[CR888]

If your chain catcher is bent or plastic chain guides are missing sometime the L or R cutter will nick the catcher or clutch cover inside and blunt one side of the chain. You need to inspect the chain, clutch cover and chain catcher. It may cut nice until the chain warms/stretches and one side touches a bent catcher. This may not be the case but given you have a new bar/chain and changed chains getting the same problem, I thought I'd share what's happened to me before.

 

[Trevj1]

Before you spend any money on this, does it do it for you?

Next, did you watch him cut with it?

My brother can pretty much make modern art out of a chunk of firewood, like almost in and out the top of the log, I can cut a straight line using the same saw.

Might be nothing wrong with the saw.

Just sayin'.

Trev

 

[Dustin4185]

I will try to run it without the clutch cover. I did use it for a short time in the shed and yes it cuts sideways. I have never had a saw with a new chain and bar do this. I don't know WTF is going on with it! I'm sure something simple.