Lil Red Barn

[beaglebriar]

Hi guys. New here. I’m rebuilding an old 820 Jred that’s been in the family since new. It had a scored cylinder and chewed up piston. I was able to secure a clean OEM cylinder but the piston I found is old style with thin rings. Looks like hens teeth to find those rings. So I’m trying a Red Barn piston. Any advice you can give me is appreciated!

I’d use Caber rings and Oem circlips.

 

[Johnny J]

I’d use Caber rings and Oem circles.

Thx. I’ve been thinking that would be the best. I’ll keep hunting for some.

 

[beaglebriar]

Thx. I’ve been thinking that would be the best. I’ll keep hunting for some.

I’m referring to the LRB piston. You will probably never find a set of thin rings for what you have. The LRB piston would be fine for occasional use, they’re just not as nice as some others. But you’re real limited on options so go with what’s available and throw some cabers on it.

 

[Stump Shot]

Check the pin for proper fit, might be the old piston pin fits better with less play.

 

[afleetcommand]

SOME , not all of those old saws had a "thin" flat ring design, nothing from the aftermarket "ring" manufacturers fit. I had used a golf on one, a little ugly buy they work fine and use a more conventional ring design. Funny thing is I've used VEC pistons in pro applications for prolly 15 years or more now. My current logging saws , both the g395 and 572HTSS have Lil red barn pistons made by VEC out of India. Ugly as they are have yet to see one fail. As a rule there are a lot of opinions of products, often picked from other opinions online. Even some where the originator of an opinion picked over and measured, but never really used the piston opined about. First hand actual experience is really the only type to pay attention too if one is looking for "data" on something like this. Also There was an "episan" or something like that brand I had used as well that worked. Stock was obviously preferred if you had NOS or fresh NOS rings OR if the stock piston has the conventional ring design.

 

[Woodwater]

The Ring's on the lil red barn Pistons have other dimensions than the Ring's on OEM Pistons, if you wanna use other Ring's you have to measure them to order the right one's.

 

[Johnny J]

I’m referring to the LRB piston. You will probably never find a set of thin rings for what you have. The LRB piston would be fine for occasional use, they’re just not as nice as some others. But you’re real limited on options so go with what’s available and throw some cabers on it.

I talked to Caber and their rings measure at 52 x 1.5 mm. That will fit the LRB piston ring cuts. I’ll try that until I can find something else. If it works I’ll post back on this.
Btw, I pressure ck’d the cyl and crankcase last night and it did not hold. I’ll ck my intake/exhaust blockers tonight and see if that’s the leak. I suspect it will need crank seals.

 

[Johnny J]

The Ring's on the lil red barn Pistons have other dimensions than the Ring's on OEM Pistons, if you wanna use other Ring's you have to measure them to order the right one's.

Thx. Looks like caber’s will fit.

 

[Johnny J]

SOME , not all of those old saws had a "thin" flat ring design, nothing from the aftermarket "ring" manufacturers fit. I had used a golf on one, a little ugly buy they work fine and use a more conventional ring design. Funny thing is I've used VEC pistons in pro applications for prolly 15 years or more now. My current logging saws , both the g395 and 572HTSS have Lil red barn pistons made by VEC out of India. Ugly as they are have yet to see one fail. As a rule there are a lot of opinions of products, often picked from other opinions online. Even some were the originator of an opinion picked over and measured, but never really used the piston opined about. First hand actual experience is really the only type to pay attention too if one is looking for "data" on something like this. Also There was an "episan" or something like that brand I had used as well that worked. Stock was obviously preferred if you had NOS or fresh NOS rings OR if the stock piston has the conventional ring design.

Thanks. I appreciate your input. I’ll get back to you on how it runs once I get the leaks sealed up on the base…prob have to replace the crank seals.
So, LRB, Golf etc are all VEC made?

 

[beaglebriar]

I talked to Caber and their rings measure at 52 x 1.5 mm. That will fit the LRB piston ring cuts. I’ll try that until I can find something else. If it works I’ll post back on this.
Btw, I pressure ck’d the cyl and crankcase last night and it did not hold. I’ll ck my intake/exhaust blockers tonight and see if that’s the leak. I suspect it will need crank seals.

I may have some crank seals if you need them. They're an aftermarket double lip seal but they have worked well for me in the couple I have built.

 

[Johnny J]

I may have some crank seals if you need them. They're an aftermarket double lip seal but they have worked well for me in the couple I have built.

Thx! Let me see what I find over the weekend. I’m hoping it’s just my plugs. But when it was running I recall it starting hard which probably indicated some leaks.