What about this bar and chain

[livemusic]

Long story... I won't bore you with the long version. Husqvarna 346xp, ported, bought used, strong saw... but the bar/chain on it was trouble. It's been awhile but I think it was a short, HuskyLite setup that had been modified. Yesterday, I went to a dealer and he sold me these Oregon brand...

180vxlgk095 Versacut guide bar, 18 inch, .325 050
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Oregon-...095/306913828?source=shoppingads&locale=en-US

20lpx072g chain (supposedly full chisel), 72 link, .325 050

The sales clerk kind of talked me into this choice, says he owns three 346 saws, his favorite saw! (Says he uses 20 inch .325.) It appears to me that this is just a 'consumer' level bar/chain. Is this sufficient or should I buy something better for a ported 346? This bar does not have a grease port hole and the sprocket tip is not replaceable. Does it matter? After all the trouble I had with the previous bar/chain, I would like to get a decent setup and am concerned about this bar choice. It's a strong saw and I figure I will use it alot. I had inquire about possibly buying a narrow kerf setup and the dealer parts guy had never heard of it! Another worker overheard us and came in and "educated" us, saying NK is only for carvers. I didn't argue the point, I was ready to go by then, lol. (I had also asked the clerk, "Doesn't Oregon sell a bar called "something-cut" that is not "Versacut?" He was not aware of it. What I was thinking of is "Speedcut," an Oregon narrow kerf bar. Although, I do not know if Speedcut is available for my Husky saw.)

I live in a small town and it's a pain to go to the big city to buy stuff; I sure hate to change but I will if I need to! (I am not married to Oregon in any way, brand doesn't matter to me, just whatever is good.) Will this bar/chain work just fine or what is the drawback?

 

[deye223]

Tsumura lite . It will cost you a bit but will last , very durable.

 

[OldJack]

The 20lpx072g is a full chisel pro chain. If you want something better when it wears out, get a Stihl 23RS3 for close to double the money. https://www.stihlusa.com/products/chain-saws/saw-chains/rsc3/

The 180VXLGK095 bar is light at 1.775 lb. If you find the saw tail heavy, the 180SLGK095 weighs 2.209 lb. I've got one on the 5105. It's a slab, isn't greasable either. Actually it seems that the greasable nose sprocket is a thing of the past. Stihl doesn't make them any more.

I've heard good things about Tsumuras, haven't used one. Get a second chain or three. One rock or fence staple can send you back to the yard for a file.

 

[livemusic]

The 20lpx072g is a full chisel pro chain. If you want something better when it wears out, get a Stihl 23RS3 for close to double the money. https://www.stihlusa.com/products/chain-saws/saw-chains/rsc3/

The 180VXLGK095 bar is light at 1.775 lb. If you find the saw tail heavy, the 180SLGK095 weighs 2.209 lb. I've got one on the 5105. It's a slab, isn't greasable either. Actually it seems that the greasable nose sprocket is a thing of the past. Stihl doesn't make them any more.

I've heard good things about Tsumuras, haven't used one. Get a second chain or three. One rock or fence staple can send you back to the yard for a file.

Well,OldJack, the dealer clerk dude was right about one thing for sure... the bar he sold me is light. He said it had aluminum in it and is "lighter." Light is good unless the saw is not balanced, as you said. I am itching to use my saw. It is def a consumer bar, a nothing special (but hopefully adequate) because it's sold in Home Depot and Walmart! For less than his price, too.

 

[Wolverine]

Will this bar/chain work just fine or what is the drawback?

Yes, it will.
Drawback, I've read they are more flexible so be cautious there. Otherwise, let 'er rip.

 

[livemusic]

Well, I'll be damned. I haven't looked over this saw in a very long time, it's been "down" for a couple years. I have just cranked it every three months to run it a bit. I forgot... the sprocket on my saw is Oregon 3/8-7. Unless I have lost my mind, that is for a 3/8 chain, not .325. I have no idea why it is a 3/8, I bought the saw used. So, I could put the bar/chain that is on my ms362 if I just have to cut wood today, lol. Problem is, it's a 20 inch bar. It'd work but could be a bit much?

What makes me mad is the dealer I bought from is one hour away and I, literally, took the saw in for him to inspect and said, like I always do, "I know enough to be dangerous, please look at this and tell me what I need." I think the guy ASSUMED it is a .325 sprocket but it's 3/8! Meaning, I should have bought the proper .325 sprocket. Now I gotta drive back. I tell ya... I know my limitations, I don't know much about saws but I try to be super careful when I buy but I absolutely cannot rely on the damn people that sell me stuff. It's pathetic.

If I have this wrong regarding sprocket/bar/chain matchup, let me know and I'll eat crow.

 

[Wolverine]

Well, I'll be damned. I haven't looked over this saw in a very long time, it's been "down" for a couple years. I have just cranked it every three months to run it a bit. I forgot... the sprocket on my saw is Oregon 3/8-7. Unless I have lost my mind, that is for a 3/8 chain, not .325. I have no idea why it is a 3/8, I bought the saw used. So, I could put the bar/chain that is on my ms362 if I just have to cut wood today, lol. Problem is, it's a 20 inch bar. It'd work but could be a bit much?

What makes me mad is the dealer I bought from is one hour away and I, literally, took the saw in for him to inspect and said, like I always do, "I know enough to be dangerous, please look at this and tell me what I need." I think the guy ASSUMED it is a .325 sprocket but it's 3/8! Meaning, I should have bought the proper .325 sprocket. Now I gotta drive back. I tell ya... I know my limitations, I don't know much about saws but I try to be super careful when I buy but I absolutely cannot rely on the damn people that sell me stuff. It's pathetic.

If I have this wrong regarding sprocket/bar/chain matchup, let me know and I'll eat crow.

Should just be a simple rim sprocket change. Pick one up fro DDave and have it sent.. save a trip. Chit happens.

 

[full chizel]

The bar on the 362 won’t work on the 346

 

[livemusic]

The bar on the 362 won’t work on the 346

Ok, thanks. I guess it is a different mount.

 

[fossil]

The new Oregon bars with no tip grease hole have a sealed bearing.

 

[Al Smith]

There has always been a bone of contention about greasing a tip .The idea of not greasing them it was thought it became a place to suck up saw dust and grit which would act like valve grinding compound over time .In all these years I've spun off one tip and it was a cheaper Oregon bar that must have out lasted a bucket full of chain loops .As for the saw it was/is a Mac PM 610 which is one tough old bird .

 

[trooney]

I run 3/8 on my ported 346. You can run either one. Like Wolverine said, just get a rim and have done.

 

[deye223]

I have not greased a tip in 20 plus years I have worn out the sprocket teeth in the nose and not had a bearing failure so no grease for me.

 

[popopboat]

Have a 18" Versacut on my 359, partially because its was the only bar available for the 359, but no regrets so far. Running a 3/8 too, was thinking about switching to 325, but not worth it.
Overall pretty satisfied, noticeably lighter.

Shop guy said that i need a 188VXLHZ095, narrow mount just as for 346xp.

Theres a rule on greasing a sprocket, always or never. Bar oil lubricates it, but if you sometimes put grease in, it will create a barrier around the sprocket for oil, and will run dry.
Ive never greased sprocket too, even the 10$ bar is still working without the grease and its the most used bar that i have.

 

[00wyk]

There has always been a bone of contention about greasing a tip .The idea of not greasing them it was thought it became a place to suck up saw dust and grit which would act like valve grinding compound over time .In all these years I've spun off one tip and it was a cheaper Oregon bar that must have out lasted a bucket full of chain loops .As for the saw it was/is a Mac PM 610 which is one tough old bird .

For a property owner, or home owner, I doubt greasing makes much difference. Not properly sharpening the teeth and ducking it in dirt is probably gonna limit the life of the bar more than anything.
I think the grease actually keeps debris out of the sprocket bearings. It's very easy to see that it does. Just grease your bar - it forces all the old grease out, along with all the debris that may be in there. If you don't grease it, all the debris just stays in there with no grease. Wood resin and dirt make a very poor grease substitute.
In any case, you should have a grease gun handy for the clutch bearing servicing. We all do that, right? Why not just grease the tip when it looks like it might need it.

 

[Al Smith]

Well concerning clutch bearing the same opinions hold true .To grease or not to grease with conflicting arguments .
I'll just say this regarding that .Much to my surprise in a recent rebuild of two Partner P-100s it had a hollow hole from the oil pump which is internal to the area where the clutch bearing would be on the drum there fore providing some lubrication . I might add in all the saws I've worked on it was the very first time I had ever seen that .Evidently the designers of that saw thought it was a good idea .As for me I just periodically change clutch drum bearings if I feel they aren't quite right ,never grease .Those things are only a couple bucks a piece .If you really think about it a bushing works just as well as a needle bearing on a clutch drum .

 

[00wyk]

Well concerning clutch bearing the same opinions hold true .To grease or not to grease with conflicting arguments .
I'll just say this regarding that .Much to my surprise in a recent rebuild of two Partner P-100s it had a hollow hole from the oil pump which is internal to the area where the clutch bearing would be on the drum there fore providing some lubrication . I might add in all the saws I've worked on it was the very first time I had ever seen that .Evidently the designers of that saw thought it was a good idea .As for me I just periodically change clutch drum bearings if I feel they aren't quite right ,never grease .Those things are only a couple bucks a piece .If you really think about it a bushing works just as well as a needle bearing on a clutch drum .

It may be cheap, but a dry clutch bearing is going to introduce more heat to the chassis. Is it important if you are an occasional user? Probably not. Using it every day or logging with it? Might be.

 

[Al Smith]

I'll put it like this .The only clutch drum bearings I have came across that were hung ,frozen it was apparent they had been greased .Perhaps however had they been removed cleaned up and lubricated periodically they might not have hung up .With a Stihl it's just a matter of removing the e clip but on an outboard clutch it's a little more entailed to remove the drum . Quick frankly it's a pain in the rear and time consuming .

 

[00wyk]

I'll put it like this .The only clutch drum bearings I have came across that were hung ,frozen it was apparent they had been greased .Perhaps however had they been removed cleaned up and lubricated periodically they might not have hung up .With a Stihl it's just a matter of removing the e clip but on an outboard clutch it's a little more entailed to remove the drum . Quick frankly it's a pain in the rear and time consuming .

Could be. Could also be survivorship bias. But as with the bar tips, I would think that dirt and debris are far less adequate lubricants than grease is.

I just greased my saws. Took 5 minutes for 6 of them.

 

[Al Smith]

Okay now another bone of contention .Since this thing has grown legs I just went out in my garage and looked at a dozen or more bars I had on nails .Oregon, Windsor, Carlton .These all have the little hole to squirt the oil, grease whatever to lubricate the bearing .Surprisingly the few Stihl branded bars had no hole and the only lubrication they could get has the be what the chain drive links could provide dribbling off them .Evidently then among manufacture's they also have different opinions .I might add on that Stihl has a stellar reputation on stuff .