.325 chain

[justincase]

anybody seen bad batch's of chain? I have been breaking .325 stihl chain left and right. Dealer says cold weather and hot bar running in snow. I don't believe it but anything is possible. First one he said rakers were too aggressive but then I brought some in that I hadn't even filed yet. Broke two yesterday that the dealer repaired day before. Running them on a 2152 jonsered and 353 husky. Any thoughts on going to 3/8 chain. Hate to unless it will make a big difference. I probably have broken 10 chains this month and never had this situation before. Thanks for advice.

[clww]

I've run .325 063 for years on my 028 and 290 with 16" and 20" bars. I've broken 2 chains total, although I'm not a pro logger with 5 day a week use each year.

[Al_Smith]

Something is amiss with that cutting system other than bad chain .First of all a 3 cubic inch saw doesn't have enough power to pull apart a chain  aggressive or not  unless it snagged on something at speed .

If I were a betting man my money would be on a badly worn rim or spur whatever it is .Now I've seen such things believe it or not of some running mismatched bars that will break a chain .I never figure out how they got them to work at all though .

I've never ever broken a chain in over 40 years and hope I never do .If I did though I'd not have broken ten before I kind of investigated the cause .Dang that could hurt you .

[justincase]

This happening on two different saws using the same chain. The 353 is about two months old, original bar and sprockets and the 2152 is a couple years old with just one replaced tip. Bars are in good shape dressed by me or dealer. There is no rhyme or reason to when it happens. Limbing, felling and bucking. Yesterday I just touched a hemlock limb with no pressure and chain broke.

[Cut4fun]

Sounds like you need to type a letter to stihl and bypass the dealer. JMO. Product Complaint, Technical Question.  Here is a link.

http://www.stihlusa.com/contact.php

[Al_Smith]

An option of course would be to get a driver count and order a few loops from Baileys .If you don't break them ,that would pretty much tell the tale  I would think .

By the way just exactly what brand of chain is it ?

[Cut4fun]

By the way just exactly what brand of chain is it ?

been breaking .325 stihl chain left and right.

Not that it matters was it RM or RS. Leaving off all the 2, C etc on purpose.

[isawlogs]

First thing I would do is change chain supplier and brand as Al indicated and go from there. I have broke one chain , maybe two , but both where my fault to have used them to the breaking point never had a new chain break, let alone ten in a month.

[justincase]

I  am using 25 rsc 72 oilomatic stihl. He said it was the best chain for what I was doing which is cutting wood daily and he claimed oregon didn't make a good comparable chain. If someone has another recommendation let me know.

[Cut4fun]

I  am using 25 rsc

Sure it isnt 26 RSC?  That is some good chain and tops in the 325. Thats also the first stuff I go for is RS 325 in 325 chain.

[justincase]

box says 25 rsc

[Al_Smith]

I won't say anything bad about Stihl chain because it's about top of the line .It should be for what it costs but that's beside the point . I had overlooked the fact it was stated as  being Stihl chain .

Whatever is amiss then is amiss on both saws .Kind of hard to determine over the internet .Thinking out loud though if it were tightened up after it got heated up it would surely eat up the rails of the bar in addition to possibley getting tight enough to cause breakage .If that were the case though it wouldn't cut worth a hoot . Also that tight would do a number on the drum in addition to the power side crankshaft bearing .A great mystery at this point .

[lumberjack48]

I had the same problem with 3/8 - 050. oilomatic Stihl chain, Stihl chain is temper way harder then any other brand, this why it stays sharp longer.
I didn't have time for broken chain, i went to Carlton chain.

Its not your filing or anything its the chain, i think some rolls got over temper, it seems like that because i could get one chain and its good, the next chain i couldn't  keep together.

I didn't have this problem with Carlton or Oregon chain.

May be going to a 063. driver might solve it, i don't know never tried.

Like Cut4fun said, bring this complaint right to Stihl, if it was my chain, I'd want to know, may be they'll give you a roll of good chain

[justincase]

I don't think the chain is too tight. I try to lift chain off rail when tightening but doesn't sag off bottom of rail when tight.  I haven't needed to dress bar much and seems even and smooth. I ran file over bar friday and serviced both saws. Sharpened chains so both saws were ready saturday morning. My brother broke one chain with husky on first tank of fuel and I broke one with jonsered first tank of fuel then rest of day went fine both of those chains had broke previously and were repaired day before by dealer. The time spent changing chain is the most frustrating especially wading in our crotch deep snow.

[Al_Smith]

I'd be more worried about that thing taking a chunk out of your leg .

[Cut4fun]

box says 25 rsc

Sorry just a little slow today . 25 rsc = 058 gauge.  I was thinking stihl and not jred husky bars.

[justincase]

I think I pay about 24$ for these chains and have wondered if buying a roll and the tools would be cheaper in the long run but now I would hate to have 100' of bad chain. My dealer support is generally very good. I bring in a saw and they usually fix it while I wait if its not a big deal. I also pay for it and usually I am in on a weekly basis. They say the hand crews are gone and mechanized logging has put a damper on saw business. I have been hauling wood with a self loader for about 4 years and cutting is new to me so this site has been a great place to watch and learn. I really like to just read posts and learn from them but at times like this one I have to ask questions and hopefully someone else is just reading and learning.

[Al_Smith]

24 bucks is about double what Oregon or Carlton would be  through Baileys .

They gents on the left coast in the logging areas  say that Stihl is very competitve price wise .However in other areas evidently they charge what the traffic will bear . I know it's high in my area but generally it's good stuff .

[sawguy21]

The dealer is making loops off a roll for your Husky, Stihl does not supply pre cut loops to fit unless the drive link count happens to be the same as their saws. I would have a good look to see if they are breaking at the splice, the bench guy may not be spinning the rivets properly or may be bending the driver when breaking.

[justincase]

would stihl supply the dealer with boxes stamped with exact specs of the chain? Each chain I have bought is packed in a stihl box with the specs of the chain. Like I said I haven't priced much elsewhere due to convenience but I might have to start. I did e-mail stihl so we will see what they say. I am surprised the dealer only sells me this chain. He carries husky, stihl, jred, and echo. Would think there would be more choices on chain.

[sawguy21]

Chain is expensive, he likely won't carry another brand unless the price is better or a size Stihl can't supply.

[Al_Smith]

  He carries husky, stihl, jred, and echo. Would think there would be more choices on chain.

Yes but if he did he couldn't sell so much Stihl branded chain .As it is the old boy has a captive market .

I've got one Stihl dealer out of three within a 15 mile area and one Husky dealer in an undisclosed location I deal with by telephone . Baileys most other stuff .

[Cut4fun]

I would give this stuff a try at $13.99 a loop.  It's not as sharp out of the box like stihl chain.   http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=WPL+28RC72&catID=11800

[justincase]

I just ordered two chains to try. I can touch them up if not sharp out of box. If these work for me do you think it is worth buying a roll and tools to make my own. Never done it so Not sure of what's involved

[lumberjack48]

Absolutely, nothing to making chain up, you just can't get the rivets to tight, once you learn the basic's you'll be up and running.
After i got hurt the wife made chain up, and fixed chain, we bought all our chain by the roll.