DanG pull rope on MS250 broke!

Bibbyman · May 13, 2012, 04:24:48 PM

We've had this saw about a year but don't use it much. It still has the first chain on it and has only been sharpened a few times. Yet today the pull rope breaks. We had a MS210 with the same problem. The pull ropes last no time. One broke within the first 10 pulls! They were replace by Stihl dealer with Stihl rope.

Anyone else have this problem with this series of saws? Any good fixes?

tyb525 · May 13, 2012, 04:27:40 PM

I've only had a pull rope break once, on a 15 year old 036. Must be cheaper/thinner ropes nowadays.

MrPete · May 13, 2012, 04:30:00 PM

I have a MS250 I have had close to a year. It gets used about weekly has been sharpened numerous times. I have had no problems with it. Now with that said I might as well take it to the shop to have it gone over now. lol

Buck · May 13, 2012, 04:53:33 PM

Bibby, I guess you have the bad luck. I've owned 6 or 7 stihl saws and one husky and only change one rope. I've had a host of other issues but not ropes.

lumberjack48 · May 13, 2012, 06:21:45 PM

Bibbyman you should not be having a rope issue, if that rope isn't stringie like in the center its not starter rope. If it is look for something that could be cutting it.

Bibbyman · May 13, 2012, 07:05:20 PM

I didn't notice any excessive wear on the rope.

It seems the pull length is real short. I've learned to make short pulls. I questioned the short rope with the Stihl repair guy when he replaced one on the MS210. He measured the broken rope and said it was the correct length and the spool would not take any more rope.

The ropes break reasonably clean about mid-length.

We have an old 044 without compression release and have replaced the rope a number of times over the many years. But they last much longer than on these new models.

Maybe I don't know my own strength?

lumberjack48 · May 13, 2012, 09:29:35 PM

When you have genuine starter rope its hard to break. The rope should be 24 to 30"s long, theres nothing worse than a short rope. Then you start breaking rewind springs.
I know from when i had the saw shop, theres good rope and cheap rope and then best.

Go grab a new saw an see how long the rope is next time.

Bibbyman · May 13, 2012, 11:46:21 PM

This is the rope that was in the saw from the factory, new about a year ago. The saw is used very little and kept inside when not in use.

This saw replaced the MS210 that was stolen Christmas last that we'd had 4-5 years and used very little very little yet broke more than a few ropes - maybe as many as 6.

All replacement ropes were instead by Stihl dealer with Stihl rope.

I'm not replacing the ropes and they are not using clothes line or fishing line or binder twine.

Apparently, I'm the only one to ever break a rope.

SwampDonkey · May 14, 2012, 04:55:39 AM

I use a brush saw, and the one I have now is 6 years running. I have never broke a rope. But what I did once, was break a Teflon fin that catches the starter cup on the pull. Carry a spare now. Probably never break another. :D

stavebuyer · May 14, 2012, 05:03:54 AM

The starter rope broke on my MS-250 Thursday. I have had it about 15 months and it's been used quite a bit ..including by some helpers who really didn't know much about running a saw. My rope broke in the middle just like yours without much sign of being frayed or worn. Overall I have been very satsified with it for a chore saw around the mill.

SwampDonkey · May 14, 2012, 05:10:40 AM

Some Stihl models are coming from China, they just opened up a new plant there a few months ago. Our brush saws we use here are German made.

lumberjack48 · May 14, 2012, 10:30:30 AM

I can buy a new MS-250 for $226., MS-381, $360. free shipping from China right now. That can't be genuine starter rope. When i had a rope start to break, it frayed be for it broke.

I've never seen starter rope break clean like that on less i had picked up rope from the Hardware store to get by with. This rope would last 2 or 3 weeks an break.
I had a 044, 038 we ran 8 yrs i can't remember fixing the rewind.
I had a 034 that i used for felling 3 yrs every working day. It fell about 10,000 cords never changed the rewind rope. I traded the saw for a new 034, the crank bearings started making noise. So i took it out of town and traded with another dealer $200. to boot.

A guys going to have to start watching, i think some of the dealers are selling China made saws, making big $$$$. greed bites some people.

joe_indi · May 14, 2012, 10:40:07 AM

If I remember right, in 1999 a Stihl engineer told me that the rope is very strong (and special) since it has a mixture of polymer and glass fibers.
The standard starter rope for this saw has a diameter of 3mm and a length of 80cms.
If you want to, its possible to use a 3.5mm rope for more durability.The rope rotor(spool ) can handle it.
That is what I do on the 210, 230 250s and older 021,23 &25 that come in with broken ropes.We even use 3.5mm on the 170 and 180.
So ask the shop to give you 3.5mm rope instead of the 3mm one.
By the way, could you take a close-up picture of the present rope and also of the funnel shaped bush through which the rope goes into the starter?

Joe

Bibbyman · May 14, 2012, 11:45:49 AM

Too late to get a picture of the rope ends. I had it replaced this morning and didn't keep the leftovers.

The saw says Manufactured by Stihl USA with imported and domestic parts. No telling what that means. Could be it's all made somewhere else and then come here and have the handle put on and put in a box.

I'll look for some 3.5 mm Stihl rope and get some to keep on hand. If I have some either the rope will never break or it'll break and I won't be able to remember where I stashed the replacement stock.

Bibbyman · May 15, 2012, 01:45:10 PM

About the third starting this morning the end of the rope pulled out the handle! The knot didn't come out, it pulled through.

We re-threaded it through the handle and then through a small washer. We made the knot a bit loose then soaked it with super glue.

Cut4fun · May 15, 2012, 02:03:27 PM

Might just be how the end user start their saw IMO.

tcsmpsi · May 15, 2012, 03:10:19 PM

Just don't know your own strength, bibby. Or, is it Mary starting the saw? ;) :D

Bibbyman · May 15, 2012, 04:08:12 PM

Quote from: Cut4fun on May 15, 2012, 02:03:27 PM
Might just be how the end user start their saw IMO.

Well could be. I tend to pick it up by the throttle grip in my right hand and give the starter rope a pull with me left. Rooooom! Or DanG!

lumberjack48 · May 15, 2012, 05:06:43 PM

You'll keep on breaking ropes, starting a saw like that. I wouldn't let anybody start my saws that way, all you do is break rewind springs and starter rope.

Bibbyman · May 15, 2012, 06:00:34 PM

Good thing I'm not asking to borrow your saw. Hua?

Not has a problem until I started using the MS210 and now the MS250.

Guess I don't have a problem with the 044 because with the 25" bar, I can't start it that way.

lumberjack48 · May 15, 2012, 09:13:49 PM

There so light its a easy way to start-em, if the rewind would take it. Not only breaking rope is bad, the saw could all so come up an cut a nose off, it is dangerous.
You can hold it by the top handle with your left hand and pull starter with your right hand. Pull the 4"s of slack first then giver her a pull, this keeps from breaking the rewind spring. The rope and spring well last years doing it this way.

clww · May 16, 2012, 09:51:46 AM

Quote from: lumberjack48 on May 15, 2012, 09:13:49 PM
There so light its a easy way to start-em, if the rewind would take it. Not only breaking rope is bad, the saw could all so come up an cut a nose off, it is dangerous.
You can hold it by the top handle with your left hand and pull starter with your right hand. Pull the 4"s of slack first then giver her a pull, this keeps from breaking the rewind spring. The rope and spring well last years doing it this way.

That's how I've always started mine, except for the Stihl 084 and 090. Maybe a coincidence, but I have never broken a starter rope on any saw. I'm no full time logger but I do run a saw at least once every week.

Al_Smith · May 16, 2012, 12:21:24 PM

I don't know about others but I just buy braided nylon rope 50 feet at a time from the local farm store .It's only about a dime a foot .No problems that I can see . I have a drawer full of the stuff in various sizes .Tangled up of course but it's in there some place .

Cut4fun · May 16, 2012, 01:56:47 PM

Looks like I guess right. bazinga

lumberjack48 · May 16, 2012, 05:19:01 PM

I personally cold started all my saws on the ground or a stump.

Years ago i remember guys using snare wire for starter rope.

The only saw i had a rope problem with was a Lombard Lighting III, you had to sneak up on it, it would about tear your fingers off. Ever once in a while when i shut it off it would snap the rope off, thats pretty bad.