No matter how good your chainsaw is, it would be best to tighten it periodically. A chainsaw with a poorly tensioned chain can cause severe injuries to you and the chainsaw itself. When you use the chainsaw at high speed, too tight of a chain will force it to put pressure on the guide bar.
Should A Chainsaw Chain Be Loose:
Generally, a chainsaw chain should not be too loose or tight. It will fall off if it is too loose, and when too tight, it will prevent the saw from working correctly. There is a certain optimal tension that the chain should maintain.
In this article, I will answer what tension a chainsaw chain should be in more detail, including how to tension the chain and know if it has the correct tension. In the end, I will answer why chains become loose.
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Should A Chainsaw Chain Be Loose?
A chainsaw chain should not be too loose, or it will fall off and cause problems. However, it should also not be too tight as this will also prevent the saw from working correctly. There is a certain tension that the chain should maintain. The chainsaw will gradually lose power if you make it too tight until the guide bar breaks. It can also cause damage to bar rails if the chain is too tight. Tight chains consume more bar oil. Every time the machine is used, the bearings wear out gradually. In contrast, if the chain is loose, you risk injuring yourself while using the chainsaw. Your cheek may get a nasty cut or lose a finger or two if you’re not careful.
How Tight Should A Chainsaw Chain Be?
According to pros, it would be best if you had a snap-tight chainsaw chain. In general, ” snap tight” means extending the chain until the assembly links are clearly visible but still attached to the bar. You should be able to snap your chain back into the proper position by releasing it.
You can find out by checking your chain’s interior. These teeth fit neatly into the groove on the bar; they look like shark fins. You have a loose chain if the teeth in the chain can slip out of the groove.
It is important to ensure your chainsaw chain is tight enough to minimize slack but not so tight that it binds or the drive links cannot turn freely. These steps may be helpful if you don’t have your owner’s manual, but if you do, you can refer to your owner’s manual for more information.
Chainsaws generally have a tensioning screw in the top or side where you can loosen it to tighten the chain. Tighten the tensioning screw once the chain is taut around the bar.
Next, twist the chain lightly to check that the tensioning lever has adjusted the tension. As a final check, make sure the drive links are freely rotating.
Starting the chainsaw and holding it down with the guide bar and chain down will enable you to check the tension. Chains that jump or slip during operation must be tightened. As the chain stretches with time, it can become loose after use if you don’t check the tension periodically.
Can You Over-Tighten A Chainsaw Chain?
Conversely, a tight chain puts unnecessary pressure on the motor and makes cutting difficult. Ideally, chainsaw chains should be tensioned between these extremes- neither loose nor tight. Try pushing your chainsaw chain with your finger to see if it’s tight enough. There is too much looseness if it can move. Tightness is measured by your ability to move it at all.
It is the chainsaw chains that cut through wood with the chainsaw blade. As the chain stretches, the chainsaw’s ability to cut wood will decrease, the cutting process will slow down, and the user will have to exert more pressure trying to cut wood. There is also a risk that the chain can come off the bar if it gets too loose.
When chains are used heavily during heavy work, woodcutters and loggers know that they can loosen up quickly. The user must tighten the chainsaw chain to get back to cutting wood.
While chains from different brands may feature different bolts and tension pin configurations, they all can be tightened similarly. You will need a few tools and supplies before starting for the project.
● Tools Needed to tighten a chansaw chain
- Chainsaw
- Screwdriver
- Wrench
Learning what to look for before starting your chainsaw is essential. You may have to exert additional force on the saw to cut through logs, or the chain may come off the bar entirely. For your chainsaw to function well, you need to tighten the chain occasionally, whether it’s a new chain or a new chainsaw.
Most chainsaw problems are resolved by merely tightening the chain, but if you still aren’t getting good cuts after tightening it, chances are the chain is dull, and you will need to sharpen it. As an alternative, chainsaws can be managed by professionals. If this is the case, you should seek further guidance from the chainsaw manufacturer.
● Step 1: Locate the chain tensioning adjustment on the chainsaw
On the side of virtually every chainsaw case is a chain-tensioning adjustment. Your chainsaw bar will be secured in place by bolts nearby. Though it appears like a flathead screw, it is actually a pin that adjusts chain tension slightly by moving the chainsaw bar slightly.
Depending on the model, the chainsaw you own may have one to three bolts. In addition to holding the side plate on the chain and gear assembly, these bolts are also necessary for chain tightening.
● Step 2: Loosen the bolts securing the chainsaw bar,
Before you adjust the chain tension, loosen the bolts securing the chainsaw bar. The side plate bolts must be loosened before adjusting the tensioning pin. Loosen the bolts slightly with the socket end of a screwdriver.
As well as holding the bar beneath the side plate, these bolts secure it. It would be best if you didn’t take them off if they’re not needed. It is loosening them until you can wiggle the chainsaw bar a little bit (about 12 turns). Once the chainsaw chain has been tightened, the chainsaw will run smoothly.
● Step 3: Turn the tensioning pin using the screwdriver end
The chainsaw chain can be tightened after the bolts on the side have been loosened. Tighten the chain by turning the scrench’s screwdriver end clockwise in the flathead tensioning pin. Rather than tightening the chain, the tensioning pin pushes the chainsaw bar out slightly as you turn it, which takes up the slack.
An average wood-cutting session might require you to tighten the chain twice or three times over the course of a few hours. Despite that, the process is straightforward and quick because the chainsaw does not have to be disassembled, and you can tighten it with a scrench nearby.
Determine the tightness of the chainsaw chain by testing its tension
Although chainsaw chains do not have gauges to indicate the correct tension, you can do an easy test to determine the correct tension.
Pull the chain downward between your thumb and finger once you have adjusted the tensioning pin. When you pull the chainsaw chain, a small space should be visible between the links and the bar. However, the chainsaw links’ inside tips must still be inserted into the groove in the bar.
The chain will still be too loose even if you can pull it all the way below the bar. The tensioning pin can be turned counterclockwise if the chain doesn’t budge, indicating it is too tight.
● Step 4: Retighten the bolts
Following the adjustment of the chain tension, the final step is to retighten the bolts. You will achieve a good seal by turning the bolts with the socket end of the scrench. The only thing that will take a lot of time is 12 turns at a time.
With your new position, you can now resume cutting wood. It is important to respect and take care of chainsaws since they are powerful tools.
Why Do Chains Become Loose?
There is most often a lack of lubrication to blame. As the drivetrain components rub against each other, the chain stretches slightly and becomes loose. Wear and tear can also cause the links to stretch, which is normal and occurs naturally with age.
In addition, worn jockey wheels and a poorly tightened rear wheel nut can cause problems, as well as a misaligned derailleur and ill-fitting chainrings. Also, loose chains can be caused by improperly installed chainrings or warped or bent chainrings.
Last but not least, if your drivetrain has changed recently, tension may be affected if your chain is incompatible.
First, be sure you are using the correct lubricant for your chain and apply it evenly throughout. Then inspect the drivetrain components to ensure everything is in good working order and adequately tensioned, including chainrings, jockey wheels, derailleurs, and rear wheel nuts.
It may be necessary to replace chainrings if they are bent, warped, or incompatible with your bike.