When to Change a Tire on a Chainsaw

Many beginner gardeners make mistakes when choosing a saw part for their tool. In this case, a chain selection table for chainsaws can help. It was created taking into account the most popular models, which makes it possible to accurately select a saw headset for almost every gardener.

When to Change a Tire on a Chainsaw

Advantages of the table for chainsaws

A table for chainsaws is the best way to visually select a headset. With its help, any beginner gardener or feller will not need to spend hours looking for a product whose characteristics would correspond to the dimensions of the factory kit.

When creating it, the following factors were taken into account:

  • The tire length indicated in centimeters. As a rule, it is calculated within 30–45 cm. Sometimes there are exceptions when it is necessary to find an element for high power saws;
  • Chain pitch is a parameter that is equal to the distance between three adjacent rivets;
  • The total number of links is one of the most important characteristics. It depends on her whether a new part will fit on a regular saw tire;
  • Shank thickness indicated in millimeters. This parameter is measured

Vernier caliper. In most cases, it ranges from 1.1 to 2 mm.

Thanks to the totality and accessible presentation of these data, everyone will be able to deal with this information.

Terms of use

The left column contains a list of the most popular chainsaw models. All other columns indicate tire sizes and other operating parameters for the saw set. Thanks to this data arrangement, any novice logger can find an element in a few minutes that is suitable for his tool.

How to choose a Stihl tire for a chainsaw

A tire is that long and narrow part on which the chain is worn and which, in fact, cuts the tree due to its stiffness and the abrasive chain rotating around it. First of all, we note that the tire must coincide with the chain, and both of them must coincide with the pitch of the drive sprocket, which is installed in the center of the saw.

For different purposes, it is different.

Sizes of Stihl Chainsaw Tires there are from 30 to 150 centimeters. Over, it does not indicate its entire length (which is more than indicative), but only its working, “useful” part:

  1. It is enough for household chainsaws to have 25-35 cm (cutting of bushes, small trees, knots, periodic harvesting of a small amount of firewood (up to 2-3 m 3)).
  2. Semi-professional, as a rule, have a length of up to 40 cm. They are used for farming, the frequent harvesting of firewood, during commercial operation when performing wooden work. Those. Their use can reach several hours daily, for 4-8 months a year.
  3. Optimum Stihl tire length for Stihl chainsaws, used professionally. This is all that is more than 40 centimeters, up to the maximum size (150 cm). They are used for felling and cutting trees in large-scale logging operations. It can be 10-12 months a year, with a working day of up to 12 hours (they have the possibility of continuous operation up to 7 hours). The large length is due to the significant diameter of the trees being dumped.
  4. How to measure the length of a chainsaw tire for carving? Carving is curly wood cutting using various tools. They differ in shape. They taper from the base to the end, like the petals of a dahlia and jasmine. Needed for super-soft entry into the tree, easy control and a wider viewing angle to observe the creation.

What are Stihl chainsaws

The most common and popular tires are 35 and 40 centimeters long. Professional tools are sold less often than for gardening and agricultural work. And it so happened that 35 and 40 cm are considered the main lengths for most varieties of chainsaws. Such models are produced in the indicated lengths most often:

  • Rollomatic e
  • Rollomatic es
  • Carving E.

And, being frank, it is worth recognizing that 95% of the needs of owners of chainsaws are covered by tire lengths of 35-40 cm.

How to Determine Stihl Chainsaw Tire Wear

There is a “golden rule” for tire care: 2 chain sharpening = 1 chain life. 4 chains = 2 sprockets = 1 bus. Therefore, 1 bus should be replaced on average after 8 complete sharpening of chains. The current sub-sharpening of certain links will not be considered a separate sharpening.

But there are exceptions. If you use a chain with victorious tips or from another hard alloy, then such a chain can sometimes serve you longer than an asterisk, or even as long as a tire. In addition, some chains are available with fairly long cutting teeth, which are enough for more than 2 sharpening (3, or even 4). Chainsaw tire replacement should be made by you, based on the principle of reasonable necessity, and in such cases:

  1. If the chain starts to slip often
  2. The sprocket and chain are warming, paint is peeling off at the end of the tire, and loosening the chain tension yields nothing
  3. The chain wedges, it began to fly off more often, hangs
  4. Physical damage.

You should never take it to extremes, because at stake is still the health of the human operator, others and even life. Therefore, if it seems to you that today is exactly the time when to change a tire on a chainsaw. Do it.

How to operate a chainsaw tire

  1. Moderately tighten the chain so that it does not sag and warm the sprocket and tire.
  2. Use only a replaceable tire in which the oil hole matches the one on the chainsaw.
  3. Use only the chain which, according to the thickness and pitch of the links, corresponds to the thickness of the tire and the pitch of the sprocket.
  4. When replacing a chain, change the top and bottom of the tire. Why flip a tire around? This ensures uniform wear of all parts of the tire, which leads to longer and more comfortable operation.
  5. With frequent use, it is advisable to have two chains and use them alternately. This will extend the working life of each of them and provide more uniform wear.

How to determine the tire wear of a chainsaw

With the chain, everything is simple: if it has loosened, pull it up; if dull. Sharpen. The fact that it has become dull is evidenced by finer shavings than usual, and greater efforts that are applied to the process than usual. And how to determine that the tire is worn out?

  • The tire does not hold tension, seizes;
  • Sawing has become more difficult, even with a new or completely sharpened chain;
  • The tire heats up, paint peels off it;
  • There is play, creaks, squeals or other uncharacteristic noises;
  • It “leads” to the side during operation and chain change does not help.

A tire for a chainsaw is a very important component, if for some reason it is faulty, working with a tool is not possible. There are a lot of reasons why it requires replacement. We will try to figure out in which cases a replacement is necessary, and also consider the question of how to choose the right saw tire for a chainsaw. Let’s start with the most important thing. The choice of a headset.

The choice

Manufacturers of chainsaws, for each specific model recommend the use of a saw bar of a certain size and technical parameters. For the right choice, it is worth considering these parameters and then there will be no problems.

Main parameters

During the selection, consider the main five parameters, these are:

  1. Length.
  2. The width of the guide groove.
  3. Tire sprocket pitch.
  4. The number of links in the chain intended for her.
  5. The type of shank and chainsaw model on which it is permissible to install it.

Depending on the power of the chainsaw, it is permissible to install a headset of different lengths on it, which allows you to adjust the performance and load on the saw. Manufacturers can indicate the length both in centimeters and in inches and, as a rule, this is not the entire length of the tire, but only a characteristic of the length of its working part. The right choice of tire for a chainsaw should begin by studying the instructions for the chainsaw and finding out the permissible length for a particular model. For example, for a Stihl MS 180 chainsaw, the recommended lengths are 14 or 15 inches.

When choosing a headset, do not neglect the instructions and use accessories of a greater length, as this can lead to excessive engine stress and premature wear.

The width of the guide groove, as well as the sprocket pitch on the tire, must correspond to the same parameters of the saw chain, otherwise the installation of the chain on the tire will not be possible. The groove width for household chainsaw models is 1.1 and 1.3mm for professional models 1.5. The most common sprocket pitch sizes are 0.325 and 3/8 inches.

When choosing, remember that the pitch of the chain sprocket should be the same as the pitch of the chainsaw sprocket, respectively, when replacing the tire and sprocket in the kit, you can choose these parameters as you wish.

Depending on the type of shank, the tire can only be installed on certain chainsaws. This is due to the fact that the hole for the lubrication of the chain on tires designed for certain brands of chainsaws can be located in different places. For example, a tire from a Stihl chainsaw cannot be installed on Huskvarna and vice versa, be sure to consider this when choosing.

A high-quality description of the selection process can be seen below. In this, a specialist in the sales department of a gas tool, talks about the main characteristics of the saw set, its types and sizes.

Which tire is best to install

Answering the question of which tire is best to install on a particular model of chainsaw is quite simple. It’s worth installing the model recommended by the tool manufacturer. As a rule, the leading companies in the production of chainsaws parallel to the production of the tool itself are engaged in the production of consumables that are specially designed for their tool.

Accordingly, the choice of tire for a chainsaw is best done in the direction of products designed specifically for your model and manufactured by the manufacturer who assembled the saw itself.

If this is not possible, a good choice is chainsaws for chainsaws, which are manufactured by leading companies in the production of chains and chains for chainsaws, for example, Oregon.

Why wears out

This is one of the questions asked by chainsaw owners all the time. It’s easy to answer. On the surface of the headset, friction occurs, which is the cause of wear.

Contact with rubbing surfaces of dust and dirt enhances wear of parts.

There is one more urgent question: why does the tire wear out prematurely? You can answer it if you study the design of the tire and the principle of operation of the lubrication system, which we will try to do.

The lubrication system begins with an oil tank, where oil is refilled, and then, with the help of an oil pump, it is transferred to the place where the shank of the tire contacts the body of the chainsaw. To adjust the oil supply, the tool pump is equipped with a special screw. There is a special slot at the tire mounting location that matches the hole for lubrication on the tire. The cause of premature wear may be insufficient lubrication of the rubbing parts, which in turn occurs with the following malfunctions.

  • Excessive pollution of the oil filter (the first thing you need to pay attention to);
  • Contamination of the oil supply channels on the headset or on the instrument itself;
  • Incorrect adjustment of the oil supply by the pump;
  • Malfunction of the pump itself;
  • The use of low-quality lubricants or oil that does not meet the requirements of the manufacturer of the chainsaw.

To increase the service life, manufacturers recommend the use of special oils with high adhesion.

Due to this property, at high speeds of the chain, the lubricant is distributed and held on the entire tire, and not only on its upper part, as is the case with conventional oils.

It is not permissible to use used oil for lubricating used oil from a car engine. In mining there are metal impurities from the car engine, which fall between the rubbing parts act as an abrasive tool, and significantly increase wear.

The reasons why it leads away from a straight cut

Sometimes situations arise when making a direct cut with a chainsaw is almost impossible, the tire leads to the left or right. The reason for this tool behavior may be as follows:

  1. Incorrect chain sharpening. The teeth of the chain on one side are sharpened more than on the other. Correct the fault by sharpening the chain correctly.
  2. Uneven wear of the chain links, the support pillows of the chain links on one side have a large output, because of which the chain tilts slightly and it is no longer possible to obtain a direct cut. You can solve the problem only by replacing the circuit.
  3. And last, uneven wear. As in the previous case, for this reason, the chain will change its slope and will no longer be sawing smoothly. The problem can only be solved by replacing the tire.

The inability to make a direct cut with a tool is a sign of increased wear on the tire and chain, which in turn should be sought for its cause. Eliminating the effects of wear by replacing consumables will not bring the proper result, because if the lubrication system malfunctions are not resolved, after a while everything will be repeated.

Why is it warming

In some cases, when working, you can notice that the tire is overheating, there are two reasons for this. First, this is a factory marriage. In such parts, not high-quality bearings are installed, which heat it during operation. The defective part will be heated and nothing can be done with it, only a replacement but a new one.

The second reason, again, is not a sufficient amount of lubricant, or its complete absence. If there are signs of overheating, such as the paint melting at the tip of the tire and its strong smoke, it is worth stopping the operation of the tool and contacting a service center.

The choice of tire for a chainsaw largely depends on the characteristics of the chainsaw itself. You should only choose components recommended by the manufacturer, taking into account the pitch of the drive sprocket, the width of the groove for the chain and the shape, and size of the shank. The key to long-term service of the saw set of the chainsaw is the uninterrupted supply of a sufficient amount of lubricant of the corresponding brand. Excessive wear of the tire and chain, as well as their heating, is a sign of improper operation of the lubrication system of the saw chain. We highlighted the main points of the choice, remember them and consider when buying, and then you will definitely buy what you really need.