How To Tension Your Chain

by Mike Kelly Field Services Manager Oregon Cutting Systems

Never tension your chain right after cutting. Chain tensioned while hot can cool and shrink,

causing tension to be much too tight. REMEMBER- LET YOUR CHAIN COOL FIRST.

• when tensioning your chain always wear protective gloves
• Turn engine off. Let chain cool
• Loosen the bar-mounting nuts on the side of your saw.
• Pull the bar nose up, and keep it up as you adjust the tension.
• Adjust tension accordingly:

Solid nose bar- Turn your saw's tension-adjustment screw until the bottoms of the lowest tie strap

and cutters come up and just touch the bottom of the bar rail.

Sprocket nose bar- Tension must be tighter than on a solid nose bar. Turn your saw's tension-

adjustment screw until the bottoms of the lowest tie straps and cutters come up and contact the

bottom of the bar rails, at this point add a quarter of a turn to your tension adjustment screw.

• With either type bar, hold the nose up and tighten your saw's rear bar-mounting nut first, then

• You should be able to pull the chain by hand along tie top of the bar several times, from the

engine to the bar's tip, Chain should feel snug but still pul1 freely.

• If you have a sprocket-nose bar you should now perform a snap test. Grasp the chain along the bottom of the bar, pull down, and let go. Chain should snap back to its original position, solidly contacting the bottom of the bar.

• Check tension often during operation, especially during the first half-hour. If chain loosens: stop,

• Improperly adjusted chain can result in premature bar wear and chain wear.

REMEMBER: MORE CHAIN AND BAR PROBLEMS ARE CAUSED BY INCORRECT CHAIN TENSION THAN BY ANY OTHER SINGLE FACTOR.

Oregon Cutting Systems, Division of Blount, Inc. 4909 SE International Way

PO Box 22127, Portland, OR 97222-2127

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