Chain bar tips - to grease or not to grease

[Sprinter]

I haven't used a chain saw for years, but I recently got a new Husqvarna 18" and they gave me this little grease gun with it which had no directions for how to use it. I tried to use it the other day, but couldn't get it to squirt. I think it needs to be primed or something but I'm not sure. (yes, I did put grease in it) Anyway, I started to wonder if it's even necessary. I never greased one before on my old Stihl and now I hear that it's a little controversial. But it does have a hole for it and they did give me a gun, so should I get it to work and use it, or not?

 

[thewoodlands]

Not sure if this helps.

zap

 

[Sprinter]

Not sure if this helps.

zap

Thanks. I'm inclined to go ahead and do it. Some people say that it just attracts abrasive dirt and stuff and you're better off without it, but I don't know. I still need to get the grease to come out of the gun. Think I'll go out and work on that right now. I hate stuff that doesn't work, whether I use it or not...

 

[golfandwoodnut]

On my Stihl bars they do not even have a grease hole, they are supposed to get the oil from the normal oiling process. My Husky does have a hole and I will squirt some grease in there once in awhile, I know there is controversy, it does not seem to matter much either way.

 

[MrWhoopee]

I'm a greaser myself. The old Husky has it, the new Redmax has it, the manual says to do it. Redmax says it, I believe it, that's all there is to it. To quote an old friend (on an unrelated subject) "Any lube is better than no lube." I do notice that the nose roller on the Husky is noisy when it hasn't been greased.

 

[MasterMech]

Stihl abandoned greasable bar nose sprockets a long time ago. If your bar has the necessary provisions (hole), then grease it. If not.... then don't worry about it. As far as the dirt question, if the grease didn't attract dirt, the tacky B&C oil will. It's doubtful that dirt will stay in an assembly that spins at 6000+ rpm anyways.

 

[DexterDay]

Keep pushing down on the greaser. You have to keep pumping it to get it primed...

On my Stihls, I dont worry about it (Nothing there ) but on any of my Husqvarnas I have had, they all get some grease.

Keep pushing down on it. There will be more resistance once the grease starts coming out.

 

[ScotO]

I dribble some bar oil (right out of the jug) onto the nose of the bar, while turning the sprocket with my fingers (when the bar is off of the saw and the chain is removed, of course) every time I dress the rails on the bar. I've never had a sprocket fail and I have cut a chitload of wood over the years. Like others have said in this thread, that bearing in the sprocket gets oil from the bar while cutting too. If the hole is there, go ahead and grease it.

 

[StihlHead]

I grease all the nose sprockets on my saws, regardelss. If there is no hole, I run some into the sprocket. I must have a half dozen of the little grease guns from buying new Huskies. Stihl does not supply them with their saws, though I do have some newer Stihl ES bars with grease holes on the nose. All of my GB bars have grease holes.

More lube cannot hurt. I have heard weird arguments against using it, like grease keeping oil out of the nose sprocket. If there is enough grease to do that, there is enough to keep the nose lubed. I have found that grease and oil do indeed mix though. MM addressed the dirt attraction issue. Worst case if a nose sprocket fails, I replace it. Rare that I have to do that though.

 

[bogydave]

I hit the bar with grease at least every 2 tanks of gas.
Husqy's & oregon bars (several of them) have the pin holes for grease.
The new grease pushes out dirt, not attract it.

 

[Beardog]

I'm in favor of grease

 

[n6crv]

I take a small socket 1/4 drive that the tip of the grease gun will just fit into. Them pump till it starts coming out. When it fills the socket and you are ready to go.