Chain saw parts online

[struggle]

I was going to replace my MS290s bar, drum and chain. I am looking through Baileys catalog and am perplexed at what to order.

The ArborMax combo seems almost to cheap.

The drum they show is a "RIM & Drum system" which has a sliding sleeve. What is the advantage of this? Mine currently looks like just a spur sprocket.

My current bar is grooved deep and the sprocket tip is worn pointed. The drum is worn in deep as well.

So what would you replace this with? I can locally buy all the parts but just the bar alone is $50 plus.

I want to get something comparable in quality to the Stihl parts.

Also thinking about getting the Moistec moisture meter.

How does one figure the pitch of chain and drive links short of counting them out? Also I would like to run non safety chain if there is an advantage. My chains are stihl as well and the bar is so worn that all I can read is 45 cm and 1.6mm/0.063"

 

[smokinj]

I tryed the GB bars the paint came off after one tank full the stihl bars are the best imo.

 

[kevin j]

go to aborist site on comments about GB bars. genrally good. Baileys is good.

If you have to change drums anyway, go to the rim sprocket:
-same price now, but replacement rims later are $5
-flip the rim around and get 2x the wear.
-change the rim every couple of chains
-wears longer and better stress distribution. Once grooves wear in a spur sprocket, the chain follows that track and doesn't align with the bar as well, when bar is flipped or changed.
-can change number of teeth and try various rims. My 026 7tooth, I tried an 8 for $5. Didn't like it changed back, only $5 lost. Dolmar 7900, changed to 8 and pulls it fine, for $5 again.

the 280 will get rims the first time the drum wears out for me.


Pitch is distance of two links (between three rivets) divided by two. Reason is that the links are not necessarily the same. there is a short link and along link, so pitch is the average. The distance between drivers will be this sum of the two links, or twice the pitch

.063 is the gauge, thickness of drive link. I will bet you have .325 chain, not 3/8 (.375) They look different also.

Number of drivers, have to mark with paint and count them to be sure. The new bar and chain for your model os saw should be in a chart, but I would verify by counting.
I write all my info with paint marker on the outside of the gear tub: for each saw, the chain pitch and gauge, the number of DL for each bar length, file size to use, etc. It is part of the CRS disease (can't remember s**t).


k

 

[smokinj]

Baileys is great the GB bars are good just dont hold paint like a stihl bars does

 

[aandabooks]

Look on your current bar near the tail of the bar. It should be stamped in there. You need to know if your running .325 or 3/8. The 290 can go both ways. Get the rim sprocket, an extra rim or two and don't cheap out on the $5 bearing.

If you don't have a large surplus of extra chains and you're running .325, order everything in 3/8 and buy a couple of loops of 30rc. 16"-60dl 18"-66dl and 20"-72dl.

I don't think I'd go with the ArborMax bar. Probably go middle of the road and get a Oregon PowerMatch bar. Mid $30s. Or just go back to your Stihl dealer and buy the best bar made. Ok, that might be debatable but they are very good and the paint holds up nicely.