Check your screws!

[HatCityIAFF]

We were cutting yesterday, and I herd a funky sound, one that i've never herd before, coming from my buddies 372. Just as I was about to give him the signal to shut the saw off, it shut off on it's own, and you couldn't pull the starter. Upon removing the side air cover by the starter, chunks of metal were found, which turned out to be a couple of the air filtration fins that were broken off. There was also a hex head screw wedged HARD between one the the fins and housing, causing it not to spin. Once we took off the top air filter and surrounding plastic, we noticed that 3 screws were missing. Two that hold the carb down, and one that holds the cylinder down. He flipped the saw upside down and the remaining two screws fell out, that were loose somewhere in there. I've always checked my exterior screws as i've noticed them prone to coming loose, but never the interiors, as they can cause some massive damage.

 

[NH_Wood]

Yikes! That's a lot of loose screws! Was the saw recently rebuilt or something? Says something for being careful on torque values. Cheers!

 

[BobUrban]

My little Husky 350 has the loosy goosy scews that the saw is known for on the outside but I have never checked anything on the inside?? Sweet little saw but I have to keep checking the muffler and plastic screws so I stop loosing them. I have resorted to locktite which works well but because this is a HO saw I need to unscrew the plastic to clean the air filter - Doh! makes for a PITA but better than replacing them.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I've been told many times that I have a screw loose....

 

[Corey]

My little Husky 350 has the loosy goosy scews that the saw is known for on the outside but I have never checked anything on the inside?? Sweet little saw but I have to keep checking the muffler and plastic screws so I stop loosing them. I have resorted to locktite which works well but because this is a HO saw I need to unscrew the plastic to clean the air filter - Doh! makes for a PITA but better than replacing them.

Dang! a good lesson indeed! Though it always amazes me how some people have such different experiences with the same equipment. I don't think I've ever had a loose screw on my 350 in 10+ years of use! [knocking heavily on wood!]

 

[MasterMech]

"Hello, Loctite? Yeah, I got a few screws loose, heard you have something for that?"

 

[ScotO]

Had one of the bucking spike screws on my 372XP vibrate out a couple of weeks ago while in the middle of a cut.....you ought to see what it did to the chain!!

Screws coming loose in saws is a common problem, and MasterMech has the answer. Loctite. Just make sure you use the 'removable' Loctite, not the 'permanent' stuff.

 

[TMonter]

Had one of the bucking spike screws on my 372XP vibrate out a couple of weeks ago while in the middle of a cut.....you ought to see what it did to the chain!!

Screws coming loose in saws is a common problem, and MasterMech has the answer. Loctite. Just make sure you use the 'removable' Loctite, not the 'permanent' stuff.

IE Blue Loctite, not the red stuff .