Good deal on a Stihl case and chain

[Kenster]

I called a little country store about ten miles away and asked their price for a Stihl case to fit my MS390. Everyone else around here was asking around $50. This place said $35.00 and we'll give you a free chain to go with it! I'm sold. So, after church Sunday I went in to pick it up. Got the case. Got my !6 inch 3/8 .50 60 chain.

I told the lady at the cash register what I was told on the phone, expecting trouble. The lady said "Sir, you were either misunderstood or were misinformed. What I'm going to do is charge you for the chain and give you the case for free." So I got a new Stihl case and a new Stihl chain for about $23.00 including tax. SCORE!!


But I have a question about the chain. I knew what chain was on my saw, but there were other 16 inch, 3/8 chains. Some were 55, some were 56. Some were labeled "Picco." Are all 16 inch, 3/8 chains interchangeable and what is the difference. I assume that the number and size of the links changes, but for what reason?

Thanks.

 

[TreePointer]

Be careful.

The number of drive links (DL) you need is determined by the number of DL stamped on your bar. You will also find pitch and gauge information on your bar. (All this assumes you have the right bar to match bar mount and pitch of the drive sprocket on the powerhead. It also assumes your bar has a tip sprocket--some don't.)


Note that there is 3/8" (sometimes called .375") pitch chain and 3/8" low profile chain, and they are not interchangeable. They require different sprockets.

 

[Kenster]

I thought that 3/8 and .375 were different chains, even requiring a change of sprockets. Anyway, I definitely got the right chain. I made a note of the numbers before I picked it up.

 

[TreePointer]

Maybe you are thinking of 3/8" vs. .325" pitch?

 

[Kenster]

Maybe you are thinking of 3/8" vs. .325" pitch?

Ooops. Yessir, Tree. You are exactly right. 3/8 = .375. I be knowing that!

 

[JV_Thimble]

Maybe you are thinking of 3/8" vs. .325" pitch?

Ooops. Yessir, Tree. You are exactly right. 3/8 = .325. I be knowing that!

Maybe I'm confused on this, but 1/2" = 0.500, 1/4" = 0.250, and 1/8" = 0.125.

So, 3/8" = 0.375".

Methinks the 3/8" vs 0.325 pitch are different animals.

 

[Kenster]

Maybe you are thinking of 3/8" vs. .325" pitch?

Ooops. Yessir, Tree. You are exactly right. 3/8 = .325. I be knowing that!

Maybe I'm confused on this, but 1/2" = 0.500, 1/4" = 0.250, and 1/8" = 0.125.

So, 3/8" = 0.375".

Methinks the 3/8" vs 0.325 pitch are different animals.

JV, I saw that and was in the process of editing it. You beat me to it.

 

[HittinSteel]

In General..........

3/8" LP (low profile) - Run on smaller saws....... think 170,180 211

.325 Run on mid size saws 260,270 290

3/8" Mid size to Large saws 260, 290, 390 441 460

.404" The Big Guy 880

 

[DanCorcoran]

Why don't you just get on Stihl's US website? They have a complete list of which bar and chain and sprocket combinations work with which saws and with each other.

 

[JV_Thimble]

Maybe you are thinking of 3/8" vs. .325" pitch?

Ooops. Yessir, Tree. You are exactly right. 3/8 = .325. I be knowing that!

Maybe I'm confused on this, but 1/2" = 0.500, 1/4" = 0.250, and 1/8" = 0.125.

So, 3/8" = 0.375".

Methinks the 3/8" vs 0.325 pitch are different animals.

JV, I saw that and was in the process of editing it. You beat me to it.

No worries, I'm an engineer - can't help it.

Now, if only I knew what those dimensions meant. Will have to look into this before I replace the chain on my Poulan Wild Thing...