Husqy 359 New bar/ chain & rim drive

[bogydave]

Rim was showing some wear.
Not real bad, but better to change while it's working than wait to long.


The bar that came with the saw, the oil hole started to plug up regularly.
New bar & rim so a new chain so ready to go for next spring.



The piston lock was the only issue. I finally use the rope trick & the clutch popped off OK.
I did put anti seize on the clutch treads when I put it back on.
Dab of grease on the needle bearings also.

( I actually was able to throw the old chain & rim in the trash can. )
But saved the bar. Never know, may get me out of a bind.

I bought 2 rim drives, one for the tool box.

Now I looked up the angle for sharpening the Oregon LGX chain & it says 25°
I had a Stihl RS chain on the saw & it was 30°.

I use the file guide but now need one with 25° angle lines on it.

Does it ever end ? Is the different angle that important.
I "assumed" all chisel chains had the same angle.

I have 7/32 files. Now to get a 25° file guide.

Maybe scribe some 25° lines on the Stihl 30° guide

 

[MasterMech]

You can file it at 30 deg and it will cut fine. 25 may be a tiny bit faster cutting but will dull faster to. Once you get different chains that spec different filing angles and file sizes, makes you think hard about switching to a grinder.

 

[lukem]

My rim blew up on me the other day and took a couple drive links out of a brand new chain. Wish I would have changed it a bit sooner like you.

 

[bogydave]

You can file it at 30 deg and it will cut fine. 25 may be a tiny bit faster cutting but will dull faster to. Once you get different chains that spec different filing angles and file sizes, makes you think hard about switching to a grinder.

The grinding angle is different for RS & LGX also.
So why is switching to a grinder better ?
A file is easy to hold a different angle, a grinder's set up need to be changed.

My rim blew up on me the other day and took a couple drive links out of a brand new chain. Wish I would have changed it a bit sooner like you.

I wore thru the drive sprocket on my Husqy 61, ate up the chain & the ramp on the bar.
New bar for it, that's when I learned that Oregon makes a kit to go from a regular drive sprocket to the rim type.
I changed it then. (same rim drive on my Husqy 61 & 359 )

Read somewhere when you go to a new chain, change the rim then.
Tough to do if you swap chains allot.
It doe make a bit of snese to change it if you sharpen the chain on the saw
& run it until it's worn out. Changing to a new chain & rim then seems about right.

Also the article said if you put on a new rim, don't us an old chain on a new rim. My
guess it the worn drive links will cause faster wear on the new rim.
But it's OK to put a new chain on an old rim.
Probably not a real big deal either way.

So for a few $'s, I plan on replacing the rim drive ( nice to grease the needle bearing then too)
after a season of cutting, may run 2 chains thru it but will watch it for signs of wear.
Like you said, allot better to replace it before it blows up

 

[PapaDave]

If you'll remember Dave, you and some others helped me through this a while back.
I got 2 rims......one is .325 and the other 3/8 with new/newish bars/chains.
I put the new .325 setup on the saw and I like the way it runs better. Probably just all in my head.

 

[MasterMech]

So why is switching to a grinder better ?

Changing the setup on a grinder is easy peasy. Grinder can sharpen both .325 and 3/8 chain with one wheel, switch it out to do Picco/Low Pro. Angles are right on every time, every tooth, and the rakers are set correctly as well. If you have multiple guides, filing jig, or all the angles marked out on your workbench, then filing works great too, just the grinder is so versatile with just a couple different wheels.

 

[bogydave]

I got 2 rims......one is .325 and the other 3/8 with new/newish bars/chains.
I put the new .325 setup on the saw and I like the way it runs better. Probably just all in my head.

I remember.
I think the .325 on the 455 is a good match.
What chain are you driving on it ?

I put an 72LGX on the 359 this time to try it compared to the RS.
No being biased yet but the LGX feels sharper than the RS.
Even the LPX on the Husqy 61, after sharpened feels like it gets sharper than the RS.
Had a guy tell me that the oregon chains are the sharpest, might be something to that.
Well see how the longevity part plays out.
Now to keep it in clean wood, that'll be a chore.

 

[Freakingstang]

You can file it at 30 deg and it will cut fine. 25 may be a tiny bit faster cutting but will dull faster to. Once you get different chains that spec different filing angles and file sizes, makes you think hard about switching to a grinder.

what? 30 would be faster but full quicker as the working corner (point) is smaller with a sharper angle.


OP, you can file them to whatever angle you want.Although you should be using 13/64 files on the RS chain.. I have used both. I prefer the stihl for durability. the LGX is still softer and easier to sharpen

 

[ScotO]

I'd rather have that chain at the 30 degree angle, too....that's a steeper angle and a faster cut, but as has been stated, it can dull faster too.

I like using my Dremel with those Oregon stones.......works fast and makes that chain very sharp, the key is to not get the cutter too hot when sharpening, and to make certain you take the same amount off of each cutter......I run the stone in and out of the link around 3-4 times, gently, each cutter. I also have one of those timberline sharpeners, and it works nice too, once you learn how to properly use it.

All of my saws are rim drive, several good things about the rim is that it aligns the chain perfectly with the bar groove (unlike a worn out sprocket), and you can make your chain speed faster by buying a rim that has an extra drive tooth in it. I put an 8 tooth rim on my 041 Super, and it made a bit of a difference. But that saw is mostly stock (sans the dual port muffler), don't think it'll pull a 10 tooth rim with the same power (unless I do a Woods port on it )

 

[PapaDave]

Dave, I honestly don't remember. I may still have the container. I do know it's 18" thin kerf.....well, the bar is. I got the chain to match, but it was a few years ago and I never put it on the saw until recently.

 

[MasterMech]

Had a guy tell me that the oregon chains are the sharpest, might be something to that.

First time you take a file/grinder to them, the factory grind become irrelevant. Besides, how long do you really run the factory grind? Maybe 5% of the chain's life?

 

[bogydave]

When I hand file
I think I get it sharper than the factory. LOL

The LPX filed easy & seems to be a bit shaper than the hand filed RS.

Got to be some good for Oregon chain. Some folks like them - keep buying them.

Will give the LGX a test run when the snow melts