Been taking a lot of big trees down and the bar noses are getting a little abused. There are like 3 36in bars that are out of commission just for a bar nose. They are stihl 25in and 36in bars. All either rollomatic ES or a light bar. To purchase a replacement nose from the dealer is like half the cost of a new bar before the sweat equity of replacing it. My question is are there aftermarket noses that fit on stihl bars, what are some quality affordable brands, and what are the best methods to replace them. Any special tools like a chain break and rivet spinner, or just a drill and hammer?
Replacement bar noses
- Thread starter TINYHULK
- Start date
- Replies 58
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flushcut
TreeHouser
I am not sure about Stihl bars but Oregon bars there is just a single rivet to push out. Hammer and a punch work well. My chain breaker has a die for pressing out those rivets. One side of the bar has an X on it and press from that side. IMO half the cost is still less than new.
I'd stick with oem. Keep your eyes open on secondary channels, and grab them if you see them cheap. Also checkout different dealers. If yours is 'list price for everything', try to find one that isn't. Like flushcut said, it's still half the price of a new bar.
SeanKroll
Treehouser
Noses are easy repairs. 3 rivets.
If you are beating up noses so badly, I'd definitely go OEM.
If you are beating up noses so badly, I'd definitely go OEM.
Marc-Antoine
TreeHouser
Beside the tiny sprocket of the ms150's bar, I don't remember having a noze coming bad. Thanks to cannola oil, the rails are worn out before the noze.
flushcut
TreeHouser
A few years ago my guy pinched a nose in a bind. Then proceeded to cook the bar and chain. Blue for days!
Nutball
TreeHouser
GB noses might fit. Sugihara might have one too.
Burnham
Woods walker
What is causing the wear on the nose sprockets? That seems odd to get several worn out on newish bars in the same time frame.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #9
Most of the bars were just collected in the trailer before I ever got there. I do all the maintenance and repairs of everything we have and noticed most of the bars the nose was what went bad. What I’m noticing with the guys that were there before me was while in a big cut they wouldn’t keep the chain spinning as it leaves the kerf so right at the bar nose would slam fill with chips and damage the nose. In an attempt to save the company money and be more versatile I’ve been researching cost and quality of chain reels, brake and spinner machine, and bar nose replacements/tools
Burnham
Woods walker
That issue is outside of what I've seen...not to say you are mistaken at all. That's interesting. I'm just curious; what precisely is the damage?
In my experience, it's usually been throwing chains that has damaged nose sprockets. Or heavy wear from cutting in highly abrasive environments, like fireline duty or landslide cleanup...and then, the whole bar usually is getting trashed as well.
In my experience, it's usually been throwing chains that has damaged nose sprockets. Or heavy wear from cutting in highly abrasive environments, like fireline duty or landslide cleanup...and then, the whole bar usually is getting trashed as well.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #11
You are probably right mr burnham. That’s only my idea, not something I can say is a concrete truth. The last time I saw the bar nose of the 36in 661 fail. The guy pulled it out the oak log with so much chip under the bar at the nose that after he loosened the chain and cleared the debris the nose was flaired and damaged at the sprocket. Saw a similar occurrence with our 25in 500i so I assumed it was the saw dust and an rpm issue. I recently changed the bearings and rim sprockets on both saws with new bars so hopefully it won’t be an issue anymore.
Burnham
Woods walker
Sounds like your analysis is entirely possible to me. Could the rails on the nose not be massaged back into proper shape? Or was the sprocket itself messed up?
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #13
On the one I remember the sprocket got damaged aswell. Wouldn’t turn anymore. What would be some really good chain to buy by the reel? Always used stihl yellow label and would like some chain of the same quality we can get by the reel and have enough savings to be worth the time and tools
Nutball
TreeHouser
Chain by the reel should always be cheaper, but when I checked with my Stihl dealer, which is a sorry excuse for a dealer, the reel was no cheaper. Oregon reels from Logger chain are a good price, or Husqvarna reels from Stahl's, but Husqy doesn't make any full skip. Archer is low priced, but doesn't cut as fast or smooth, and some teeth are randomly hard to file due to poor factory grinding not getting through the chrome coating, and too much plating on the depth gauges. Since I hand file my chains, I try to avoid Archer, but it is a good affordable option if you only use grinders.
SkwerI
Treehouser
I have always bought Stihl chain by the roll. But it took some work to find it at a reasonable price. Most dealers will just pull out the book and quote you list price, which is about the same price as loop chains. Sometimes you can find a dealer who actually looks at his cost and adds a reasonable profit instead of just doubling it. When I started it was cheaper for me to buy it from a place in Washington and have them ship it across the country than to buy it locally. Then I found a dealer willing to give me a decent price.
When you ask at your local shop, talk to the owner/boss if you can instead of just the hired help. If you have a good working relationship he may treat you fairly.
Here are your part numbers for 33RSF (3/8" full skip) and 63PM (3/8" lo pro).
When you ask at your local shop, talk to the owner/boss if you can instead of just the hired help. If you have a good working relationship he may treat you fairly.
Here are your part numbers for 33RSF (3/8" full skip) and 63PM (3/8" lo pro).
Altissimus
TreeHouser
In my small world I've replaced Nose Sprockets once or twice ever ... I try to get the entire possible service life out of anything I buy and use of course and do pretty good with Bars , just doesn't seem worth it to me mostly
Nutball
TreeHouser
None as far as I know, but they can be easier to file. Better than paying over $600 for a reel. My dealer's hired help did quote the book, but I know of another local dealer that may be much better.
How many hours do you run saws a year?
Just asking for fun, because we had a 22 year old kid on the forum, who once told me that Oregon chain was for people who buy chainsaws in chain stores.
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About the bar noses, I had a bad experience with a bunch ( 20) of Tsumura bars once.
The tip bearings burned out in no time.
Worst case was one that died when I was cutting an apple tree into firewood.........total run time ½ hour.
When I bitched to the Swedish dealer, he asked if I was used to running saws.
When I answered: "Only daily for 45 years", he sent me a stack of replacement tips.
I've stayed away from Tsumura since, but with the bar shortage and me being scared of not filling my summer contracts because I can't get bars, I bought a stack last week, when I came across them.
Be interesting to see if my problem was just a bad batch of bearings.
The tip bearings burned out in no time.
Worst case was one that died when I was cutting an apple tree into firewood.........total run time ½ hour.
When I bitched to the Swedish dealer, he asked if I was used to running saws.
When I answered: "Only daily for 45 years", he sent me a stack of replacement tips.
I've stayed away from Tsumura since, but with the bar shortage and me being scared of not filling my summer contracts because I can't get bars, I bought a stack last week, when I came across them.
Be interesting to see if my problem was just a bad batch of bearings.
Hours? I couldn't even guess. I can go through periods of running saws a lot, to stretches of not running any at all. Out of the 350' of chain I bought on reels, ~250' is left. I've only bought one loop of Oregon. The rest came with saws I bought. I don't like it. The steel's too soft.
