To grease or not to grease??????

[fallguy]

I have been told that you do not need to grease the tip sprocket on the bar. They say it gets enough lubricate from the chain oil. What do you pro's do? I have always regreased it with every tank of gas.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Not moi.

 

[woodworkingboy]

I do it because I like the squishy sound that the grease makes when it comes out

 

[SkwerI]

Never in 20 years. I do, however, use the air nozzle on my compressor to blow the crud out of the bar and tip whenever the saw gets serviced/ cleaned. I'll hit the tip with the air until it free spins. You can see the chunks of crud fly out and the old black oil dribble out the oiler holes. That clears it out so the clean oil can get into the bearings the next time I run the saw.

 

[Canuck]

Never

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I grease mine. I get the injector (disposable) pretty cheap here in town and it lasts 6-9 months. I have found it does lengthen my sprocket life significantly. I brush a lot of hard wood, manzanita, buck and deer brush. A lot of dead hard wood also. It has helped. Cheap maintenance compared to bar replacement. I think I payed about 5 bucks for my last injector. If I even get 25% more life out of my bars (9) it is much cheaper. And i know I get at least 25 percent more life in my bars for what I cut. Brushing is VERY hard on the bars. In trees, I don't know that I get the same percentage. But I would wager if I tracked it long enough.....

 

[Mr. Sir]

The bars I've been buying for the last few years have no grease inlet.

 

[Ax-Man]

I didn't know you could buy a bar these days that needed greasing . The bearings are sealed and don't need any grease.

 

[Frans]

somone told me that once you start greasing you need to continue. I don't bother, ever

 

[fallguy]

That sounds like info I got that if you start then you need to continue.

 

[sawinredneck]

The grease tends to capture and hold grit and grime in the bearing. If you don't continue to grease and push out that grime (once you start greasing) it will build up and sieze the bearings.
I only run premium bars, Stihl ES and GB, which have no grease hole.
The first thing I do when I get a Husky with an Oregon bar on it, is pull off the bar, throw it away, and replace it with a GB bar.
IMO the Stihl ES is the best bar on the market, the GB titanium is a close second.

 

[Che]

Anyone remember Walt? I remember him saying that if you did, do it every time religiously....otherwise don't do it at all. I quit. It is one of those things that sure FEELS like it should be doing some good though.

 

[squisher]

Never. My .02

 

[stehansen]

I have an Oregon bar for my 660 that has a grease hole. But I don't think any of the Stihl bars even have a hole.

 

[Drella]

Only on the bars with the oil ports built in.

And, when cleaning the bar tip sproket with an air compressor, DO NOT spin it with the air. You will burn up the bearings in no time with the sort of rpm a compressor can give...

 

[SkwerI]

No, I do not believe you. Been doing it for years and have never burned up a tip. Seems like the guys who fret over their bar tips and constantly grease them are the only ones who burn them up.

 

[GASoline71]

Stihl bars nowadays don't even have grease holes. I have never greased a bar tip in all the years I've been cuttin'.

The Oregon Powermatch ans Windsor Speed-tip bars I have used in the past have grease holes. Still never used them though.

Compressed air will not burn up the bearings... :what:

Gary

 

[Magnus]

Nope, never have and never will...

If grease is put frim inside out, oil will not get from outside in.

If it is full of crap it doesn't matter either way...

If it is to be greased, you clean out old grease and put in new. Just insert new grease without cleaning never works..

If oiler is OK and oil is good there should be enugh oil for bar and chain.

 

[fallguy]

Sounds like I do not need to buy a new grease gun. One less thing to carry when I head to the woods. Thanks for the input.

 

[Magnus]

Just make sure it is clean so oil get's a chance to penetrate...

 

[Altissimus]

When I have the bar off the powerhead, I ream out the groove with a broken hacksaw blade, file the burr off (long way...all four), and then grease the top sprocket. It is not all that often.

 

[Drella]

No, I do not believe you.

If you're one of those knuckleheads that like the sound of a bar sproket spinning at 12,000rpms,, then yes, you will "sooner or later," burn up the bearings...

Seen it done, I know what I'm talking about.

 

[Jonseredbred]

you must have the hulkster air compressor.

 

[Drella]

you must have the hulkster air compressor.

And you must have the nicest set of bumpers I've ever seen!

 

[JIML]

I tried to fry one on a cheap ass poulan bar one time with the air compressor. I got tired of listening to it so I stopped. I probably had that sucker going mach 10 for 5 minutes straight.