Tools & Materials
Chainsaw need a checkup? It's time to face the fix. Whether you are a legendary lumberjack or a weekend woodworker, eReplacementParts.com provides the parts, procedures and facts you need to fearlessly fix what fails you.
The chainsaw chain attaches to (and rotates around) the guide bar. The guide bar is a solid (or laminated) steel bar containing a milled groove (all the way around its outer edge) that keeps the chain aligned.
Most bars have a rotating sprocket on the tip, which reduces friction as the chain curves around it. The bar also contains a slot, and one or more holes, which are used to mount, align, tension and oil the chain.
Chainsaw bars will wear over time. The chain groove will widen, which will cause the chain to tilt and pull to one side when cutting. The tip of the bar (just in front of the sprocket) is a common wear spot. The metal will wear faster in this area, resulting in a misaligned chain, which is prone to jumping off the bar.
Dirt is the guide bar's enemy. When dirt gets between the chain and the bar, it acts like sandpaper, quickly wearing the chain groove wider. You should also ensure that the bar oiler is working each time you use the saw. Lack of bar oil will accelerate wear and cause heat damage to the bar and the chain.
This article provides step-by-step instructions for removing and installing the guide bar on a Poulan gas powered chainsaw.
Let's get started. REMOVING THE GUIDE BAR [top] 1. Remove the clutch cover assembly.
Remove the (2) nuts from the bar mounting bolts.
Rotate the chain tensioner screw counterclockwise to release tension from the chain.
Remove the clutch cover assembly.
2. Remove the guide bar.
Remove the bar and chain assembly from the saw.
Remove the chain from the guide bar.
INSTALLING THE NEW GUIDE BAR [top] 3. Install the guide bar.
Lay the new guide bar on a flat surface.
Install the chain onto the new guide bar; ensuring that the sharp side of the teeth (along the bottom of the bar) are facing the saw.
Partially install the bar and chain assembly onto the saw, ensuring that the chain engages the drive sprocket on the clutch drum.
Continue installing the bar (and chain) over the bar bolts.
Pull the bar assembly forward (away from the engine) to align the drive links (on the chain) with the groove in the bar.
REASSEMBLING THE UNIT [top] 4. Reinstall the clutch cover assembly.
Install the clutch cover assembly.
Apply (side) pressure to the clutch cover assembly.
Using a long screwdriver, rotate the tensioner screw (in either direction) until the bar adjustment pin engages the hole on the bar. (The entire assembly should snap into place when this occurs).
Once the adjustment pin engages the bar; rotate the tensioner screw in the opposite direction until the chain begins to tension.
Install and hand-tighten the bar nuts.
5. Tension the chain.
Grasp and raise the distant end of the bar and chain assembly (opposite the engine) until the saw begins to rise.
While holding the bar in the raised position, grasp the chain at the center (and top) of the bar.
Lift the chain away from the bar assembly and inspect the gap between the two components.
The chain is tensioned correctly when the weight of the chain does not cause it to sag below the guide bar.
Rotate the tensioner screw (as necessary) to tighten or loosen the chain until it is correctly tensioned.
Tighten the bar nuts to secure the clutch cover assembly.
Do-it-yourself repairs like these are easier than you might think: From lawn machines to cordless drills, kitchen mixers to outdoor grills. Our "how-to" articles walk you through each repair from start to finish.
So, doing-it-yourself means never having to do it alone.