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Is there a proper amount of tension I should keep the chain on my chainsaw?

I currently like to have it more loose than tight.

Thnx

Kris
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    The chain should have a little 'give', but not too much. When the unit is powered off and the spark plug is disconnected, pull up on the chain and wriggle it back and forth. If the chain gets close to being able to pop off any of the gears on the end of the bar, then it is too loose. If the chain is very stiff and barely will move, then it is too tight. The amount of deflection you are looking for is a little less than 1/4" side to side and up and down in each direction. This is a general rule of thumb, there are more precise instructions in the user manual. – Jason Hutchinson Aug 21 '15 at 20:14

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Why yes, there is. Consult the owners manual (in paper or on-line), and it will tell you what that is and how to measure it on your particular saw.

Too tight causes excessive heat and wear.

Too loose can cause the chain to jump off the bar and result in an accident.

Ecnerwal
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What you should also realize is that the chain will become loose after continuous use. This is because frictional heat will expand the metal chain slightly. That's why I like to keep my chainsaw blade just a bit on the tight side (and always well oiled). This is how I tension my saw: loosen the tensioning screw just enough for the bar to move easily. Then hang the saw from the hole at the very end of the bar on a nail driven into a wall or tree branch. The weight of the saw will tension the blade snuggly. I usually tighten the tensioning screw to make the blade slightly tighter. Tighten the two bar nuts extra tight. Using your gloved hand the blade should turn with medium effort. And once the motor is started it should turn. If the motor doesn't remain on while idling it's to tight.

ojait
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yes. there is. Check the manual how to do it. In some new chainsaw model, there has a feature called auto chain tensioning system. It keeps the chain tension proper even after hours of cutting.

Chris Ross
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