There is one major question that lingers on the mind of every chainsaw owner, and that is “How tight a chainsaw should be? If you’re a chainsaw owner or you hope to get one soon, finding the right answer to this question is vital to help improve the efficiency and durability of your chainsaw. Using a chainsaw with improper tension packs a whole lot of disadvantages for both the chainsaw and its user. It greatly affects the performance and efficiency of the chainsaw, while putting the user in danger of a kickback or chain snap. Therefore, it is important and a whole lot better for you to fully understand the concept of chainsaw chain tightening. This article will help you understand the right tension that is suitable to ensure the efficiency of your chainsaw as well as your safety.
Getting the right tension for your chainsaw
Despite being a major factor for chainsaw efficiency and personal safety, there is no single answer as to which tension is right for your chainsaw. Getting the right tension for your chainsaw majorly depends on your preference as well as the kind of job you’ll be doing with your chainsaw. Even when you ask a lot of professionals, you will get so many different answers which may all be correct, depending on individual preference. However, there are few methods you can use to determine if your chainsaw has just about the right tension.
How to Determine if your Chainsaw Has the Right Tension
Before proceeding to use your chainsaw for your cutting activities, it is very important to always check the tension of your chainsaw. This will not only improve the performance of your chainsaw; it will also help to ensure your safety from kickbacks and other resulting dangers. To help your check if your chainsaw has the right tension, you can always use the snap test and pull test. These are two methods we suggest you implore to help you identify if your chainsaw is tight enough.
The Snap Test: The snap test is a simple method that will help you determine the tension of your chainsaw chain. To carry out a snap test, all you have to do is to slightly pull back the chain from the bar as far back as possible before releasing it. If the chain snaps back into position, it shows that the tension is good enough. However, if you’re unable to pull back the chain, then it shows that the chain is too tight. You can tell that your chain is loose when it goes limp after you pull it away from the bar.
The Pull Test: The pull test just like the snap test also helps to check if you have the right tension on your chainsaw. To perform the pull test, you have to pull the chain from the bar with your fingers. You will need to pull as far back as you possibly can without losing your grip. Pay attention to the drive links on the chain as you pull. For a chain with proper tension, the drive link should only pull out a little with their ends still within the groove of the bar. If it doesn’t meet this criterion in any way, then it shows that your chain tension needs a little adjustment.