Stihl 261 rs/light backwards compatibility

[Olddevonstihls]

Hi, looking at taking the plunge and getting a new MS261 with either 16” or 18” .325 light bar and rs chain.  Dealer tells me the light bar chain combo is recommended as the saw as tuned can’t turn a conventional .325 chain at sufficient rpm/power.  Accepting this to be correct, would I be able to fit and run a standard 15” bar and 0.325 chain on the saw as is, inc sprocket?  Reason is I have lots of 15” chains and a couple of spare bars and it would be useful to use these as a back up or when i don’t need the longer bar.  I recognise I might lose performance but interested to know if the old chain and bar will fit the mounts/sprocket on the new saw.

 

many thanks.

[GarethM]

I'd change dealer as he's talking sh1t.

 

All older 261 were .325 as standard, mines still running old bars and 18" with more power than I can shake a stinky stick at.

Edited September 4 by GarethM

[5thelement]

The standard MS261 was always set up to run .325 with 1.6mm gauge chain, it pulls it fine up to 18”.

It does perform better with the narrow kerf bar and chain combo though, smoother, chain speed remains faster in the cut, very noticeable when performing bore cuts.

The saw can be converted straight back to standard as long as it has a .325 sprocket, just match the bar and chain to suit.

[Muddy42]

The dealer is wrong and probably just trying to sell you the more expensive light bars.  I don't think these are necessary for short bars lengths and the lightweight-ness must come at the expense of durability.  My MS261 has a 16 inch bar that originally came from my 028.

[5thelement]

45 minutes ago, Muddy42 said:

The dealer is wrong and probably just trying to sell you the more expensive light bars.  I don't think these are necessary for short bars lengths and the lightweight-ness must come at the expense of durability.  My MS261 has a 16 inch bar that originally came from my 028.

The dealer is selling him the stock saw as Stihl now have it set up, with the light type bar and chain as standard. 
He could just buy the power head and use his existing bars and chains if they are compatible.

[GarethM]

Whilst that might be the stock saw arrangement, I'm sure if I walked into mine tomorrow.

 

He'd pick a 261 & .325 bar off the rack and a 18" full chisel chain and change it without any questions and give me my usual discount without a second thought.

[Olddevonstihls]

Thanks.  The saw out of the box has the light bar and chain as standard.  I could just buy the power head but I want to go up a size or two anyway so don’t mind having the light bar and if I can use the existing .325 bars and chains that’s great.

[Muddy42]

3 hours ago, 5thelement said:

The dealer is selling him the stock saw as Stihl now have it set up, with the light type bar and chain as standard. 
He could just buy the power head and use his existing bars and chains if they are compatible.

And they are compatible. A .325 chain is a .325 chain whether its on a light bar or standard bar. Its no harder to pull a chain round a standard bar of the same length - that’s where the dealer is talking bull.

[5thelement]

56 minutes ago, Muddy42 said:

And they are compatible. A .325 chain is a .325 chain whether its on a light bar or standard bar. Its no harder to pull a chain round a standard bar of the same length - that’s where the dealer is talking bull.

The chain pitch will be .325 on both, but the light bar runs 1.3mm gauge chain, the standard bar runs 1.6mm gauge chain. 

[Muddy42]

12 hours ago, 5thelement said:

The chain pitch will be .325 on both, but the light bar runs 1.3mm gauge chain, the standard bar runs 1.6mm gauge chain. 

Ah sorry, I misunderstood.  Yes of course, different guage