18" bar on a ms26

[bill]

hi everyone this is my first post.

 

anyone tried this combination? i can't afford a bigger saw at the moment so i was thinking of putting an 18" bar on my 26. will i be pissing in the wind?

[Steve Bullman]

hi bill, welcome to the forums. i dont have an ms260 but i know that an 18" bar is within the recommended guide bar length in the stihl catalogue.

In my experience saws in general run ok with the maximum length guide bar recommended, but sharpening is more crucial...ie, if you are running a small bar and the slightly lose the edge you wont feel it as much, with the maximum length bar you'll be working harder straight away if that makes sense

[tockmal]

hi everyone this is my first post.

 

anyone tried this combination? i can't afford a bigger saw at the moment so i was thinking of putting an 18" bar on my 26. will i be pissing in the wind?

 

Bill,

 

Firstly, welcome to ArbTalk.

 

Pissing in the wind doesn't even begin to describe how bad that combo is, the MS260 is underpowered with a 16 inch bar nevermind an 18 inch bar.

 

I tried it once for about 2 hours about 5 years ago, bloody hopeless it was. I'm still recovering from the ordeal of seeing the featherweight MS260 coughing and spluttering as it pootled in vain to drive the chain around the bar!!.....

 

MattyF is selling an awesome saw in the trading forum, the 288xp will see off just about anything given half a chance. Only £300 as well, cracking deal, check it out.

 

http://www.arbtalk.co.uk/showthread.php?t=324

[Mr Ed]

I have run an 18" bar on a 260 no problem. Like Steve says, keep your chain sharp, turn up your oiler slightly, and away you go. Dont expect to break any records, but you shoud be fine.

Tim, you probably needed to clean your airfilter and put the chain on the right way round

[tockmal]

Tim, you probably needed to clean your airfilter and put the chain on the right way round

 

Bill, don't listen to Eddy Munster and that other guy BULLman!

 

Please don't do it Bill, you'll be cursing that saw within 5 mins of starting cutting.......I've been there...it was terrible....

 

Max guide bar lengths in the Stihl catalogue are notoriously unreliable.

[Alex]

If you are going up to 18" don't expect any speed and it will be slower on pick up. Make sure you get .325" pitch chain, as it is lighter would also recomend you use a semi or micro chisle chain this will also help with performance. And keep it sharp... thats proper shape, right angles etc... very clever people spent alot of time figuring those out to get the max out of your chain for you.

 

Think of this as a short fix, only use the bar when need, drop back to your normal bar for day to day... most ms260 come with 16" so 2" more to their max should be cool.

 

Good luck.... when your ready look for a saw bigenogh to pull at the stump, but light and blanced enough to use in the tree. Don't just by the bigest one.

[jpbeaver]

apart from an ms200t i wouldnt use a stihl saw smaller than an ms361 or ms 341 if i had to, even with a 15" bar. if its running on .325 i could make you up a semi skip chain that should help stop it from bogging down.

[tockmal]

apart from an ms200t i wouldnt use a stihl saw smaller than an ms361 or ms 341 if i had to, even with a 15" bar.

 

Finally....the voice of reason.

[Steve Bullman]

i can't afford a bigger saw at the moment

 

tockmal....i think bill probably knows a bigger saw would be best, but wants to know if this set up will get him by....the answer is yes, just not very efficiently!

[swe#kipp]

Should not be a problem, I have run an 18" .325 on my 346xpg and it worked just fine and those two (026/260) saws are some what "comparabel" .