ms261 needle bearing/play in drive sprocket, common problem??

[slack ma girdle]

I might have to go and check mine. I have had the saw over a year, and not noticed any play in the clutch.

[jnoon]

I might have to go and check mine. I have had the saw over a year, and not noticed any play in the clutch.

 

 

 

well i didnt notce it untill i wipped the bar and chain off, then release the chain brake and see if the clutch drum wobbles a bit..... then to get to the prob i removed the circlip , drive sprocket etc... to find a little plastic bearing.

 

let us know how you get on mate..:vroam:

[WoodED]

well i didnt notce it untill i wipped the bar and chain off, then release the chain brake and see if the clutch drum wobbles a bit..... then to get to the prob i removed the circlip , drive sprocket etc... to find a little plastic bearing.

 

let us know how you get on mate..:vroam:

 

ur surposed to remove that circlip and drive sproket weekly to grease the bearing.

[slack ma girdle]

well i didnt notce it untill i wipped the bar and chain off, then release the chain brake and see if the clutch drum wobbles a bit..... then to get to the prob i removed the circlip , drive sprocket etc... to find a little plastic bearing.

 

let us know how you get on mate..:vroam:

 

All fine and dandy, and i even gave it a wiff of grease.

[Marsh Monkey]

just had the same problem altho a bit worse it wound up needing a new crankshaft and a new bearing along with other things all done on warrenty so go take it to the dealer is my reccomendation it'll be free:thumbup:

[jnoon]

just had the same problem altho a bit worse it wound up needing a new crankshaft and a new bearing along with other things all done on warrenty so go take it to the dealer is my reccomendation it'll be free:thumbup:

 

 

 

thanks mate, just taken it in now, should be fixed by early next week, want to get it back in the van,

[Sambo]

If the play in the sprocket and bearing has got noticeably high then both will probably need changing. I went to my local dealer (GDC limited) and they gave me a new bearing which was built with a metal cage. This improved the play but there was clear wear on the inside of the sprocket. A new one of them cleared the problem up! I will say though that I have a relatively new Stihl ms 461 as well and that has a bearing with a plastic cage but that's still solid as a rock. Does this mean the problem is really in the sprocket? Maybe a sprocket from another manufacturer like Oregon could be the definitive solution?

 

By the way does anybody know what grease we should be using? Is it red fluid like on bar noses? Or something stiffer?

[peatff]

By the way does anybody know what grease we should be using? Is it red fluid like on bar noses? Or something stiffer?

 

I use LM grease on all mine, same grease as car wheel bearings get. Bar tip sprockets get same.

[Sambo]

I use LM grease on all mine, same grease as car wheel bearings get. Bar tip sprockets get same.

 

OK in cold weather I take it? Cheers for the Intel!

[Richard Thompson]

I have a 661 that eats plastic cage bearings and i check and grease regularly, has anyone got a part number for a steel cage bearing ??