How to Choose the Right Saw Chain for Your Chainsaw?

On the surface, choosing a chainsaw chain should be easy...until there's a wall behind the counter with 20 boxes to choose from. This will be a great introduction, read on to learn how to choose the right chainsaw chain for your chainsaw...

There are three key parameters to pay close attention to when choosing a chainsaw chain. These are the length of the guide bar on the chainsaw (in inches), the drive link gauge (in millimeters), and the pitch (combination of imperial and metric). These are explained in more detail below, but all three parameters need to be the same as shown on your guide bar and approved for your specific chainsaw model.

Chain pitch is the distance between every other rivet, in inches, divided by two. (Rivets are round pins that hold the chain together). It does sound a bit complicated, but luckily you don't need to remember this to choose the right chainsaw chain! Available in 6 pitches: ¼”, ¼” P, 3/8” P, 3/8”, .325”, 404”. Most chainsaws have a chain pitch of ¼” P or 3/8” P. Make sure you choose the same pitch as the chain saw's guide bar and drive sprocket -- if they are different, they won't fit properly on the guide bar.

Note that while 3/8” and 3/8” P and ¼” and ¼” P may look very similar, they should always be considered completely different pitches and not interchangeable.

This will affect the size of the chain ring you need that the--chain saws designed for home use are usually 12,14, or 16 inches long.

This is the thickness of the drive link -- a 1.1mm chain will fit perfectly into the grooves of a 1.1mm rail. Using a 1.1mm chain in a 1.3mm guide will cause the chain to lean side to side and increase the risk of the chain coming out of the guide.

Choosing the exact right saw chain is important if you want to get the most out of your chainsaw. There are a few things to keep in mind here.

When choosing a chainsaw chain, you first need to know the pitch, size, and a number of drive links. Once you have those, everything else about options is basically about what you like.

Pitch is the average distance between two rivets on a saw chain. Its value (1/4", .325", 3/8", or .404") is usually displayed on the guide bar. If you can't find it, our best advice is to have your dealer measure your old chainsaw chain, as it's a little tricky.

The gauge is the thickness of the drive chain link and it is important to know this in order for the chainsaw chain to fit properly into the guide bar. The gauge (0.043", 0.050", 0.058", or 0.063"), like the pitch, may appear on the guide bar. If not, we recommend having your dealer measure the gauge on your old saw chain.

The length of a chainsaw chain is determined by the pitch and the number of drive links. This is usually not printed anywhere on the bar or elsewhere on the product, so the links on old saw chains need to be counted.

We can see from the information on the chainsaw's guide bar that the pitch is 3/8" P, the length is 16", and the drive link gauge is 1.3mm. This is the information to look for on the chain box or description.

Once you have the correct chainsaw chain, changing the chain is simple. No matter what type of chainsaw chain you need for your chainsaw, you can be sure that you will get excellent cutting performance. If you want to know more or want to buy chainsaw chains, please contact us.

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