Chainsaw bar and chain

I have a Husqvarna Rancher 55. I want to replace the bar and chain. When pricing the parts, there is about $20.00 different between the Oregon brand, and the other brands. Is the difference just the name, or is the Oregon quality that much better? Stan

For myself, I've never found any real difference in Oregon equipment.

I put a Oregon bar/chain set on an old Jonsered, and the oil hole in the bar keeps plugging up, It looks like it lines up perfect and the saw pumps oil well without the bar on, so I'm not sure what the problem is.

I have a older Husqvarna 50 Special and have had a few bars on it over the years and find the Husky bar the best. I wouldn't say Oregon bars quality is better.

Don't know about Husky but I much prefer Stihl chains to Oregon. The Oregon ones I have had are softer and do not hold an edge as well.
Zach

While at it , you may want to comsider going with a longer bar and more aggressive chain.

The Oregon Bars are designed a little differently (mostly the "power match" / pro series) than the Husqvarna bars. The only real difference is a better quality bearing in the tip, and they are made of different material, and are lighter. You won't notice it much on a little bar, but go in there and hold up a 32" Husqvarna in one hand, and a 32" Oregon in the other, feels like the Husky is twice as heavy!

As far as chain goes, I am a Husqvarna / Oregon freak. But I ONLY use Stihl chain. They are sharp out of the box, are considerably harder, hold an edge longer, and I think you get more life out of them, because you don't take as much material off when filing, because they are harder. I also think that the Stihl "Oli O Matix" (or something like that) deliver bar oil to the entire bar, rather than throwing it off the end. Again, on a shorter / slower bar and chain, won't make that much of a difference. But on a 32", with a bigger sprocket, I still get oil back to the clutch on the bottom side (never did with Oregon), and I turned my oil pump down one click, just because the chains seem to hold onto the oil a little longer as well....

Much of this is personal preference, and I take sh!t on here all the time because I am a "kid", and aparnetly kids don't know about saws, so take it for what it's worth! :/

I've ran Husky. Stihl, and Oregon chains side by side on my Stihl 026. Stihl won for keeping sharp. Husky came in a close second. And Oregon I had to sharpen twice or more, to last as long as the Stihl.

No more Oregon's for me

If you are shopping at a big box store or TSC the cheaper stuff is all Chinese and is more or less junk, especially the chains are very poor quality. Oregon has more than a few lines of bars from the real deal to cost cutter. Husqvarna bars are nothing but stock Oregon bars with a Husky paint job, Husky chain is also rebadged Oregon. You can buy identical parts sans the Husky paint from Oregon. Oregon has a very nice web site with a part finder that will help you wade through it. I go there find the part numbers then punch them in on Ebay and invariably someone is selling out some old stock for cheap. Another good source is Baileys, great people to deal with. Call them and tell them what you have and what you want and they will fix you right up with good parts.

I agree with the comments on Stihl chain but there isnt a large difference. If you can find some older Carlton it is great chain. Actually I find that all the non Chinese chain is good, not enough differences to wright home about. Properly sharpened and kept out of the dirt and rocks it cuts great,, otherwise not.
Baileys

What length bar do use on your Stihl 026?

Don't let them old codgers get to ya! I used to hear that crap at your age, and I never learned a darned thing from anyone that said that to me, including my own father. There is a lot you can learn from elders, ones that don't say the previous.

I would agree with what you said, you've cut enough wood by now to know how things work, and it does not take a PhD to learn it.

Stihl oil-o-matic is a good chain that I've had the same results from. The problem with these discussions is that the conditions in which saws are used vary widely, so do users habits, so its apples to oranges in many respects.

I've run Oregon, the local shop gets it by the roll, but they are a long time dealer of Husqvarna as well. It performed well and I got my money's worth out of its performance, but Stihl RS chain just seems to be a little better. I've run a new 455 rancher with H. chain on it, filed same many times, friends saw, and he just sent me a text last weekend on how well it cuts from the last time I sharpened it.... well he may have been in silver maple LOL !

I like Stihl products, just a preference like you say, but the RS chain is a good deal for what you get and if you can avoid metal or dirt/rocks it will dull slowly over time. I can recall a few times when I was able to do that, dull from wood and nothing else, it cut quite a bit and it was unique given that usually its one of the previous that dulls the chain in short order, hidden wire, rocks embedded at the butt etc.

I use a 20" so I don't have to bend over to reach the ground. If I'm careful I can bury the bar in tree and have enough power.

Thanks, I'm thinking about going to a 20" instead of my 16".

I think a 20 is a good fit. Just don't expect to cut through a 20 inch oak log like at 044 would

Timbersavage chain & Winsor bars were an acceptable combination for all but the most demanding jobs. Came from Alhborn Supply. Dunno if they're still in business.

(quoted from post at 08:49:54 08/04/16) Don't know about Husky but I much prefer Stihl chains to Oregon. The Oregon ones I have had are softer and do not hold an edge as well.
Zach

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I have JRED saws but they have STIHL chain-Period!