Adjusting Chain Tension for Your Chainsaw

Always check your chain tension before cutting. If the flats on the chain hang out of the bar groove, it needs adjusting. And new chains need to break in, so be sure to adjust your gas or electric chainsaw within the first 5 cuts.

Important reminders before checking tension
-Ensure chainsaw is off and chain is stopped
-Wear gloves

How to Adjust Chain Tension:

1. Loosen bar-retaining nuts – do not remove

2. Holding guide bar tip up, turn tensioning screw clockwise – correct tension depends on the chain temperature.

– Cold Chain Tensioning: If you haven’t started cutting yet, the chain should fit snug against the underside of the guide bar.

– Warm Chain Tensioning: If the saw’s warmed up, the drive links should hang approximately 1/16 of an inch out of the guide bar groove, or 1.3 millimeters.

3. After adjusting, lift the tip of the guide bar up to check the tension.
– If it’s still too loose, release the tip of the guide bar and turn the tensioning screw a half turn clockwise. Repeat as needed.
– If it’s too tight, the chain won’t rotate. So turn the tensioning screw a quarter turn counterclockwise. You should be able to turn the chain by hand without binding.
After adjusting, lift the tip of the guide bar up to check the tension.

4. When you have the right tension, hold the tip of the guide bar up and tighten the retaining nuts back up.

Note: When your chainsaw cools down after use, the chain tightens up. And if you just tightened it before cutting, that can damage the saw. To prevent that, loosen the chain a little after you’re done.

The bottom of your chain bar gets an unfair amount of wear and tear. Every so often, flip the guide bar when you tighten the chain. You’ll get more mileage out of the bar that way.

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