en
14
OPERATION
31
32
33
.050" (1.25 mm)
34
35
Chain Tension
WARNING: Never touch or adjust the chain while the
motor is running. The pole pruner chain is very
sharp, always wear protective gloves when performing
maintenance to the chain.
1. Stop the engine before setting the chain tension. Loosen
the guide bar nuts slightly, turn the chain tensioning screw
clockwise to tension the chain. Refer to Assembly-Assembling
the Bar and Chain Section. Retighten guide bar nuts. A cold
chain is correctly tensioned when there is no slack on the
underside of the guide bar, the chain is snug, but it can be
turned by hand without binding.
For warm chain, see Item 3.
2. Chain must be retensioned whenever the flats (A) on the drive
link tangs hang out of the bar groove. See Fig. 31.
3. During normal pole pruner operation, the temperature of the
chain will increase. The drive link tangs of a correctly tensioned
warm chain will hang approximately .050" (1.25 mm) out of
the bar groove. See Fig. 32. To help determine the correct
warm chain tension, the tip of the combination wrench
(Fig. 33) can be used as a guide.
CAUTION: Chain tensioned while warm, may be too
tight upon cooling. Check the "cold tension" before
next use.
CAUTION: A new chain has to be retensioned more
often than one that has been in use for some time.
Breaking-in the Chain
New chains will stretch and must be tightened frequently.
Lift the chain out of the bar groove and lubricate the bar groove
with additional oil, see Fig. 34. Place the pole pruner on a piece
of cardboard or scrap plywood. Start the pole pruner (refer to the
Operation-Starting Engine Section) and allow it to run at moderate
speed for approximately one (1) minute. Stop the engine. Check
that the oil pump is working properly. The cardboard should have
excess oil from the chain rotation if the oil pump is working
properly, see Fig. 35. Adjust the chain tension (refer to
Operation-Chain Tension Section). Start the pole pruner again
and make a few cuts in a log to heat up the chain. Stop the
engine and re-adjust chain again. Repeat this process until the
chain retains proper warm tension adjustment as shown in Fig.
32 in Operation-Chain Tensioning Section. Never touch the
ground with the chain.