The Poulan "fix"

[Alchymist]

Just thought I pass this on, just in case:

The Poulan chainsaw with the "quick adjust" feature *****, Poulan doesn't care, and the Product Safety Commission sees no problem with it. Problem is after a little use, the chain will not stay tight. Tighten it, halfway through the next cut it's loose again. The more it's used, the quicker it comes loose.

Some idiot thought that one nut with a crank handle would serve to hold the bar in place. They went back to the two nut design with the Pro model. Fortunately the saw has the two studs through the bar, it's just that one is covered by the plastic housing and serves only in aligning the bar.

The quick fix is to whack the plastic out and put two nuts on the studs. Bar will then stay in place. 1st pic is the quick adjust - handwheel with embedded nut. Second pic is modified with two nuts. (Nuts are metric).
Idea is not mine, picked it up on the web. I used a HF micro mill, any method to remove the plastic in the area shown will work, there is a steel bar embedded in the plastic.

 

[cheechi]

I had a cman copy of the PP4218 that had the same quick adjust junk.

There was a plastic cover for an earlier gen (in my case weedeater brand based on the green) that fit exactly.

I haven't found a need yet for it on my 5020 but when I get there I'll be looking for the same thing. Is yours a 42cc or a 50cc?

 

[Alchymist]

I have the 46CC one. Here's some reviews from Amazon...
http://www.amazon.com/Poulan-PP4620...inued-Manufacturer/product-reviews/B000C6FJ4Y

Number of ******* about the chain tightener.

 

[jakemac]

Those Poulan's were built by Husqvarna. I have a Husqi with the same blade tensioner. It slips as well, but not as bad as my Poulan did.

 

[Pipe]

I remember when I was "in to" chainsaws. They were called "pullins." Anyways the pro model has always been a little beefier but good thinkin!

 

[mrjaw14]

I have that same saw and I know what you mean....it does ****. I was wondering about putting nuts on it like that. do you remember the size nut you used?

 

[Alchymist]

I have that same saw and I know what you mean....it does ****. I was wondering about putting nuts on it like that. do you remember the size nut you used?

Don't know what size right off hand, I can measure them tomorrow. They are metric, at first glance I thought perhaps 5/16, but no. So, perhaps 8 mm?

 

[Alchymist]

Checked the size this morning - M8-1.25. Nut I used is flanged, takes a 13 mm socket.

 

[rick carpenter]

I've read of some complaints about Stihl's toolless bar adjusters as well. My little MS170 had the front-facing screw adjuster that I changed over to a side adjuster. It uses two 19mm M8 nuts to hold the bar in place.

 

[cheechi]

I have that same saw and I know what you mean....it does ****. I was wondering about putting nuts on it like that. do you remember the size nut you used?

Lowe's sells a 2 pack of top hat nuts for chainsaws, in the section with bar & chain etc. Fits on every saw I have tried them on. I will qualify that with saying every Poulan saw I think uses the same, as well I have used one Echo & a few Husq. I've probably bought 3 packs as nuts fall in the mud and get lost forever, across 4-5 different saws.

 

[CobraChevelle]

This is why I am looking at makita chainsaws.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Some idiot thought that one nut with a crank handle would serve to hold the bar in place.

Now that is really the low end of cheap !

 

[jd_1138]

Now that is really the low end of cheap !

They never make the cheap s--t with any sort of quality, because if they did no one would bother buying the better products.

 

[Alchymist]

Now that is really the low end of cheap !

They never make the cheap s--t with any sort of quality, because if they did no one would bother buying the better products.

While it's not a top tier saw, I think they shot themselves in the foot with that "feature". Got them a lot of bad reviews, and I have a suspicion the "dial" handle probably cost them more to manufacture and implement that just a second nut would have. The cover plate had to be redesigned, and the crank handle designed also.