Tossed $400 on a worn-out cutterhead chain last month

I thought I was saving money buying a used chain from a guy on Craigslist but it was so stretched it chewed up my pump seals in 3 hours. Has anyone else had luck with aftermarket chains or should I just stick with OEM?

2 comments

2 Comments

morgan.joseph25d ago

Did you check the pitch before you put it on? I learned that one the hard way after I spent a whole afternoon changing out a chain on my old sawmill and it threw the bar right off the track... turns out the pitch was mismatched by just a hair. I've had mixed luck with aftermarket stuff honestly, some of it works okay for light use but if you're pushing it hard like with a pump setup I'd say stick with OEM. My buddy swears by those Chinese chains from Amazon but he's also the guy who runs his equipment until it smokes so take that for what it's worth.

valgibson25d ago

and that right there is the problem with used chains from random sellers. You never know if they've been stretched or if the pitch is off by a hair. Aftermarket chains can work but you gotta check the gauge and pitch dead on before you even think about firing it up. I've been down that road with my own pump setup and I'll tell you OEM is worth the extra money if you're running it hard. The Chinese knockoffs are fine for light jobs but they just don't hold up under constant load like factory parts do. Save yourself the headache and just buy the real deal, your seals will thank you.