How to Fit a Chainsaw Chain
Updated: 15 October 2026
You are at the bench with a tallox loop that already matches the bar on pitch, gauge, and drive-link count. How to fit a chainsaw chain is cutter direction, the first tension, oil in the tank, and a second check once the chain has warmed. Petrol, cordless, and mains saws follow that order, though your manual's gap can differ from the Stihl figures. None of the nine packs in our [Tallox chainsaw chain comparison](/hub/forestry-tools/tallox-chainsaw-chain) includes chain oil, gloves, or a file. We used those listings, Stihl's UK fitting notes, and HSE guidance, and we did not time a cut. A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
You are at the bench with a tallox loop that already matches the bar on pitch, gauge, and drive-link count.
You are at the bench with a tallox loop that already matches the bar on pitch, gauge, and drive-link count. How to fit a chainsaw chain is cutter direction, the first tension, oil in the tank, and a second check once the chain has warmed. Petrol, cordless, and mains saws follow that order, though your manual's gap can differ from the Stihl figures. None of the nine packs in our Tallox chainsaw chain comparison includes chain oil, gloves, or a file. We used those listings, Stihl's UK fitting notes, and HSE guidance, and we did not time a cut. A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Drive links | Gauge | Fit note | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  tallox tallox 40-link 25 cm 3-pack | 40 | 1.3 mm | UK report of heat and a jam | 7.1 | about £16.42 | View offer |
| Alternative |  tallox tallox 52-link 14 inch 1.3 mm | 52 | 1.3 mm | Pitch field agrees at 0.38 in | 7.6 | about £21.50 | View offer |
 tallox tallox 57-link 16 inch 3-pack | 57 | 1.3 mm | Long on a 55-link bar | 7.9 | about £20.95 | View offer |
On this page
Before you open the side cover
Put the chain brake on before fitting, and isolate the drive. Stop a petrol engine, take the battery off a cordless saw, and unplug a mains saw. Stihl's UK replacing page asks for that brake and for cut-resistant gloves, and INDG317 tells you to stop the engine or apply the brake when you are not cutting.
Check pitch, gauge, and drive-link count before the nuts move. If the loop will not reach the sprocket, or the tangs will not enter the groove, use the chainsaw chain pitch, gauge, and drive links page, because the screw cannot change the link count. When the three numbers agree, open the cover and set the arrows.
Direction and the first tension
Point the chainsaw chain arrows in the direction of rotation. On the top of the bar they point towards the nose, so the cutting edges face the tip. Stihl's UK replacing guide states that the arrows follow that rotation. Seat every drive tang in the groove, and leave the side-cover nuts loose enough for the tensioner to slide the bar.
Take chainsaw chain tension from your manual when it prints a gap. Stihl's replacing page uses about a 1–2 mm mid-bar gap. Its tightening page asks for a snug underside, a chain you can still pull by hand in a glove, and no more than about 5 mm of lift. Release the brake only for the hand pull, and back the screw off if a drive link climbs out of the groove.
Oil, then the warm recheck
Petrol, cordless, and electric saws all need chainsaw chain oil. Stihl's UK replacing guide includes each drive, and a tallox pack has no bottle, so fill the tank and confirm oil reaches the bar before the first cut. The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland expects a sharp, tensioned, lubricated chain and a working brake.
A UK review of the 40-link pack reported a loose fit, then heat, then a jam, so check oil and gauge before you treat that as running-in.
When fitting has failed
The tension screw takes up slack only when the drive-link count is already right. A short loop, or a gauge that rides the rails, keeps that same link count however far the screw goes.
Take the saw to a dealer when the chain has been thrown, the catcher is damaged, the brake will not lock, or the bar is blue or the rails have spread. Choose the next loop on the tallox chainsaw chain buying guide and the best tallox chainsaw chain page for the bar you run.
Common questions
Which way do the cutters face?
The cutters face the direction of rotation. On the top of the bar they point towards the nose, and the arrows on the chain point the same way, which is what Stihl's UK replacing guide states. Fitted the other way, the loop will not cut cleanly, even when pitch, gauge, and drive-link count already match. Turn it over and seat the drive tangs before you set the tension.
How tight should a chainsaw chain be?
Use the gap in your saw's manual, at mid-bar, with the chain still movable by a gloved hand. Stihl's replacing page describes about a 1–2 mm gap, and its tightening page a chain snug underneath with no more than about 5 mm of lift. Core Service uses about 2–3 mm, so keep the figures apart and follow your manual if it differs. Release the chain brake only for the hand pull.
Do electric and cordless saws need chain oil?
Yes. Electric and cordless saws need chain oil, as petrol saws do, and Stihl's UK replacing guide includes all three drives. A tallox pack has no bottle, so you fill the tank and confirm the bar is receiving oil before the first cut. Direction and tension still leave a dry bar to overheat. Set any oil-flow adjuster from the saw manual, because the chain packet gives no flow rate.
Why is a new chain slack after the first cuts?
A new chain lengthens slightly as the rivets settle, so a snug bench setting can hang slack after the first cuts. Stihl's UK maintenance notes and The Saw Centre both ask for another tension check after that run-in. Return to the same mid-bar test, using your manual where it differs from Stihl. That slack is ordinary settling.
Should I tension it while it is hot and leave it?
Retension a new chain after it warms, then slacken that setting once the saw cools. Stihl's UK tightening page says to loosen a hot tension after it has cooled. A warm chain is slightly longer, so the same screw position can be too tight the next morning.
What if it still will not go around the bar?
Stop turning the tension screw if the loop will not reach the sprocket, or if the tangs will not enter the groove. The length or the gauge is wrong for that bar, and the adjuster cannot add or remove drive links. Some tallox loops in UK reviews would not run, and more adjustment did not produce a fit. A catalogue length such as 209.13 cm is a product-page measurement.
When do I stop and take the saw to a dealer?
Stop if the chain has been thrown, the chain catcher is damaged, the brake will not lock, or the bar is blue or the rails have spread. A new loop will not repair those parts. INDG317 treats the catcher as part of the saw, and the Northern Ireland checklist expects a working brake plus a sharp, tensioned, lubricated chain. A thrown chain or a blue bar is a dealer job.
Related pages
Sources
Technical and public sources listed in the research digest; retrieved 15 October 2026.
- Stihl UK: How to choose the right saw chain (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- Stihl UK: Replacing a chainsaw chain (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- Stihl UK: Sharpening a chainsaw chain (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- Husqvarna UK: Choosing the right chainsaw chain (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- HSE INDG317: Chainsaws at work (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- HSE: Chainsaw personal protective equipment (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- HSENI: Chainsaw safety checklist (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 9 (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- Oregon 73LPX PowerCut saw chain (retrieved 15 October 2026)