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How to fit a chainsaw chain: direction and tension

Updated: 22 October 2026

The new loop is on the bench. How to fit a chainsaw chain is a short sequence: the cutters face the wrong way, or the tension is set hot and left tight as it cools. Pitch, gauge, and drive links must already match. If they are not written down, use the [buying guide](/hub/saw-accessories/chainsaw-chain/sub/chainsaw-chain-buying-guide) before the cover comes off. The [chainsaw chain comparison](/hub/saw-accessories/chainsaw-chain) states those numbers. Your manual wins where the adjuster differs. Peter F. checked the listings. There is no cut test. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

The new loop is on the bench. How to fit a chainsaw chain is a short sequence: the cutters face the wrong way, or the tension is set hot and left tight as it cools. Pitch, gauge, and drive links must already match.

Our top picks

HBHGBJZAA HBHGBJZAA 16 inch 57-link four-pack

Best overall

HBHGBJZAA HBHGBJZAA 16 inch 57-link four-pack
5.0/10about £14.99
View offer
Oregon Oregon 91P057E single chain

Rank 2

Oregon Oregon 91P057E single chain
8.5/10about £14.11
View offer
CHAMSUREUK CHAMSUREUK 16 inch 56-link three-pack

Best value

CHAMSUREUK CHAMSUREUK 16 inch 56-link three-pack
8.0/10about £14.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Confirm the loop before the cover comes off
  2. 2.Which way the cutters face
  3. 3.Tension, cold and hot
  4. 4.Oil, brake, and when to stop

Confirm the loop before the cover comes off

A chain that will not meet is the wrong length, not a tension problem. A 16 inch title here can be 55, 56, or 57 links. One HBHGBJZAA review had 56 on the bar and 57 on the chain. Do not remove a link. Engine off, battery out, gloves on. Husqvarna keeps the brake on while you set tension. STIHL releases it to seat the loop. Follow the manual if it shows one picture for both. A hooked sprocket rim is a dealer job.

Which way the cutters face

On top of the bar the teeth point towards the nose. Husqvarna states that. STIHL’s arrows follow rotation, which on top is the same way. Seat the drive links in the groove, then fit the cover. One Oregon 91P057E review would not cut until the chain was turned round. That is direction, not a dull edge. A backwards chain can look tight and throw dust. Turning a 57-link loop around does not make 56 links.
HBHGBJZAA HBHGBJZAA 16 inch 57-link four-pack

Testsieger

HBHGBJZAA HBHGBJZAA 16 inch 57-link four-pack
5.0/10about £14.99
View offer

Tension, cold and hot

Set tension cold, engine off, unplugged or battery out. Husqvarna’s check is snug, no sag under the bar, and still movable by hand in a glove. A chain you cannot pull is too tight, and it tightens further as it warms. STIHL’s side adjuster is about 1–2 mm of daylight mid-bar, with the nose held up while you tighten the nuts. That is not every quick-tension wheel. New chains stretch in the first minutes. If you tension while hot and leave it, the cooling chain loads the crankshaft and the bar. Slacken it cold, then set snug again.

Oil, brake, and when to stop

Fill the oil tank before the first cut. Several listings ask whether the chain needs oil and never answer. Use the oil the saw maker names. The brake is on the saw, not in the packet. A low-kickback line does not remove kickback. Stop for a dealer when the link count is wrong, the sprocket rim is hooked, the brake or oiler fails, or the only fit is a change of pitch or gauge. A work saw belongs with someone trained to maintain it.

Common questions

Which way do the cutters face?
On the top of the bar the cutting teeth point towards the nose, away from the engine. Husqvarna states that direction in its bar-and-chain assembly guide. If you have seated the chain and the teeth on top point back towards the sprocket, take the cover off and turn the loop around before you tension it or start the engine.
What do the arrows on the chain mean?
STIHL says the arrows on the connectors point in the direction of rotation. Along the top of the bar that direction is towards the nose, so the arrows should agree with the teeth. If you cannot see an arrow, the teeth are the check. An arrow is not a substitute for the right drive-link count.
Do you release the chain brake to fit the loop?
STIHL says release the brake to fit the chain, because a locked brake can hold the sprocket while you try to seat the links. Husqvarna says keep the brake on while you adjust tension, with the engine off. Follow your manual for the in-between steps. Do not start the saw to test the direction.
How tight is tight enough?
Snug, with no sag under the bar, and still free to pull along the rail in a glove. STIHL’s side-tensioner description adds about 1–2 mm between chain and bar in the middle if your manual matches that adjuster. A chain you cannot move by hand is too tight. There is no single torque figure for every saw in these listings.
Why slacken a chain that was tensioned while warm?
A hot chain is longer. STIHL says that if you set the tension hot and leave it, the chain becomes too tight as it cools and strains the saw. Slacken it when it is cold, then set snug tension again before you cut. Check a new chain again after the first cut, because new loops stretch.
What if a new chain still will not meet?
Treat it as the wrong drive-link count and stop. Do not remove a link, and do not wind the tensioner to its stop to close a gap. In this folder, 16 inch chains are sold at 55, 56, and 57 links. Go back to the buying guide and match the stamp. A backwards chain can meet and still fail to cut, which is a different fault.
Does a new chain need oil?
Yes. Bar oil is part of running the saw, even when the listing never answers the question. A dry chain wears the bar rails. Fill the tank, confirm oil is reaching the bar, and use the oil your saw maker names. The chain packet is not an oil specification.
When should you stop and use a dealer?
When the bar stamp is gone and you cannot count a full old chain, when the sprocket rim is hooked, when the brake or the oiler does not work, or when the only way to make it fit is to change pitch, gauge, or link count. STIHL UK tells you to ask a dealer before changing those parameters. A work saw belongs with someone trained to maintain it.

Related pages

Low-kickback chainsaw chain

Chainsaw chain

Best chainsaw chain: match your bar, not the stars

How to choose a chainsaw chain using the bar stamp

Semi-chisel or full chisel chain: the corner to trust

Sources

Public sources listed below. Prices and star lines are from the eleven amazon.co.uk listings captured on 19 October 2026.

  1. Husqvarna UK, choosing a chainsaw chain (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  2. Husqvarna UK, chainsaw chain size explained (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  3. Stihl UK, how to choose the right saw chain (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  4. Chainsawbars.co.uk, chain, bar and sprocket identification (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  5. HSE, INDG317 Chainsaws at work (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  6. HSE, AFAG308 Top-handled chainsaws (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  7. HSE, chainsaw PPE (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  8. Oregon UK, 91P057E chamfer chisel chain (retrieved 19 October 2026)