Husky 346xp maintenance question

[Wrace]

So I'm reading through the manual for my 346 and it says the clutch drum needle bearing needs lubricated every week with either grease or engine oil.

I realize the printed maintenance schedule is likely for heavier use than my property owner tree falling/firewood cutting each year but I should oil that bearing.

The question is, how? The workshop manual gives some procedure that entails removing the spark plug and jamming a tool through the hole to keep the engine from turning over while the clutch drum is removed. Is this what is required each time that bearing is supposed to be oiled (once per week)?

Or should I try and get some oil into the bearing with a needle oiler in behind the clutch?

Thanks
Wayne

[Rocky_J]

No way should you ever grease the idler bearing that much. The excess grease ends up getting packed around the clutch shoes and prevents them from retracting at an idle, resulting in your chain spinning all the time because the centrifugal clutch isn't disengaging.

You should grease it whenever you replace the drive sprocket. Just a tiny dab of grease on your finger, then wipe it on the roller bearings before sliding it on with the new sprocket.

[HolmenTree]

My 346XP manual says grease the bearing with the grease gun that comes with the saw.
I hardly ever grease mine ,maybe once a year and I put alot of fuel through the saw in that time.
 Just pull off clutch side cover and pump grease through hole on the end of the crankshaft, but not too much.

Willard.

[nmurph]

i have never greased a clutch bearing other than at installation and i have never had a failure.

[Cut4fun]

I only grease when I have the drum etc off for some reason.  Never just for the bearing itself.

[Al_Smith]

FWIW a bearing,ball,roller or needle will never utilize more lubricant than the surface area of the balls or what ever can hold .For example when they rebuild precision machine heads on like CNC stuff they pack the bearing then blow all the excess out .Sounds odd but that's the way it's done .

Thusly it's counter productive to grease up a bearing on a clutch drum like you were greasing down a pig for a contest of same .

Now then concerning that often neglected bearing which is relatively inexpensive .Failure to keep a good clutch bearing can eventually cause the drum to wobble rounding off and  gripping the shoe askew .This can over time break a clutch segment .Kinda makes a mess out of things .

[HolmenTree]

Guys don't forget the Husqvarna 346XP has an outboard clutch and pumping excess grease into that bearing is not a big deal. The excess grease will get flung away with no problems, just as the clutch is constantly bathed in bar oil from normal use.
Now pumping excess grease into an inboard clutch saw might be a problem.

Willard.

[Rocky_J]

Willard, I own several 346XP's and I can tell you from personal experience that over greasing IS a big deal. The grease gets flung into the clutch shoes and packs into the cracks and crevices. Then it cooks and turns rock hard, which then prevents the clutches from sliding in and out. The clutches will get to where they do not retract from the drum far enough to disengage at an idle. After the 3rd or 4th time of having to take my clutch apart and scrape all the hardened grease out with a dental pick, I quit greasing the DanG things and haven't had a problem since.

[Cut4fun]

Always inspect those bearings closely too. I was greasing a 084 drum bearing once and noticed the areas where they have 2 lines on each side of cage looked different.   So I pulled on them slightly and it pulled apart because it  was broke on both sides and the roller bearing fell out into my hand. Put it back together and you could hardly tell anything was wrong with it. Never even made a noise or hint something was going wrong either. So if you have her torn down inspect closely when reassembling.

[Wrace]

Thanks for the replies, I guess I'll leave it alone for now. This saw doesn't get that many hours on it each year and I've owned it since new. Just trying to make sure I maintain it properly is all.

[HolmenTree]

Rocky what type of grease were you using on your 346s?
Was it the grease that comes with the 346 grease gun?

Willard.

[Rocky_J]

Yes, I've used the white/opaque grease supplied by Husky with new saw purchases as well as high quality molybdenum grease from my grease gun. Even 5-6 times per year was way too much, although I was putting a lot of hours on the saws as well. Now it's only when changing the sprocket or if I have the clutch off for some other service or repair. They should plug up those grease holes in the end of the crankshaft because using them will only lead to overgreasing.

[HolmenTree]

Rocky I switched to Husky only a few years ago. But all the years I ran Stihl and Jonsered before that I greased my clutch drum bearings like you do. When ever replacing the rim sprocket I would take the drum off and with my finger smear a coating of grease around the bearing. Simple as that .
I can't remember ever replacing a bearing. But yes overgreasing can be done easy enough by someone unfamiliar with saws.

Willard.

[HolmenTree]

I had a good look at one of my 576XP AT's this morning and its manual says lubricating the clutch drum needle bearing involves dripping engine oil into the centre of the clutch drum [hole on end of crank] as it rotates. Once a week.
So it appears Husqvarna may be getting away from the grease  procedure. But a grease gun still came with the saw, must be just for the bar nose.
The 576 clutch drum also has holes all around its perimeter. Looks like a self cleaning feature.

Willard.

[jteneyck]

I had the same problems with my 385XP clutch that Rocky detailed.  I had definitely over greased the clutch bearing.  I stopped greasing it a year ago and have not had any problems since.  I clean it out with compressed air when I change the sprocket, and add a couple of drops of oil when I put it back together.  No problems and the bearing still looks fine.  Cheap enough anyway if it should fail, and better than having the clutch stick.   

[John Mc]

Cheap enough anyway if it should fail, and better than having the clutch stick.   

Of course, if you don't catch it right away when the bearing fails, replacing the chewed up shaft may be a bit more expensive... (and no, fortunately for me, that is not the voice of experience talking).

[Fly Fisher]

Holmen, I was reading that in my manual too, about drizzling motor oil into the clutch. I just bought a 576XP-AT how do you like yours? Where can I get the screw driver to adjust the Tach setting after break in? The Dealer won't sell me one as EPA will fine them and throw them in jail(Wonderfull Government)