iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Newly acquired Mcculloch 610 Pro Mac needs brake work. Any pointer?

Started by ezjam, April 26, 2011, 04:24:39 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

ezjam


Hi all,

I just acquired a Mcculloch 610 Pro Mac at a yard sale.  What I noticed from the get go is that the saw was upside down and the brake was always engaged.  So I removed the saw, cleaned out the carb and it fired right up.  So far so good.  However, when I reassembled I noticed the brake is always engaged.  My guess is that the brake spring is not properly installed.  So I disengaged it, and now the spring is loose and saw has no brakes at all.  Based on the diagrams I have seen of this saw, the brake spring is facing the correct way.  I am just not sure where the ends should go.  See picture here.



My guess is that I need to somehow push the L-shaped end of the spring into the brake lever notch.  That would hold the brake in the off position as the "default" position and would come off the "off" position when I manually move it.

Anybody have any ideas as to what I should do.  I have considered using it without a brake but I feel that would be a safety issue (especially with a rookie like myself.)

Thanx in advance.

ezjam

ps.  Also, some of you may disagree, but I find this unit to have more humph than my Stihl MS250.

beenthere

Welcome to the Forestry Forum.
I assume when you say the "saw" was upside down, you meant the bar. That is a practice to help keep the wear even on both sides of the bar. Some (like me) saw using two chains and switch the bar over when changing chains.

Glad you like the Mac. Don't mind at all if you believe it runs better than other saws.  :) :)
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

ezjam

Yep, I meant the bar.  My chainsaw lingo is definitely wanting.  I do hope it improves in this forum.   ;)

Al_Smith

You or somebody has something amiss with that brake which isn't hard to do .I have a picture some place of the proper assembley but the big question is exactly where .

The way it's supposed to work is you release the latch with the brake locked back  and it's spring loaded to set the brake if it's shoved forward .

Now of course it's got more grunt than a Stihl 250 .It should because it's 60 cc  and the little Stihl is 45 .

ezjam

It would be most excellent if you could find the picture as I have struggled to put it where I think it should go (I am fairly mechanical) and the only thing I have accomplished is to scrape off the paint. 

Thanx

ezjam

ezjam

One thing I failed to point out is that if I put the L-shaped end of the spring where I believe it should go, the brake will be off unless small pressure is applied to the brake guard, in which case it will snap into the "on" position.  This leads me to believe that I have it figured out correctly.  But I am finding it difficult to put where I think it should go.

Thanx again.

ezjam

welderskelter

Its only a 610. Throw away the brake and it will be lighter. I left the one on my 066.  ;D I think I have a iron pile of 610 brakes. Harold

Tom

I loved my Old PM610.  It ran for my company for about 4 years and for about five years before that doing firewood for my house.  the only thing I had trouble with was the oiler and the only thing I found that I didn't like was the square corners.  I didn't even know that I didn't like that until I bought my Husky and found out how handy a slick rounded surface could be.

Don't treat it like a red-headed step child.  They were good saws. :)

Even when their time is up, they are worthy of a showplace on a shelf.

Al_Smith

Regarding these things ,they are nearly bullet proof .One thing to watch for though is the oiler leaking into the crankcase which will carbon up the exhaust and chew up the piston .The type oiler is a diaphragm type impulse activated .Even with a screwed up piston they still will run for years .I have no idea how to fix one .New ones  pop up on flea bay from time to time .

I have two of this model , mine and my departed Dads .The old boy tweeked his and back in the day it would out cut a Stihl 042 believe it or not .Both are shelf queens these days as I have a bunch of lighter faster saws .They can still get-er-done though .

I wore out 4 or 5 bars out on mine and at least a 5 gallon bucket full of chain loops and it still runs as good or better than it did brand new .

I can't seem to find the picture but if need be I'll take another one .

clww

Many Stihl Saws-16"-60"
"Go Ask The Other Master Chief"
18-Wheeler Driver

Al_Smith

The bent end of the spring has to go in the notch you pointed out in the picture .The other end goes in the rearward side of the pin in the handle .You have to kind of wind it in a counter clockwise direction using a little piece of tubing or something similar .

The way it works is the tension on the bent part of the spring forces the lock pawl to be held down, locking the lever and preventing the brake from  engaging  .Once you push forward on the brake handle the pawl is forced upwards over the pin and the tension of the spring holds the brake band .

It's kind of a challange to do ,three hands would be helpfull  .You have to have the handle loose ,wind up the spring and hold it while making sure the brake band loop aligns with the pin and then install the big slotted screw on the pivot point of the handle .

As usual I can't get a picture loaded but if you need it send me a PM with an e-mail addy and I'll fire off the picture and an IPL in PDF formate .

ladylake


A Mac 610 was my first saw and it worked good for many years, cut real good but was heavy. I had the chain brake apart once and if I didn't have a parts saw too look at I'd never have got it back toeghter. I just sold a guy a CS5000 Echo and gave me his old 610 Mac so I'll be working on it soon, the chain brake is zip tied to the handle right now.  Steve
Timberking B20  18000  hours +  Case75xt grapple + forks+8" snow bucket + dirt bucket   770 Oliver   Lots(too many) of chainsaws, Like the Echo saws and the Stihl and Husky     W5  Case loader   1  trailers  Wright sharpener     Suffolk  setter Volvo MCT125c skid loader

Al_Smith

 :D I had the one on my personal 610 fly apart in the woods one day and at the time I couldn't figure it out .So I left it on a stump and forgot to retrieve it .As far as I know it might still be sitting on an oak stump near Mt Vernon Ohio .Heavens that was in the mid 80's .

Tom

You better hurry up and go get it, or someone will beat you to it.  :D

Al_Smith

Something I forgot to mention .The early 610s' had a problem of the brake assembleys falling apart .It appears McCullochs' fix was to use red Loctite or something on the slotted head pivot screw .As a result it would take some heat to release that thing because it's as tight as a mouses ear .I don't think they could have made it any tighter unless they welded it .

ezjam

Hi Al_Smith,

Based on your description, I think I understand how I should put it together.  However, if you can send me a picture to [pm'ed] I would really appreciate it.  I'll see if I can put her together this weekend as I have some cutting to do and I would love to take her for a spin.

Thank

ezjam

Al_Smith

You get a good sharp chain on that thing and have it in good tune ,you'll be surprised how well it cuts .

As been mentioned it's heavy for 60 cc's .Back in the day though having ran heavy saws often that weight didn't really bother me . Actually it doesn't to this day  either .

A lot of peple complain about them but now just how many saws are capable of cutting like they do and can be landed for under 100 bucks ? Darned good firewooder for the money .

That one guy on flea bay shines them up like a new penny ,brags them up and pedals them for two to three times what they sold for new .He must be a direct descendent of PT Barnum . :D

ezjam

BTW:  I do need to brag a bit, I picked this one up for a mere $10.00.  Came with an extra chain and 6 sharpening files.  ;)  Once I disengaged the brake, it started on the 5 pull after sitting for a few years.

ezjam

Al_Smith

As a rule they are pretty reliable .I've never even had the carb off of mine,no rebuild kit,nothing .Why I have no idea . There's nothing special about it just a Tilloston model HU . Replaced a fuel line once after it sat for several years and one oil pump. That's it since some time in the late 70's  when I got it .

Thank You Sponsors!