1 Answer

It has been a long time, but I believe 3/8" movement pushing on the chain. The tension adjusters should be in plain sight on the bar. You don't want it too tight, yet you don't want a lot of slack either. The problem with allowing it to have any slack is, that is when it is most prone to snapping.

Work it slow, as that is one extremely vulnerable design. If you have sand or soft soil it is okay. But, if you hit a good sized rock that it hooks onto, don't be surprised if the chain snaps. You'll have your best luck with that, if you run it with the throttle just a little bit past the point to where the chain is turning. That way it allows the clutch to slip, instead of it trying to excert so much force it snaps the chain.

I use to rent out construction equipment, and I spent a lot of hours fixing chains on one of those machines. In rocky soil, those machines stretch chains like you just wouldn't believe. Once they get stretched, the chain is weakened and it's just a matter of time until it snaps. Remember what I said about the throttle on that, and it will help get you through your job.