Husqvarna Chainsaw Wrench: Combination Tool

The Husqvarna chainsaw wrench is a combination socket and screwdriver, the tool most sawyers call a scrench. It handles bar nuts, chain tension and many basic adjustments on Husqvarna saws, and fits easily in a pocket or saw kit.

Why carry the scrench

Chains stretch as they warm up, bars need flipping and tension needs checking all day. Without the right tool, sawyers end up with a pocket knife on the tension screw and a loose bar nut, which is how bars get damaged and chains come off. The Husqvarna scrench solves that with one compact tool.

Most Husqvarna saws use the same bar nut size across a range of models, so one Husqvarna chainsaw tool covers much of the fleet. Check your saw's manual for the bar nut and plug sizes if you run older or very large saws.

The scrench also serves as a quick check tool. A slightly loose bar nut or a sagging chain is easy to fix in seconds with the tool at hand, rather than waiting for the next fuel stop.

Setting chain tension

With the saw off and the chain brake on, loosen the bar nuts a turn. Lift the bar nose and turn the tensioning screw with the screwdriver end until the chain sits snug on the bottom of the bar but still pulls around by hand with a gloved hand. Hold the nose up while you tighten the nuts.

Check tension again after the first few cuts on a new chain and after the saw warms up. A cold chain tightened hard can bind as it cools, so loosen it a little before you put the saw away after a hot day.

Bar, plug and maintenance jobs

The same wrench takes the bar off for cleaning the groove and oil holes, flipping the bar to even out wear, and changing chains. On many versions the socket also fits the spark plug, so you can check or swap a plug at the truck when a saw will not start.

Use the screwdriver end gently. It is not a pry bar, and bent tips strip screws. If your saw has adjustable carburetor screws, adjustments should follow the manual and are often best left to a dealer, especially on saws with electronic carburetor control.

Keep the chain tension screw and the bar nut threads clean. Sawdust and pitch packed into the threads make them hard to turn, which is when people strip them. A quick blow-out with compressed air at the end of the day helps.

Keep a spare

Wrenches go missing in sawdust and leaf litter all the time. Keep one in your chaps or pocket, one in the saw kit and one in the truck. Pair it with a good set of files such as Pferd round files so you can keep the chain sharp in the field. Always make adjustments with the engine off and wear gloves when handling the chain.

If the socket end starts to round off or the screwdriver tip chips, replace the tool. A worn wrench rounds off bar nuts, which then need replacing.