What Chain Size Does a Pole Saw Use? Pitch, Gauge and Drive Links

A pole saw chain is sized by three numbers: pitch, gauge and drive link count. All three must match your bar, and they change from one saw to the next. I prune the apricot and plum trees on our family orchard, planted in 2016, and the upper limbs there sit out of loppers’ reach, so a pole saw comes out every dormant season. This guide gives real figures from saw manuals and shows how to read the numbers on your own saw.

What Chain Size Does a Pole Saw Use?

No single chain size fits every pole saw. Each maker picks its own pitch, gauge and drive link count, and the manual of your exact saw states them. Ten of the thirteen saws in the table below use a 3/8 in pitch chain, the EGO PS1000 and the Greenworks 60V use 1/4 in, and two gauges, 0.043 in and 0.050 in, turn up across the group.

Bar length does not settle it either. A 10 in bar comes with a 40 drive link chain on the Makita XAU01ZB and the WORX WG323, 56 links on the EGO PS1000 and, according to Greenworks, 58 links on its 60V saw. Two 10 in bars can need chains that look similar and still do not swap. My rule is simple: I open the manual’s chain table before I think about ordering anything. My guide on the pole saw size you need covers bar length, branch size and weight.

The Three Numbers on a Pole Saw Chain

Every chain carries the same three measurements. University of Georgia Extension defines them for chainsaw chains, and the definitions hold for the small chains on pole saws. Bar length is a fourth number that sets how much chain you need, but it is not one of the three.

Pitch

According to University of Georgia Extension, pitch is the overall size of the chain, and it must match the drive sprocket and the bar tip. You find it by measuring three consecutive rivets from center to center and halving the result. The common sizes are 1/4 in, 0.325 in, 3/8 in and 0.404 in, and the pole saw manuals I read use 1/4 in and 3/8 in.

Gauge

Gauge is the thickness of the drive link, and it must match the width of the groove in the bar, per the same extension circular. The common gauges are 0.043 in (1.1 mm), 0.050 in (1.3 mm), 0.058 in and 0.063 in. On pole saws you meet 0.043 in and 0.050 in, and a chain with the right pitch but the wrong gauge will not sit in the groove.

Drive Links

Drive links are the tabs that sit in the bar groove and are driven by the sprocket. The chain is sold by their number, and the count is printed in the manual’s bar and chain table. A 3/8 in chain with 40 links and a 3/8 in chain with 44 links are two different chains.

There is also a 3/8 in low profile chain, and UGA notes that low profile cutters are lighter, need less power and suit saws used by homeowners. Several of the saws below carry one, so a plain “3/8 in” and a “3/8 in low profile” are not the same chain. My roundup of pole saws for homeowners picks nine saws for safe, easy yard pruning.

Pole Saw Chain Sizes by Model From the Manuals

The table lists the chain figures the makers print for saws that Amazon sells, taken from each operator’s manual. The Greenworks pitch and gauge come from its manuals; its drive link counts come from Greenworks product pages, not the manuals. A blank in a maker’s publication reads “Not published by the maker”.

What the Table Shows

What surprised me is how far the numbers drift inside one brand. Greenworks prints a 3/8 in pitch for its 40V 8 in PS40B210 and a 1/4 in pitch for its Pro 60V 10 in PS60L211, and the two 1/4 in chains in the table differ again: the EGO is 0.043 in with 56 links, the Greenworks is 0.050 in with 58. My Greenworks 60V and 40V saws comparison puts the PS60L211 and the PS40B210 side by side.

The same pitch also comes in two gauges. Makita’s manual lists a 0.043 in chain next to the 0.050 in chain that ships on the saw, and Echo’s manual does the same, so the width of the bar groove decides which one fits. Some makers print no pitch or gauge at all, as with the BLACK+DECKER and the Ryobi gauge, and for those saws the part number in the manual does the work.

How to Find Your Pole Saw’s Chain Size

Start with the saw itself, because it already holds the answer. Work down this list until you have all three numbers.

1. Open the manual’s specification or bar and chain table. It lists the chain and bar part numbers, and usually the pitch, gauge and link count.
2. Read the bar. According to University of Georgia Extension, makers etch pitch and gauge at the rear of the bar.
3. Count the drive links on the old chain. Stop the saw as described in the safety section below, take the battery out or unplug it, then count the tabs that sit in the groove all the way around the loop.
4. Match the part number. The EGO manual names chain AC1000Q, the WORX WG323 manual names 3/8.043-40E, and the Makita page names type 91PX.
5. Measure only as the last step. Measure three consecutive rivets from center to center and halve the figure to get the pitch.

The old chain is the weakest source. A worn chain is harder to read, and a chain fitted by a previous owner may not be the one your maker approves. I keep the three numbers written on a label with the saw so I never have to rebuild them from memory. I recommend the manual’s table as your first stop and the etched bar as your second.

How to Find the Right Pole Saw Replacement Chain

A pole saw chain replacement starts with the three numbers and ends with the maker’s approval. Use only a chain and a bar of the pitch, gauge, drive link count and part number your manual lists. Husqvarna’s manual warns that incorrect replacement guide bars and chains may cause chain breakage or kickback.

A chain that matches on pitch alone is not a match. A 0.043 in chain will rattle in a 0.050 in groove, and a 0.050 in chain will not seat in a 0.043 in groove. Check the gauge against the bar, then the link count against the manual, then the part number.

Dealer-sold brands such as Stihl follow the same logic: the saw’s own manual or parts list sets the chain, and a guess from bar length is not a safe substitute. I trust the manual’s part number over any listing title, and a listing title that says 10 in tells me nothing about pitch.

Pole Saw Chain File Size

A round file for a pole saw chain comes in one size per chain, and the manual names it. The Ryobi P4360, SKIL PS4563B-10, WEN 4021 and 4019, Earthwise and Scotts manuals all ask for a 5/32 in (4 mm) round file. I file by the manual’s size and stop there.

Filing is where the chain’s cutting depth is set. Ryobi’s manual warns that too much raker clearance increases the potential for kickback and that an improper filing angle can increase the risk of a severe kickback. Full sharpening steps belong to a separate guide, so check the pole saw chain file size in your manual and keep to its angles and its 0.025 in depth gauge setting where it gives one.

Safety When You Change a Pole Saw Chain

Changing a chain is maintenance, and the order below applies to every power type. Gloves matter here: in US emergency department data for 2006 to 2016, power saws caused 89% of saw and axe injuries, and about half of all injuries involved the fingers and hand (1). Chainsaws alone sent an estimated 127,944 people to US emergency departments from 2018 to 2022, and the injuries most often hit the arms and legs (2).

Check Tension After Fitting

New chains stretch, and the Ryobi and Greenworks manuals ask you to check tension frequently. A chain tensioned warm may be too tight once it cools, which is why the Ryobi and Greenworks manuals ask for a cold check. In laboratory tests on combustion chain saws, proper chain tension and anti-kickback links influenced kickback (3).

The pass mark is different from one maker to the next. EGO’s manual calls a chain right when there is no sag under the bar and the chain is snug but turns by hand, and Milwaukee’s manual uses a 1/8 in (3 mm) snap-back test. On cold dormant-pruning mornings I check the tension on a cold chain before the first cut, and I recheck after the first few cuts because a new chain slackens early.

Kickback and Pre-Use Check

Laboratory kickback tests also found that the risk depends on the wood being cut and on where the bar tip touches it (4). Before each use, check the saw as your manual describes: a sharp, undamaged chain at the right tension, chain oil in the tank, telescoping locks, couplings and the head tight, the trigger lock-off and switch working, and the battery, cord or fuel system undamaged; on a gas saw the chain must not move at idle. If anything fails, do not use the saw until it is fixed.

Stone fruit wood leaves gum and fine dust in the chain cover, so I stop the saw, wait for the chain to stop completely, take the battery out and only then clean it, and I put gloves on before I touch the chain, every time.

Mistakes That Put the Wrong Chain on a Pole Saw

Most wrong-chain orders come from a short list of shortcuts, and each one is easy to avoid with the manual open.

• Ordering by bar length. A 10 in bar needs 40, 56 or 58 drive links depending on the saw.
• Assuming one brand shares one chain. Greenworks prints 3/8 in on its 40V 8 in PS40B210 and 1/4 in on its Pro 60V 10 in PS60L211.
• Ignoring gauge. Makita and Echo list two gauges for the same pitch.
• Mixing 3/8 in with 3/8 in low profile. They are different chains, so read the full description.
• Trusting a listing title over the manual. Titles give bar length and brand, rarely the pitch.

The mistake I guard against first is ordering from a title, because a title can describe a saw that shares a name with yours but not its chain. A chain bought from the manual’s part number removes that risk.

Before You Order a Chain

Three things matter. First, your saw has its own pitch, gauge and drive link count, and the manual prints them or the part number that carries them. Second, a chain that matches on one number is not a match. Third, change the chain only after you release the trigger, switch the motor or engine off and wait for the chain to stop completely, then take the battery out, pull the plug by the plug, or on a gas saw let the engine and muffler cool and pull the spark plug cap off, with gloves on.

My tip is to note the three numbers and the part number on a label the first time you open the manual, then keep it with the saw. For the next step, read your saw’s own manual page on tension and oil before the first cut. The chain on your pole saw is sized by its bar, its sprocket and its maker, and those three facts are on the saw. My guide on what is an automatic oiler on a pole saw shows how it keeps the chain wet.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to measure pole saw chain size?

To measure pole saw chain size, find the pitch by measuring three consecutive rivets from center to center and halving the result, as University of Georgia Extension describes. Gauge is the drive link thickness that must match the bar groove, and the drive links are counted around the loop; the numbers etched at the rear of the bar and the manual’s chain table give most of this without measuring. When a manual leaves out the drive link count, use the approved replacement part number or count the links on a chain you know is correct, with the battery out.

What size chain goes on a Ryobi pole saw?

The Ryobi P4360 18V pole saw uses a 3/8 in pitch chain on an 8 in bar, according to its manual. The manual calls it a low profile skip tooth narrow kerf chain and does not print the gauge or the drive link count, so order by the part number in your manual and read the numbers etched on the bar.

What is the right pole saw chain file size?

The right file size is the one in your saw’s manual. The Ryobi P4360, SKIL PS4563B-10, WEN 4021 and 4019, Earthwise and Scotts manuals ask for a 5/32 in (4 mm) round file. Keep to the manual’s filing angles and depth gauge setting.

Which pole saw replacement chain fits my saw?

The chain that fits is the one whose pitch, gauge and drive link count match your bar and whose part number your manual lists. For example, the EGO manual names chain AC1000Q and the WORX WG323 manual names 3/8.043-40E. Matching bar length alone does not guarantee fit: pitch, gauge, drive link count and the maker’s approval must match too.

Does bar length decide pole saw chain size?

Bar length does not decide pole saw chain size, because it only sets how much chain the bar carries. A 10 in bar uses 40 drive links on the Makita XAU01ZB, 56 on the EGO PS1000 and, according to Greenworks, 58 on its 60V saw. Pitch and gauge differ as well.

References

1. Sritharen Y, Hernandez MC, Zielinski MD, Aho JM. Weekend woodsmen: overview and comparison of injury patterns associated with power saw and axe utilization in the United States. Am J Emerg Med. 2018;36(5):846-850.
2. Michael JH, Gorucu S. Occupational and Nonoccupational Chainsaw Injuries in the United States: 2018-2022. Safety. 2025;11(3):75.
3. Dąbrowski A. Reducing kickback of portable combustion chain saws and related injury risks: laboratory tests and deductions. Int J Occup Saf Ergon. 2012;18(3):399-417.
4. Dąbrowski A. Kickback risk of portable chainsaws while cutting wood of different properties: laboratory tests and deductions. Int J Occup Saf Ergon. 2015;21(4):512-523.

Safety Note: Only an adult who has read the manual and understands the controls should use a pole saw, never a child or anyone tired or impaired; practise first on small, low branches you can reach easily from the ground. A pole saw is made for cutting branches from the ground, never for felling trees, and never from a ladder, a roof, a tree or any unstable support. Power lines can kill. Before you start, look for every overhead wire, including wires hidden in leaves, and keep yourself, the saw, the pole and any branch you cut or that could fall or swing at least 50 feet (15 m) from every line, the distance many pole saw manuals give, or farther if your manual asks for more. The saw is not insulated, and electricity can jump through the air and travel through branches, especially wet ones. Treat every wire, and anything touching one, as live. A branch near or touching a line is a job for the utility and its qualified line-clearance crews, not for you and not for a general arborist. If the saw or a branch touches a wire, do not go to the saw or touch the saw, the branch or the wire, keep everyone away and call the utility, and 911 if anyone is hurt. Before you cut, look for loose, dead or hung branches above you and clear trip hazards from the ground. Never stand under the branch you are cutting: stand to the side, out of its path, plan where it will fall and keep a clear way back, because a cut branch can bounce toward you when it lands. Cut long branches in sections, and if a branch falls or swings unexpectedly, get clear at once. Hold the saw with both hands, keep the pole at 60 degrees or less to the ground, the limit several makers set, keep your hands below shoulder height, and never overreach. Let the chain reach full speed before it touches wood, and never start a cut with the tip of the bar. If the bar tip touches anything, the saw can kick up and back toward you, and wood pinching or binding the chain can push it back or pull it forward: keep the tip clear and use only the reduced-kickback chain and bar your manual approves. Wear safety glasses with side shields marked Z87.1 (and a face shield over them where your manual asks for one), a hard hat or safety helmet rated for falling objects, hearing protection, work gloves, close-fitting long pants and long sleeves with no loose clothing or jewelry, and non-slip boots, and tie long hair up. Keep people and pets, helpers included, at least 50 feet (15 m) away, or farther if your manual asks, and out of the whole area where the branch can fall and bounce; stop cutting if anyone comes closer. Never cut in rain, high wind, a storm or when lightning is possible, or in light too poor to see the branch, the wires and your footing. Before each use, check the chain, its tension and the oil, the telescoping locks and the switch as your manual describes, and do not use a saw that fails a check. Before you touch the chain, clear a jam, adjust the tension, fill the oil or change the pole length or head angle: release the trigger, switch the saw off and wait until the chain has stopped, then take the battery out, unplug a corded saw by the plug, or on a gas saw let the engine cool and pull the spark plug cap off; wear gloves. To carry or store the saw, release the trigger, switch it off and wait until the chain has stopped, then take out the battery or unplug it, collapse the pole and fit the chain cover. Use only the maker’s battery and charger, charge and store them within the temperatures your manual gives and never in the wet, never use or charge a damaged, swollen or leaking pack, and keep loose batteries away from metal objects that could short the terminals. Use a corded saw only with an outdoor-rated extension cord of the gauge your manual gives, plugged into GFCI-protected power, and never in rain or wet conditions: GFCI protection does not make that safe. Start a gas pole saw on the ground with the chain clear of everything, at least 10 feet from where you fuelled it; refuel outdoors with the engine off and cool, with no smoking, flames or sparks nearby, and never run it indoors or in a garage or shed, because the exhaust contains carbon monoxide. A branch thicker than your manual allows, a limb under tension or hung up after a storm, a large limb over a house, car or road, or anything you cannot reach from the ground is a job for a certified arborist. Stop when you are tired.