Do you run the oem poulan pro chain on yours?
No, actually I'm running a 16" bar with a loop of that Oregon Lo Pro full skip chain they supply on cheap Poulan saws. I ground off all the shark fin bumpers. There is actually an Oregon number for that junk but I forget what it is. It's normally horrible stuff, but ironically I now find I'm keeping an eye out for it!
I had really only done this out of desperation last year when I found myself behind in the firewood gathering, and needed to get a several year dead hickory that was snagged in an ash. I dropped the ash using the pole saw. It turned out to work so well that I've kept it on - although this is a 33cc strato engine, mildly ported and muffler modded. It actually runs quite well.
I bent the bar this year and did an almost decent job straightening it back out. What the heck, I have other 16" bars, and pole saws just seem to result in bent bars anyway - I think because they get used at awkward angles and you can't really feel what's happening out there.