Ms 170 and 180

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Knotdodger

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I know.... I did a search on here for them and didnt come up with much.
I will probably buy the 170 in a couple days. For this weekend.
Do you think they hold up well for what they are??? I only use my saws
every third weekend or so. and little at work.

Just havent found much feedback on these saws.
I have a nice medium firewood saw,, hmmmmmm maybee I should get a good used 066 or 660 for the bigger wood. hehehe... Sure would be nice not to have to block with my 18in bar twice to get through the wood.....

Maybee I am just going mad... I need to quit reading all the good posts here.. I cant help myself.

Another meaningless post for me.
 
MS170........MS180.......

:popcorn:

I think you would be happy with either (although I would pick the 180) as long as you understand it's limitations and stay within them. Great little saws that are only bashed by those that don't own them. The folks who actually own them love them. Just gave away my 021 might just replace it with a MS180.
 
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170

I personally own a 210 and think it's a great little saw for what it is... Its actually the wife's saw. My buddy has a little MS-170 and has had nothing but good luck with it. I ran it a little bit and thought it to be a very good LITTLE saw also. Great for trimming small branches, cutting small firewood, say up to 12" or so. I use the little 210 to cut kindling and whatnot. All around 170/180 and 210 are all fine saws. MUCH better than the huskys that are around that similar size...

:cheers: eh?
 
I've had a 180 for about a year now. It's a great step up from the 30 cc Poulan it replaced.

You get about 15% more hp with the 180 over the 170, but then you can get the 170 without the QCA feature, which is a plus IMO.

The PMN chain works great as long as you use it in the small wood it was designed for.

All in all, both are good saws for trimming. As long as you have a bigger saw for larger wood, you'll be happy with your decision either way.
 
You get about 15% more hp with the 180 over the 170, but then you can get the 170 without the QCA feature, which is a plus IMO.

Everybody has an opinion here. I've had an 021 with the Quick Chain Adjuster on it for quite a few years now and I have to say that thing is about as handy as a pocket on a shirt. Never had any problems out of it and to tell the truth I wasn't very nice to that saw. Great little saw always started and always ran great, in fact I gave it to my Dad and he's torturing it now. I would get the 180 and try to get the dealer to swap bars for the standard PM chain instead of the narrow. Just my .02
 
I personally own a 210 and think it's a great little saw for what it is... Its actually the wife's saw. My buddy has a little MS-170 and has had nothing but good luck with it. I ran it a little bit and thought it to be a very good LITTLE saw also. Great for trimming small branches, cutting small firewood, say up to 12" or so. I use the little 210 to cut kindling and whatnot. All around 170/180 and 210 are all fine saws. MUCH better than the huskys that are around that similar size...

:cheers: eh?

I would take the 170 among those, if I had some roses to prune......:)

Get real!!! The Husky 336 is a much better saw, and is the only real Husky "around that similar size", as you put it......

I would also prefere a 136/141 to all of them, but not the 137/142, admittedly. The 235/240 is too new to have an opinion on......
 
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I really like my 180C. Some claim to hate the QCA but I think it's great on small saws. You should also look at the Dolmar DCS401. (same weight as 180C but 15% higher output)
 
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I haven't had any trouble with my 017. For limbing and small firewood, it works great, but I'm sure the MS180 would would work fine too. The only drawback has been is that I'm still trying to paper train it, but it still wets on the floor. (bar oil):)
 
I really like my 180C. Some claim to hate the QCA but I think it's great on small saws.

I don't hate it, but I sure don't like it! :greenchainsaw:

Cheap trick, that has made a lot of "homeowner class" saws worse and heavier than they had to be - and it discourages proper maitenance.

They don't work too well either on the three saws I have been into (all MS250c), accuracy is the culprit.
 
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+++ 170

Have had my 170 for about 2 years.Great little saw! Other then Dolmar I can't think of another brand of small saw I would want.
Very handy for it's size and always starts easy. :clap:
 
I have a MS 170 and think it is a great little saw, as a matter of fact I think I will be buying my nephew one for Christmas. I know a lot of people that have them and have not heard of anyone having much trouble with them, of course I guess it depends on what you use them for also.
Tom
 
I don't hate it, but I sure don't like it! :greenchainsaw:

Cheap trick, that has made a lot of "homeowner class" saws worse and heavier than they had to be - and it discourages proper maitenance.

They don't work too well either on the three saws I have been into (all MS250c), accuracy is the culprit.

HUH? The lack off sunlight is really getting to you. They work extremely well on the 170/180 though 250....... and don't add to the weight at all.. oh,, maybe an ounce or two if that... and the customers love it... No need to look for that scrench.. so it encourages chain adjusment.
 
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I have the 180C, the one that Troll don't like and it has done a great job for the 3 yrs that I have had it.
 
Sorry, guys, I did not mean to turn this into another QCA debate! If Lake likes the QCA, then it must have some redeeming value. I've just never figured out what that would be since the pocket in my chaps has plenty of room to hold a scrench. :) And I'd not gripe about it on a public forum either if only Stihl gave us a choice on the 180.

Sounds like the consensus on the 170 / 180 saws is that we all like them when used for the right application. Even SawTroll agreed, but for him the only 'right application' is rose pruning. :) :) Do roses really grow way up north in Norway? :)
 
The Old "Discourages Maintenance" Argument?

I don't hate it, but I sure don't like it! :greenchainsaw:

Cheap trick, that has made a lot of "homeowner class" saws worse and heavier than they had to be - and it discourages proper maitenance.

They don't work too well either on the three saws I have been into (all MS250c), accuracy is the culprit.


I find the QCA works just fine on the 250C. I can't imagine how having to remove ONE screw discourages proper maintenance. An individual who would allow this ONE screw to hinder proper maintenance probably wouldn't do maintenance on their saw anyways! Troll...is the one screw enough to discourage proper maintenance from yourself? Perhaps? Honestly, I doubt that it would...the QCA works just fine from my experience, however, for the record; I would recommend that someone go with the standard tentioning system unless they have their mind set on the QCA. The QCA does add a little weight over the standard set-up, but it can also be handy at times. All-in-all, it boils down to individual preference. The argument that it is faulty or doesn't work or hinders maintenance...I simply find to be completely false. Each to their own! It's your money! :cheers:

Best Regards,
OLY-JIM
 
I just got my ms170, but a local tree service uses ms180s as their topping saws, they reportedly get five or six years out of them. :chainsaw: :chainsaw:
 
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