Long term experience with Poulan Pro 5020?

[Joel D'Angelo]

So, Zuren...have you formed any impressions about your 5020 yet?

I've only had mine for about 1-1/2 years and while I like the engine's easy starting and power level, I have had issues with an overly flexible rear handle causing throttle-travel issues in certain cutting positions. I think I've solved that now by adding a skid-plate-like brace made of plate aluminum under the saw, which stiffens the handle in terms of side-to-side flex. I have a thread here about this problem; a member called DrewUth chimed in in that thread with a different bracing solution made of dirt bike fender plastic that he says works well for him. So a few others have talked about similar issues but the number of positive comments about the saw makes me think that this may be a fairly occasional quality control issue with the handle-molding process, or something.

My former saw was a Poulan 2150...sort of similar to your situation. I'd be interested to hear how the 5020 works for you, if you're still monitoring this.

Those things are horrible! When I come across them I buy em for $10 and give them to enemies! Mainly it's the vibration brutal. I've got a Stihl 029 I'll sell ya for the same $200 just sayin. You are much better off with a decent used quality saw for sale on here almost daily.

 

[mexicanyella]

I don't find the 5020's vibration to be an issue at all. I don't see how it could be, given the large amount of travel present on the boingy, compliant a/v springs. If anything I'd like the a/v system tightened up a bit.

If you were instead referring to the vibration of non-av Poulans like the 2150 I mentioned, I have heard/read other comments about that but I have never found it to be an issue. Yeah, I can feel vibration but not to the point where it fatigues me if I use the saw for a couple hours straight.

I have yet to see any 5020s available for $10, but if you run across any more, put me on your enemy list and send me a PM!

 

[Chris J.]

Those things are horrible! When I come across them I buy em for $10 and give them to enemies! Mainly it's the vibration brutal. I've got a Stihl 029 I'll sell ya for the same $200 just sayin. You are much better off with a decent used quality saw for sale on here almost daily.

So what do you pay for for the Craftsman version, $5.00?

I'm guessing that you're joking. Have yet to hear of any "vibration brutal" complaints re the 5020, usually the opposite "too flexible."

 

[bikemike]

Yeah the yellow n black Poulans are all av sa . The green Poulans have no av.

What does it take to be on the enemy list. IL give 20 per black n yellow Poulan pro saws like this and the pp5020avx

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

Yeah the yellow n black Poulans are all av sa . The green Poulans have no av.

My green poulans have av.

 

[Chris J.]

Yeah the yellow n black Poulans are all av sa . The green Poulans have no av.

What does it take to be on the enemy list. IL give 20 per black n yellow Poulan pro saws like this and the pp5020avx

Some green Poulan chainsaws do have AV. I've never seen a PP5020AVX, just the AV; the Poulan Pro website only lists the PP5020AV.

 

[Brent1205]

I've had mine for a year now. I have cut 15 cords of wood with it so far running a Carlton semi chisel chain on it, and it's had nothing but Stihl 2 cycle oil with non ethanol fuel, and Stihl bar oil ran through it still running the factory 20inch 3/8 bar. I have done nothing to it but the chain put fuel and oil in and cut wood. I do take care of it I clean all the dust and grime out with a rag and a air hose and keep the chain sharp it will cut everything I need it to cut within reason

 

[mexicanyella]

Brent, that sounds like a pretty positive report. Have you noticed any issues with flexibility of the rear handle and/or AV springs affecting throttle opening in certain cutting positions?

I started a thread about that on here last fall and ended up making an under-saw brace to stiffen my rear handle, which helped, but it's still noticeable. I've had mine for about 2-1/2 years now. Runs great other than that. I recently examined two new ones on the shelf at the nearby Tractor Supply store and neither seemed to have any noticeable movement on the throttle linkage when I'd flex the rear handle with the air filter cover removed so I could watch the linkage while I did it.

Maybe I just have a defective handle.

I still like how the saw runs and it's easy to start. I used it back-to-back with a neighbor's Husqvarna 450 Rancher a month or so ago and while I liked the Rancher well enough and it felt lighter, looked sleeker and sounded like it revved a bit higher, my 5020 still seemed to work just as well in actual cutting.

 

[Brent1205]

I've not noticed any flex in the rear handle, or any throttle linkage binding at all. I've not been easy on this saw, first wood it seen was 42 inch diameter white oak and it buzzed through it after I replaced the OEM chain with a Carlton semi chisel. I have loop of Windsor 50A chisel on it now going to give it a run in some clean wood I need to cut up that had just fell a couple nights ago on my farm

 

[bikemike]

Brent, that sounds like a pretty positive report. Have you noticed any issues with flexibility of the rear handle and/or AV springs affecting throttle opening in certain cutting positions?

I started a thread about that on here last fall and ended up making an under-saw brace to stiffen my rear handle, which helped, but it's still noticeable. I've had mine for about 2-1/2 years now. Runs great other than that. I recently examined two new ones on the shelf at the nearby Tractor Supply store and neither seemed to have any noticeable movement on the throttle linkage when I'd flex the rear handle with the air filter cover removed so I could watch the linkage while I did it.

Maybe I just have a defective handle.

I still like how the saw runs and it's easy to start. I used it back-to-back with a neighbor's Husqvarna 450 Rancher a month or so ago and while I liked the Rancher well enough and it felt lighter, looked sleeker and sounded like it revved a bit higher, my 5020 still seemed to work just as well in actual cutting.

Hey mexyellow, how you been? long time no talk. You brought up the flex in the av system. That just reminded me of my poulan pp4620avx that was pretty loose or sloppy. I did fill all my av springs with black RTV gasket maker and that really helped out the slop or flex in my saw.

 

[mexicanyella]

Brent, what I noticed on mine wasn't binding, but actual partial closing of the throttle (with trigger fully squeezed) when the rear handle would flex a particular way. This type of flex mostly occurs when I'm cutting with the bar tip down, powerhead up...like bucking a log on the ground. If I squat down so the saw's level, or cut at waist height, or make a felling cut with the saw on its side, it's not an issue. No throttle sticking going on...just linkage geometry changes that shouldn't be occuring because the handle is moving relative to the saw body and backing off of the linkage when it shouldn't be. Worse, it's not closing the fuel/air lower carb barrel...just the upper air-only one. So it throttles back and goes rich at the same time. If I consciously keep a little side pressure on the rear handle so it doesn't flex just so, it's okay...but I hope to sort this out eventually so I don't have to think about that while I'm cutting!

Mike, haven't been on here much, or getting much sawing done this winter. Been busy with work and it's been warm enough to not burn all the wood I've accumulated. Hope to step up the woods/saw time a bit before the poison ivy and undergrowth leaf back out. I miss having my hair and shirt smell like two-stroke exhaust. Still haven't assembled my PP4620/2900 Farmhand yellow/green frankensaw, but hope to soon. A friend recently dropped off a Homelite C-71 with a 36" bar on it to play with after I put in a carb kit and new fuel line. That thing is a big old armload of metal. I can't wait to hear it run and try it out.

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

Just one of many green saws with AV. So IMO dont use a broad statement like above to say all green saws NO AV saws.

Poulan 2900 http://www.poulan.com/ddoc/POUI/POUI2009_AAaa/POUI2009_AAaa__530082347.pdf

Off the top of my head in green with AV also. 2700 3000 3300 3450 3750 and many more

 

[shorty2000us]

I use my 5020 just about every weekend. First saw I bought when I bought my house & wanted to carry on the 'family tradition' of heating with wood. The $200 price point made perfect sense at the time, and will buy another if/when this one dies. Oils good, I run full chisel on the 20" oem bar, stihl ultra or dolmar full synthetic oil, and tuned it properly. Muffler mod didn't do much. Worst flaw was the air filter not sealing 100%, which as others said is an easy fix with a little silicone. All in all its been a great saw for the past 3 years & couldn't be happier.

 

[zuren]

I ended up getting a 5020 at the "save big money" store. Only issue I've had is the tip of one of the guide teeth on the chain broke off. I'm guessing that this little chip jammed in the bar groove causing the chain to get thrown off the bar. It seems that it put burrs on some of the other guide teeth in the process. Fortunately it happened right when I squeezed the throttle from idle so the chain speed was low. Scared the hell out of me regardless. I had been running the saw flawlessly for 30 min. prior to that and everything was adjusted/inspected/lubed prior to starting. I took it back to the shop, inspected everything, filed the burrs down, and reinstalled. It seems to be fine now but I'll be getting rid of this chain altogether. It doesn't feel like any other chain I've ever used (so it feels a little unpredictable) and it seems their quality control on this Vanguard model is lacking.

Otherwise, I've been happy. I tuned the carb and put sticky grease on the edge of the air filter. Once I change out the chain and possibly the bar, I'll be happy.

 

[bikemike]

I ended up getting a 5020 at the "save big money" store. Only issue I've had is the tip of one of the guide teeth on the chain broke off. I'm guessing that this little chip jammed in the bar groove causing the chain to get thrown off the bar. It seems that it put burrs on some of the other guide teeth in the process. Fortunately it happened right when I squeezed the throttle from idle so the chain speed was low. Scared the hell out of me regardless. I had been running the saw flawlessly for 30 min. prior to that and everything was adjusted/inspected/lubed prior to starting. I took it back to the shop, inspected everything, filed the burrs down, and reinstalled. It seems to be fine now but I'll be getting rid of this chain altogether. It doesn't feel like any other chain I've ever used (so it feels a little unpredictable) and it seems their quality control on this Vanguard model is lacking.

Otherwise, I've been happy. I tuned the carb and put sticky grease on the edge of the air filter. Once I change out the chain and possibly the bar, I'll be happy.

I hate those chains. Carlton or stihl chain is a good option for those. Night n day difference imo

 

[mexicanyella]

My 5020 has thrown its chain two or three times in the 2-1/2 years I've had it, and once it jammed the drive links hard enough that I had to file down some burrs to get it to run smooth in the bar groove again. For comparison, I've thrown the 3/8" LP safety chain on my 2150 maybe twice in 15 years, and never once did I throw a chain in several years of learning on a blue Homelite XL12 as a kid, or the Partner 5000+ that replaced it. With the 2150, it was clearly a matter of me letting the chain get too loose and trying to finish whatever cut I was doing. With the 5020, I don't think that's been the case. I hope going to a 16" bar and better chain--soon!--takes care of that.

 

[Brent1205]

I've not thrown a chain yet but I keep up on my chains I sharpen them soon as the saw starts to not cut as well and make sure I keep proper tension on it. And when I do tighten it I always pick up on the bar when tighten the clutch cover nuts keeps the bar from dropping and putting slack in the chain when you tighten the nuts

 

[Philbert]

Throwing chains is not always a tension issue. Sometimes it depends on the wood that you are cutting. Brush is especially likely to throw a chain.

Philbert

 

[mexicanyella]

Agreed about the brush comment...the first chain-throw incident with my 5020 happened while I was cutting back one of those invasive honeysuckle bushes that was almost tree-sized. Those thin whippy branches are easier to deal with using a smaller saw, with 3/8" LP chain, too. The larger teeth on the 5020's chain make cutting thin whippy branches kind of unpredictable and that gives me the willies.

 

[Chris J.]

Agreed about the brush comment...the first chain-throw incident with my 5020 happened while I was cutting back one of those invasive honeysuckle bushes that was almost tree-sized. Those thin whippy branches are easier to deal with using a smaller saw, with 3/8" LP chain, too. The larger teeth on the 5020's chain make cutting thin whippy branches kind of unpredictable and that gives me the willies.

You can't go wrong having a good lopper. Even the nice ones aren't that (relatively speaking) expensive, & they sure are handy.