I just picked up a 550 XP yesterday and couldn't wait to get it home and run it despite the monsoon conditions we are having here. I specifically remember telling the dealer I wanted a .050" gauge 18" bar and he said that's what it came with so I didn't even look. I headed out of there with my saw, complementary new hat and a 6-pack of oil (which got me another year on the warranty) and got home to find it is a .058" gauge bar/chain. Sooooooo.... I figured I would remove the B/C and take it back to get what I want. I still wanted to run the saw so I took a used b/c from my Husqvarna 450 and put it on with a Stihl full chisel chain. It bolted on perfectly and I verified the oil hole lined up, I tensioned the chain properly and went to spin the chain on the bar and it felt tight and herky jerky. Not smooth like I would expect. So I figured it was just dry and it would free up a little when running the saw. Got outside, set the choke and fired it up. Hit the trigger and it was bogging. Figured it was cold so I gave it a second and it seemed to accelerate better so I went to put it in some wood. Started cutting and it was evident something was wrong. Shut it off and went inside, pulled it apart and I could see where the chain was rubbing on the steel guide plate above and below the oil hole on the saw. OOOOppps. I effed up my new saw already!!!! It will be alright, it didn't wear through but it would have if I kept running it! I held up the bar that came with the saw which is part # 5089121-72 to the used bar part # 5089261-72 and the heel of the bar where it mounts to the saw is much narrower which allowed the chain to rub on the back plate of the saw. I know the bar has some wear but I can't believe it has that much. I looked up the Husqvarna B/C fit up chart to see what the differences between the 2 bars are and of course they don't have the chart updated to include the 550 XP yet. They also have two different fitments for the 450. One is HLN-250-72 and the other is HL258-72. The HLN is a narrow sprocket nose .050" gauge and the HL-258 is standard nose .058" gauge. The used bar I put on must be a narrow sprocket nose/narrow heel bar and it doesn't work!! So after all this I guess my question is does Husqvarna make a .050 gauge bar that fits this saw or do I have to go buy all new .058 gauge chains for this????
550 XP Bar Fitment????
- Thread starter RED WOOD
- Start date
Help Support Arborist Forum:
In this area .050" gauge is a curse we have to contend with. You cannot buy .058" chains locally so most people stuck with the bars run .050" chains on them.
I have a Husqvarna 545 and it has had several different small mount bars on it with no problem. The have been both Husqvarna and Oregon brands in both .325 and .375 pitches. All of them .050" gauge.
I figure your problem was that you installed the chain off the side of the rim sprocket? This is easy to happen on the 545/550 saws
I have a Husqvarna 545 and it has had several different small mount bars on it with no problem. The have been both Husqvarna and Oregon brands in both .325 and .375 pitches. All of them .050" gauge.
I figure your problem was that you installed the chain off the side of the rim sprocket? This is easy to happen on the 545/550 saws
I thought that was what I did too but I pulled it apart and made sure the chain went on the rim properly. Soon as I tightened the bar nuts it locked up the chain and it prevented it from spinning freely. I put the original .058 set up on it and it spins freely? I think it has to do with the narrower nose bar causing the chain to ride where it isn't supposed to be.
XSKIER
Addicted to ArboristSite
I'm no cross breed expert, but I don't think stihl makes narrow kerf .325 saw chain. Your narrow kerf bar and regular kerf stihl chain may work just fine on a homeowner saw, but the pro saw may have a tighter tolerance on the chain guides. You may need to go to the Husqy dealer and get a matched kerf set of bar and chain.
I will have to check the original chain that came off the 450. I wonder if it is narrow kerf?? I have been running standard .325, 050. gauge chains on the 450 with no issue. The 550Xp don't like that setup.
mikefunaro
Addicted to ArboristSite
From looking up the part number of the 050 it looks like a narrow kerf bar. You can confirm this by looking to see if it as that weird sort of
l l
/ \
l l
pattern marked on it in a circle.
I can only find russian sites easily for the bar you're saying came with the saw so I cant really read or gather much about the descriptions.
It's potentially possible that the tolerances on the saw that provide sufficient space for the chain to move are dependent upon the clearance provided by the thickness of the bar. I really doubt this though. This would mean that the narrow kerf bar is physically thinner, and so it lets the clutch cover fasten in closer to the body of the saw, and therefore, too close for the regular kerf chain to move around. It's also possible that somehow the tail shape of the narrow kerf bars are different and somehow husky knew about this and so a narrow kerf bar on that saw can only work with a narrow kerf chain.
I have used 16"and 18" standard kerf bars on my 550with .325 050 chain and everything has been smooth. The overall shapes of the bars are a little different; ones a carlton and one is an oregon.
If I had to guess something is wrong either with the way that the chain is fitting onto the saw, the way the clutch cover is seating, the way the bars are seating, or the chain to bar matchup. I'd check over everything really good, clean the bars look for burs, make sure that the tensioner spring is sitting appropriately, check the PN for both the bars and make sure that they're K095 mounts, and then if you have one maybe try the 050 bar with a proper narrow kerf chain and see if it makes a difference. It sounds like you've done most of this though.
If you have a lot of 050 chains I'd rather buy a new bar for the chains then new chains for a new bar.
Last edited:
The old bar I put on the 550 is definately narrow kerf. Looks like I have been running standard chains with NK bar on the 450 for a while but have not had any issues . I will be going to the dealer this afternoon to drop the .058" set up off provided he has a .050 B/C that is compatible for the 550XP. Then its time to get the auto tune tuned up.
spike60
Addicted to ArboristSite
Let me take a shot at this. I think the problem could be the narrow kerf bar combined with standard kerf chain. Also, there is a slight difference in the width of the bars at the tail, (top to bottom, not thickness). And I'm talking both bars coming from Husky's EMAB factory in Norway. The narrow kerf bar is about 1/8" wider at the oil holes. I know that this cause an issue on some saws as the chain will ride slightly higher and wider. For instance, the narrow kerf bars will absolutely not work on a 242XP. Seems OK until you tighten the bar nuts and then it locks right up. The 545/550 are available with the narrow kerf set up, so they should work fine, although I sell them all with the standard .058 deal. I suppose it's worth the effort for me to mix the two and see what happens, cause it's only a matter of time til one of my customers walks in with the same problem.
I'll get back to you with the results of this scientific endeavor.
I'll get back to you with the results of this scientific endeavor.
spike60
Addicted to ArboristSite
OK men, theory confirmed. Use of a narrow kerf bar and standard chain is a no-no on the 545/550. Just tried it and she locked up when I tightened the bar nuts.
They actually do tell you not to mix and match them, but it's not a problem that happens on every saw. As the OP said, it was working on his 450, and it's not an issue on the 346 family either.
But now we know!
They actually do tell you not to mix and match them, but it's not a problem that happens on every saw. As the OP said, it was working on his 450, and it's not an issue on the 346 family either.
But now we know!
Thanks Spike! I just got to find the right .050 bar to put on that 550XP. I got too much $$$ tied up in chains to not to be able to use them on that saw.
spike60
Addicted to ArboristSite
Glad to help Red; and thanks for bringing it up. I wasn't aware of this and it would have bit me in the behind at some point down the road. :msp_wink:
Well, after spending about 30 mins at the dealer trying to explain the interference issue when using a NK bar with standard chain I still believe he hasn't a clue about what I am telling him. He is in his catalogs looking for 550XP bar and chain fitment and the 550 XP is not even listed in his catalog. At the end of it all he hands me a new NK bar with NK chain and says to run this and he is ordering 20 LPX chain and says that will work with the NK bar??? I got home, took the Oregon Pro-Lite bar off my 450 and put it on the 550XP. Put a Stihl RS chain on it and tightened the bar nuts. Chain was spinning freely like it should. Went outside and cut some short firewood. Man this thing rips!!!!
SawTroll
Information Collector
I didn't know that was a problem on the 550/545 either, just that it can happen occationally......
XSKIER
Addicted to ArboristSite
So are you saying that you have a new NK bar that you still can't use on the 550xp with stihl chain? Sounds like a major design flaw in the design of the new "5" saws. Husqy is probably trying to chase those last couple of thousandths of an inch in width for "sideways" balance. Out of curiosity, with such tight clearance how to they do for chip clearance while noodling?
The new NK bar he gave me is the same Husky part number as the old one and I told him it didn't work when used with standard chain. He ordered 20LPX chain and thinks it is going to work with that new NK bar? I don't think it will.........I think I have a loop of 20 LPX at home. I didn't even take the time to try it out with the new bar. I am just going to have him order me another Oregon Pro-Lite bar. I know that will work with either the 450 or 550XP.
As for noodling with the 550 I don't even have a tank of fuel through it yet. Got some red oak laying in the yard I may have to try it out on that.
SawTroll
Information Collector
Not a flaw actually, as NK bars aren't designed to work with standard chain.
Mostly they do anyway, but that should just be regarded as a "bonus".
That is the reason I didn't even realize I had a NK setup on my 450. Cause I started running all different chains and never had an issue.
spike60
Addicted to ArboristSite
If you want to see a "major design flaw", just go to your local Stihl dealer and look at the MS362. :msp_biggrin:
Similar threads
