trooper jd
New Member
I'm looking at purchasing a 90cc class saw for felling and bucking and would appreciate input. Most of the larger diameter trees I will be dealing with are cotton wood so not particularly hard but there will be sizable oaks and silver maples in the mix as well. I am not planning on using the saw for milling.
I am considering between a Huqvarna 390xp and a Stihl 661 c-m . I would have to order the Stihl 661 c-m and wait 6 or more months for it, although with winter setting in I won't see much use for sever months anyway. The Stihl will set me back $1399 with a 25 inch bar, on the plus side I own a like new 32 inch rollomatic es from old 044 that did not pull it well. On the other hand I can get a 390 xp from a local dealer that has 2 in stock for $1059. One drawback to the 390 xp is that both models the dealer has only have half wrap handles and I would want full wrap. It might also be worth noting that the Husqvana dealer has a 395 xp with a 36 inch bar and wrap handle for $1350. From a pure torque and the ability to run longer bars everything I have read indicates the 395 xp is much stronger than both of the others, it is just more saw than I can imagine needing. That said if I would not have purchased to small of a saw last time (Stihl 362 instead of a Stihl 462) I might not be in need of advice. I'm just not sure I want to go back to a front chain tensioner and outboard clutch, it always annoyed mw on my old Mac Double Eagle 80. My guess is that even if I order the west coast kit from Husqvarna 390 xp it would still be less money than the Stihl. I have had good luck with both brands and I have good dealer and service support in my area for both brands, I just have much more in the way of Stihl bars and chains. My previous experience with larger displacement Husqvarna saws was that they tended to have more torque that a comparable Stihl and better anti vibration. I do suffer from white knuckle. The thing that I also remember is that Husqvarna saws have a tendency to rattle screws and bolts loose and not having captured bar nut is a bummer but definitely not a deal breaker.
If anyone could let me know if running the Stihl bars and chain on the Husky will cause cut or oiling issues I would appreciate it. My 32 inch Stihl and 28 inch es light bars and full house as well as skip chains are all .050 and the Husky come with a 28 inch (Oregon maybe) .058 bar and chain. I have seen people running Stihl bars on Husky saws using bar stud spacers I just don't know if the gauge difference is a deal breaker or if you also need to change the drive sprocket spur as well.
Thanks Jason.
I am considering between a Huqvarna 390xp and a Stihl 661 c-m . I would have to order the Stihl 661 c-m and wait 6 or more months for it, although with winter setting in I won't see much use for sever months anyway. The Stihl will set me back $1399 with a 25 inch bar, on the plus side I own a like new 32 inch rollomatic es from old 044 that did not pull it well. On the other hand I can get a 390 xp from a local dealer that has 2 in stock for $1059. One drawback to the 390 xp is that both models the dealer has only have half wrap handles and I would want full wrap. It might also be worth noting that the Husqvana dealer has a 395 xp with a 36 inch bar and wrap handle for $1350. From a pure torque and the ability to run longer bars everything I have read indicates the 395 xp is much stronger than both of the others, it is just more saw than I can imagine needing. That said if I would not have purchased to small of a saw last time (Stihl 362 instead of a Stihl 462) I might not be in need of advice. I'm just not sure I want to go back to a front chain tensioner and outboard clutch, it always annoyed mw on my old Mac Double Eagle 80. My guess is that even if I order the west coast kit from Husqvarna 390 xp it would still be less money than the Stihl. I have had good luck with both brands and I have good dealer and service support in my area for both brands, I just have much more in the way of Stihl bars and chains. My previous experience with larger displacement Husqvarna saws was that they tended to have more torque that a comparable Stihl and better anti vibration. I do suffer from white knuckle. The thing that I also remember is that Husqvarna saws have a tendency to rattle screws and bolts loose and not having captured bar nut is a bummer but definitely not a deal breaker.
If anyone could let me know if running the Stihl bars and chain on the Husky will cause cut or oiling issues I would appreciate it. My 32 inch Stihl and 28 inch es light bars and full house as well as skip chains are all .050 and the Husky come with a 28 inch (Oregon maybe) .058 bar and chain. I have seen people running Stihl bars on Husky saws using bar stud spacers I just don't know if the gauge difference is a deal breaker or if you also need to change the drive sprocket spur as well.
Thanks Jason.