the best saw?

[wolfman]

I am preparing to purchase a chainsaw to be primarily used to clear my house lot and a few fields, and for firewood and woodlot management later on. I have narrowed my search down to the husqvarna 365 and the stihl ms360 pro. The only major difference I have found so far is price. Husqvarnas are sold online and I have found the 365 for $426 plus shipping whereas the Stihl at a local dealer is around $500. I am looking for some true guidance based on info not biases. Anyone familiar with these saws? Any known problems with either or features that I should know about? Any help is appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[Bruiser]

I'd take a look at the J. Deere CS62 for under $400 at:http://chainsaws4u.com 4.7hp, 12.4 lb. powerhead. Same as the Efco 962.

 

[Newfie]

Husky 372xp for about $100 more than the 365. A much better saw in my opinion.

 

[tony marks]

if i was going husky i believe id take it on up to 372 simply because they seem to be the same wt. and size as the 66
now i can personally recommend the 036 u mentioned . it is a
real good saw..i do 90 percent of my wk with mine.

 

[wolfman]

are you familiar with the john deere saws? I was looking at them but am not familiar with them--as they are not one of the "big 2". THey look like they are well constructed based on the pics posted on the website. have you ever run them?

 

[Fish]

Biases? We are all chock full of them! Look at Shindaiwa as well.
But go with one with a nearby dealer to get parts from.

 

[ac45]

Where did you find a 365 for $426 online?

 

[wolfman]

www.summitpowertools.com
They are out of British Columbia, Canada. The price almost makes up my mind for me but I want to make sure I do the right thing. A $500 saw is a big investment.

 

[Grateful11]

The 372 the guys are talking about is a great running saw. I had a 371 until someone else wanted worse than I did. I replaced it with a Stihl 046. I also owned a 55, it walked too. My Stihl equipment starts easier and has better lowend torque but the Husky's seem to have more rpm's. After having used both for quite sometime I'm partial to Stihl. I've used an 034 some but not a 360. If you go with Husky get one with an inboard clutch those outboards like on the 55 are a pain the change chains and mount bars.
Grateful

 

[Gypo Logger]

Hi Wolfman, I'd get a Husky 357 or an 026, maybe an 036. Dont waste your time with a consumer model unless it's a money issue.
Regardless of what you choose though, you have a bunch of good people here that will help you. Buy what turns your crank, any saw will be fine, you will have fun learning.
Cheers,
John

 

[wolfman]

thanks gypo logger. You don't think the 365 is worth it? I am torn between the 036 and 365. I looked at the 357xp but was told that it was famous for "blowing up". The stihl costs more but i hear the huskys are more reliable. I have an old stihl 024 that has been to hell and back but do not know if it is comparable to the newer stihls. Very overwhelming. I definitely want to stay with a pro model due to the amount of cutting i will be doing. i appreciate your help and kind words.

 

[svrfsvp]

The best chainsaw is one that starts and runs. My 066 will no longer do either - I pulled it apart this evening and found out why - the piston is scored, the cylinder is too, and the rings were stuck. Ok, they were stuck, but in trying to free them, I broke them.

A friend has suggested that this saw is now a perfect candidate to be Walkerized. Another has suggested that I hone the cylinder and install new rings, run it as long as it will run, and call it all even at the end of the day.

The Stihl mechanic said it would cost $450 to fix. Hmm, that gets me a large part of the way to a new saw. And I would rather not spend that kind of money right now.

Any suggestions?

 

[woodsjunkie]

wolfman ,
If money is a factor (most of us it is) look at the 2159 great firewood saw and can be had a bit cheaper than the 357xp.
also look at the 2165 .
Nothing wrong with the 036 just seems like a lot more money for the same basic saw.

 

[Newfie]

Hey Grateful,

Bummer about losing two nice saws. They took the Huskies and left the Stihl? Hmmm....

 

[Gypo Logger]

Hi Jay, I bet you will be ok with just a piston and rings. The Jug will be fine with a bit of buffing. I use 32: 1, which is good insurance, but then again my 066 is 66 hp.
John

 

[Gypo Logger]

Sorry about getting off topic, but I just wanted to show you my saw.
John

 

[StIhL MaGnUm]

Wolfman,

I don't know who told you that 357XP are known for blowing up but I use mine day in day out since Christmas without any trouble,and I know John runs his all the time without any problems right John..So far it has been a great saw for me.You will be happy with any of the saws you have listed I don't think you can go wrong with any of them,I might stay away from the 365 but only because it's not a pro saw.Good luck and let us know what you decide.


Gypo,

Thats quite the dutchman you got there in the notch what happened??Or did you do it on purpose.What ever happened to 89.9887 hp 088 Mag I have'nt seen it in use for a while,you did'nt eat it with the 540 did ya?


Later Rob.

 

[My2cents]

Surf this site for a little while, all the answers lie within. Watch out for some of the "Blind Loyality" although.

 

[toolmaker]

I have an 036 Pro and it is a top notch saw. The MS360 replaced it. If I were you, I'd buy the MS360 and never look back, you won't regret it. Proper, regular maintenance is the key to any saw's life.

 

[jokers]

I can`t knock the MS360, pretty good saw, but you can have the 357xp for less money and less weight and it seems to have more top end punch. I`ve used them both although I haven`t used the 360 exstensively. I`d like to know the nature of the blown up 357s that you refer to, I haven`t heard of that problem. I even let my dad use mine all the time and I think the best saw for him might have a multi cylinder diesel engine, but God bless him, after getting away from the old Homelites and Stihls and sitting behind a desk for about 30 years, he`s back into the saws. Russ