What's the deal with the Solo 681 and the Dolmar 7900?

[tallguys]

So I was at this auction a little ways back and come across the 7900 needing work and grab it. Then lo and behold there is this other beauty in a beat up old box. Well I just couldn't pass it up either. Now I know that the 7900 has its following here on AS, but it seems that with the Solo 681 there was some noise a couple years back and now nothing.

So what's the deal with this? Is the 681 along the same vein as the Stihl 361, raved about then drop because its was overhyped? Or where there a myriad of issues? I would've thought they were a good saw because supposedly Solo and Dolmar started working on the project together before parting ways. Is one really so much better than the other or just different?

I've had nothing but good experience with Dolmars and though I really like the build quality of this Solo, not having much information to go on is a concern. If you were going to keep just one of these, which would it be and why?

 

[Jacob J.]

The 681 had some crankshaft issues, reported by several dealers. Fortunately, Solo was covering most of them under warranty.

 

[tallguys]

Wow... nobody else has any opinions to offer on the Solo 681 and how it compares to the Dolly 7900?

Guess that just might answer my question...

 

[mdavlee]

681 will have a touch more power and will be softer feeling. You can change out the av to the 7900 springs and make it feel almost like a 7900.

 

[Andyshine77]

The 681 was a good saw, the stroke was 1mm longer than the 7900 and it had a little more power as well. The cranks and pto side bearings are known issues with the saw. The AV mounts were a bit soft, the air filter wasn't the best, and there's no HD kit. Getting parts for Solo's wasn't easy. Solo no longer sells saws in the U.S non of them meet EPA standards.

 

[tdi-rick]

As JJ said about the 681, there were a few reports of crank breakages in heavy work environments and the AV springs were considered too soft and broke too.

Dolmar 64/73/7900 AV springs were supposedly the fix.

AFAIK they are no longer imported into the US thanks to your EPA.

An old firewood cutter about 30km out in the hills from me has one and loves it.

Early on the 64/73/7900's had AV spring breakages too, but for the most part an over travel limiter on the top handle/clutch side cured most problems, although one bloke on here reckoned he broke the bottom ones too with a late model 7900.

I really, really like my 7901.
It does everything a firewood hack could ask, except when I need a 390 or 395 size saw

 

[SawTroll]

681 will have a touch more power and will be softer feeling. You can change out the av to the 7900 springs and make it feel almost like a 7900.

It still will be heavier, quite close to the 390xp......

 

[SawTroll]

Get a 7900 fast (if you can), as the 7910 is replacing it, with less power and more weight!

 

[tdi-rick]

Get a 7900 fast (if you can), as the 7910 is replacing it, with less power and more weight!

Maybe only for the US Niko ?

We still don't have any cat 6421's here.

 

[mdavlee]

It still will be heavier, quite close to the 390xp......

The balance of the 7900/681 is a lot worse than a 390. They actually feel heavier in a few tanks of runtime if you run a 28" or longer bar on them.

 

[166]

Get a 7900 fast (if you can), as the 7910 is replacing it, with less power and more weight!

Your gonna make me go weigh a brand new 7900 PHO and a 7910 PHO.:hmm3grin2orange: They are lighter than the current PS-6400!

I've had no complaints so far on the 7910. They come through way rich on the carb adjustments but when they are tuned in they are very close if not the same power as a 7900.

 

[tdi-rick]

Your gonna make me go weigh a brand new 7900 PHO and a 7910 PHO.:hmm3grin2orange: They are lighter than the current PS-6400!

I've had no complaints so far on the 7910. They come through way rich on the carb adjustments but when they are tuned in they are very close if not the same power as a 7900.

Steve, with that new controlled bleed muffler it'd be interesting to mod one to see what gains can be made too.

 

[tdi-rick]

The balance of the 7900/681 is a lot worse than a 390. They actually feel heavier in a few tanks of runtime if you run a 28" or longer bar on them.

The Dolmar/Makita's are fine with 20-24" bars.
The 390 is a cc class above.

 

[166]

[video=youtube_share;kXIgbL0kSdU]http://youtu.be/kXIgbL0kSdU[/video]

Both of these saws were fresh out of the box's a few minutes ago.

 

[nmurph]

Your vid doesn't work.

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

Your vid doesn't work.

:agree2:


Got it.

[video=youtube_share;kXIgbL0kSdU]http://youtu.be/kXIgbL0kSdU[/video]

 

[Anthony_Va.]

The vid worked for me. Thats surprising after what I've read. Good deal.

 

[nmurph]

:agree2:


Got it.

[video=youtube_share;kXIgbL0kSdU]http://youtu.be/kXIgbL0kSdU[/video]

I think my 8 year old must have shot that vid.

 

[J.Walker]

While we are on this Domar/Solo topic what about the Solo 694 vs the Domar 9010.
Are the springs different there too?

 

[tdi-rick]

While we are on this Domar/Solo topic what about the Solo 694 vs the Domar 9010.
Are the springs different there too?

They're rubber bushes

AFAIK there's only a little cosmetic difference, (top cover) and the colour.

The basic design of the 9010 is getting on a little, I hope they come out with its replacement soon, and hopefully it's a 390/395 slayer :msp_biggrin: