372xp -- Maximum bar length

[Yellowdog]

I know the book recommends a 28" bar as the maximum for a 372xp but realistically, what is the maximum bar that saw will take and still give good performance. I have a number of very large, 2' + dead, hard oak stumps to cut before I can grind them.

Thanks for any input!

 

[Pacific]

I will have to say the biggest I would want togo is a 28 because the saw is about equal to a 44 Stihl. I used a 372XP bucking firewood it had a 28" the saw would bog with the bar buried. You probably could use a 32" bar with a brandnew full skip chain and take your time.

No sense in putting a bar too big for the saw and wearing it out unless its not yours

 

[lucky]

Yellowdog if you open up the muffler, the saw will have some more guts to compensate for the bigger bar. I'm not expert on 372 muffler mods but I'm sure sombody around here has done a few. Good luck. John

 

[tony marks]

yep theres a few here who have modified 372 saws..

 

[Yellowdog]

I"m interested in modifying for more power but not at the expense of the saw's longevity. If I need to occasionally cut really big wood, would it make more sense to go to a larger saw? I thought the 372 would be everything I needed but some of big, dead and hard as rock oak stumps are killing me.

 

[blackjack]

Yellow dog: How high are the stumps? Could you cross cut horizontally (cross hatch) and chip them out? In your part of the world they are probably sitting on rock and could be attacked by quartering the stump in sections rather than thinking of it as a whole. Roots growing in hill country limestone often grow out in a lateral fashion making isolation of the pieces (stump and root) easier. I've had some success in this approach with both cedar and oak. I additionally took a rock bar and work the edges around the stump removing lose rock and exposing the stump before starting to avoid chain contact and identify root flair and growth.

 

[glens]

My opinion is that it sounds rather like you need an 066 or bigger.

 

[Sylvatica]

A number of very large, old, dead oak stumps? I agree with glens, and would go for one of my saws in the 90cc range, or 80cc+ as a minimum, rather than beat up my mid-range saws.

 

[Stumper]

Yellowdog, I never cut anything in the Hill Country that I couldn't handle with a 4 cube saw and a 24" bar (remember that you only need to reach the middle and walk the saw around the stump) -Down on the coast there are some oaks that I would hate to tackle with that combo. I'll grant you that I only worked a little in your area but being a tree guy I always look when passing through. Really big stumps are rare enough in your region to make "needing" a bigger saw debatable. I do think that you would gain some speed moving up to a Husky 395 or Stihl 660. I would be inclined to run a 24 or 28inch bar on those for day to day use and have a 36-41 incher to bolt on every year or two for the rare monster tree. I'd run full skip on both bar lengths.

 

[Yellowdog]

Yellow dog: How high are the stumps? Could you cross cut horizontally (cross hatch) and chip them out? In your part of the world they are probably sitting on rock and could be attacked by quartering the stump in sections rather than thinking of it as a whole. Roots growing in hill country limestone often grow out in a lateral fashion making isolation of the pieces (stump and root) easier. I've had some success in this approach with both cedar and oak. I additionally took a rock bar and work the edges around the stump removing lose rock and exposing the stump before starting to avoid chain contact and identify root flair and growth.

Blackjack,

I just want to cut the stumps off, a foot or two about the ground. I have an attachment called a "landtamer" for my highflow skidsteer. I will grind the stump whether it's 2' or 4' to below grade even if there is rock in it. I don't, however, like to grind stumps taller than a few feet unless the customer specifically wants it done. Instead, if they have a large amount of dead wood (big stuff i can't chip or grind), then I stack for a burn. I can grind any size stump, however, I can't grind logs. because they tend to roll and get spit away from the landtamer's teeth. This has been a constant problem so I stack for burning. I thought about ripping the stump as you talked about but doesn't that really tear up the chains? These are old, hard as rock stumps..

 

[Yellowdog]

Yellowdog, I never cut anything in the Hill Country that I couldn't handle with have a 36-41 incher to bolt on every year or two for the rare monster tree. I'd run full skip on both bar lengths.

good advice. I think I will stick with my 24" for now but I wonder if moving up to the recommended max of 28" would make much of a difference?
Worst case, I'll quarter the stump and grind what's left saving my back, etc.

I don't do the take downs, but rather sub that out. I come across a lot of big stumps, though, that need to be moved by machine. I am not a fan of digging stuff out like the other yahoos around here so I do it the friendly earth way but it's backbreaking cutting stumps.

 

[blackjack]

Yellowdog:
I now understand your situation in wanting to take the stump down to a height that enables your bobcat (with attachment) to complete. You could try going to the Stihl dealer in San Antonio or Boerne and pick up a used 066 and use it as a dedicated stump saw and save your newer equipment. There is also a good Husqvarna shop in Kerrville you could inquire about sound (checked out) trade-ins. good luck.

 

[Pacific]

What if you try find a older saw as meantioned a old 051 Stihl would do the job these saws have a good amount of torque to them. You can run a 32" bar and 404 chain.

I had todo a stump job cutting another 8-10 inches off the top of a old and hard Doug Fir stump man it took me for hours. Cutting it into quarters then hacking at it with a axe cutting some more. I ended up killing my little saw (Jonsered) I wasn't to happy about that. The wood was so hard the chain skipped on top and all I got was fine dust. Then it got worse when I hit the patches of dried and semi soft pitch.

I can imagine those oak stumps would be hard as iron you may have to build some kind of hydraulic circular saw or bandsaw or hack at it with a regular chainsaw.

 

[redprospector]

Yellowdog,
I run a 28" bar on my 372 XP all the time. It has plenty of power to pull it. These saws are made to work, just like you & me. But just like us, they need to take a breather ocasionally. Listen, smell, and watch, your saw will tell you what's going on. I would'nt hesitate putting a 32" bar on mine, I know that those big old oak stumps are hard, but if you give your saw time to work it will do the job.
If you want to just "hog" your way through them, then I would suguest a much larger saw, but they have their limits too.

 

[mryb]

I have a modified (PP'ed) 044 & 372 (Both about the same cc.) I run a 36" bar on the 044 & it pulls it just fine. In fact its very impressive. I'll have to try it on the 372 some day....Rick/Saw Slut

 

[Yellowdog]

I can imagine those oak stumps would be hard as iron you may have to build some kind of hydraulic circular saw or bandsaw or hack at it with a regular chainsaw.

There is a saw attachment for a skidsteer that will do a 30" stump. For the money, though, rather have a guy stumping for me and I can grind what's left. It's it would take a significant investment in another saw, I already have a 372xp and a cs670 for bigger work, I would use my 20" tree shear and piece it out. I have busted grade 8's, though, on a 12" shear cutting on large, hard, dead, live oak stumps which is possibly one of the most dense woods I can imagine.

In fact, I think I may try out the shear. It's an 1800lb attachment and I haven't tried it on oak yet. Nip a little at a time like an axe and I can bust out the hinge that's left then grind the remaining ugly part just below the surface. I just rather have someone doing something while I am grinding and collecting stumps. Sort of working ahead of me, if you know what I mean. But if stumps are going to take forever with a saw, then why have someone work ahead? Sounds like I need to rethink my plan!

 

[Yellowdog]

I have a modified (PP'ed) 044 & 372 (Both about the same cc.) I run a 36" bar on the 044 & it pulls it just fine. In fact its very impressive. I'll have to try it on the 372 some day....Rick/Saw Slut

One of the companies that I do work for uses an 044 with a 32 or 36" bar. they don't use it the way I would (nose in the dirt, tree trimming) but it pulls the chips. The 372xp I have seems strong with a 24" bar. I wonder if running a skip tooth on a 28 would be good results?

 

[Justin Garrison]

SKip tooth would help and less teeth to sharpen!! In dirty buissnes that would be a determing factor for me. Noting is more important than a sharp chain.

 

[sedanman]

Cut a ring around the stump with a 20 or 28 inch bar then switch to a bar that will reach the center. This way when you put the long bar in the kerf made by the shorter one you are not asking the saw to pull the full length of the long bar.

 

[Stumper]

Yellowdog, I've cut many a Liveoak stump. Yes they are hard and the old dead ones spit splinters for chips but a properly sharpened saw CUTS them. If sawing them off is beating you up or taking forever there is a chain or saw tuning issue.