550XP-"You CANNOT run it with 3/8 pitch setup. No way!"

[CenterTree]

.....is what my dealer and 3 of his salesmen told me today as I tried desperately to order a new 550xp from them.

So, what's the deal? I know from reading here that a lot of you guys are running 3/8 on your 550xp. Right??

My dealer told me that it is NOT even possible to do because Husky does NOT even have the parts available to do it. How can I get a 550xp in 3/8 ? (preferably with .058 too) All my current B&C's are in 3/8, .058.

FYI: I want to run the 550 with a 16" bar.

All I wanted to do was spend a little money today.

 

[Tractorsaw1]

Some people only believe what the paperwork tells them. I asked about that also but it was presented as, is it a big deal? Salesmens reponse was yes that is a big deal its only .325. I kinda laughed & set the saw back on the rack & said thanks for your time & left

 

[Big_Wood]

I run a 16" .058 3/8's setup on my 550. I wouldn't want it any other way. Yer dealer and his employees are idiots. Find a new one. All you need is a small spline sprocket in 3/8's and the bar/chain. Man some dealers piss me off. Lots of them have their head so far up their ass they haven't got a clue about anything. The husky dealer here don't even know how to pressure/vacuum test. It's sad really. This world is full of idiots who shouldn't be doing the job they're doing cause the end result is the consumer is the one suffering.

 

[sunfish]

Your dealer and 3 salesmen are wrong. 3/8 chain, bar and drive sprocket are all you need.

 

[milkman]

All kind of crazy stuff from dealers, the Stihl dealer here almost refuses to sell Stihl chain, claims that all the loggers want Oregon. He even says that when they buy a new Stihl, they have him take the chain off and replace it with Oregon. I don't go there anymore, and the John Deere toy store that sells Stihl are blind or I'm invisible when I walk in there.

 

[Big_Wood]

If i was you i'd send TLandrum or Spike60 a PM. Support some guys who actually know what they're doing.

 

[redoakneck]

Call spike60 !!! If you can not spend yer money locally then go on-line

I use 3/8 on a lot of 50 cc saws no problem-o

 

[redoakneck]

Or tlandrum, they are both great to work with. You need to get a new dealer!!!!

 

[CR888]

If i was you i'd send TLandrum or Spike60 a PM. Support some guys who actually know what they're doing.

This is good advice, l know AS welcomes everyone and we all benefit from time, effort, help and advice from members and sponsers. lf you use this place for assistance why not give a little back and deal with a sponser. Usually they know their stuff and go out of their way to give correct advice and deals that other dealers will not. Support those who support you! PM a sponser and you will never look back. This site is a business and we need to make sure the guys paying to keep the lights on have our support.

 

[SawTroll]

.....is what my dealer and 3 of his salesmen told me today as I tried desperately to order a new 550xp from them.

.....

They likely just tell you what the part list tells them, and aren't really knowledgable.

Just order 3/8"x7 sprocket rim 504 52 30-02, and it will fit the splines of the 550xp clutch drum (small 7-spline).

 

[jdhacker]

Whats the advantage of running the 3/8

 

[Big_Wood]

Whats the advantage of running the 3/8

For me, it's not needing to be bothered with .325. Keeping everything 3/8's and .404 is important to me. Gauge is a big thing also. I can't be bothered by .050. just .058 and .063 for me.

 

[SawTroll]

Whats the advantage of running the 3/8

Likely not a lot, if any, on that saw - but there is nothing wrong with trying it, and compare.

 

[rwoods]

.....is what my dealer and 3 of his salesmen told me today as I tried desperately to order a new 550xp from them.

So, what's the deal? I know from reading here that a lot of you guys are running 3/8 on your 550xp. Right??

My dealer told me that it is NOT even possible to do because Husky does NOT even have the parts available to do it. How can I get a 550xp in 3/8 ? (preferably with .058 too) All my current B&C's are in 3/8, .058.

FYI: I want to run the 550 with a 16" bar.

All I wanted to do was spend a little money today.

Whats the advantage of running the 3/8

See above. Ron

 

[JustinM]

Likely not a lot, if any, on that saw - but there is nothing wrong with trying it, and compare.

This. Its mostly a personal preference thing, some gains can be had one way or the other but it wont make a huge amount of difference in the wood either way.

The fact that your dealer would say it "cant be done" is an absolute joke. My dealer stocks their 550s with .325 and would raise an eyebrow if you asked to have it swapped but they'd do it and they certainly wouldnt say it "cant be done." They think im weird for running 3/8 on my 346xp but i like being able to swap easily between the 346 and my dolmar & have noticed very very minimal (if any) difference between the 2 setups based on what and how I cut.

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

My 550 loved 3/8 the same way 346 NE love it. 550 was even better with 3/8.


Just change the dang rim to 3/8 7Tand put on a 3/8 b+c

 

[SawTroll]

This. Its mostly a personal preference thing, some gains can be had one way or the other but it wont make a huge amount of difference in the wood either way.

The fact that your dealer would say it "cant be done" is an absolute joke. My dealer stocks their 550s with .325 and would raise an eyebrow if you asked to have it swapped but they'd do it and they certainly wouldnt say it "cant be done." They think im weird for running 3/8 on my 346xp but i like being able to swap easily between the 346 and my dolmar & have noticed very very minimal (if any) difference between the 2 setups based on what and how I cut.

With my 346xp and 5100S the difference in cutting speed is minimal between .325x7, .325x8 and 3/8x7 ime, with Oregon 21LP and 73 LP.

However, .325 is nicer to use, specially when limbing.

 

[CenterTree]

I appreciate all the replies here so far guys. I felt very awkward at the dealer today as they ALL told me their mis-info. It was REALLY a strange feeling for me. It was as if I entered some form of the Twilight Zone as they all basically told me I was crazy. I actually started to doubt myself, but then remembered all the reading I do here and KNEW I was right. Thanks!

 

[CenterTree]

This is good advice, l know AS welcomes everyone and we all benefit from time, effort, help and advice from members and sponsers. lf you use this place for assistance why not give a little back and deal with a sponser. Usually they know their stuff and go out of their way to give correct advice and deals that other dealers will not. Support those who support you! PM a sponser and you will never look back. This site is a business and we need to make sure the guys paying to keep the lights on have our support.

Or tlandrum, they are both great to work with. You need to get a new dealer!!!!

Here's my personal dilemma. I would LOVE to get a new dealer, but there are no more nearby. Not even close. I have actually been buying from this same dealer for 20 years. LOTS of stuff too. (I used to run my own landscape business).

I know they have been wrong in the past also. Aggravating. Just last week the guy told me that there was no way I was running 3/8, .058 on my old Husky 55.
I told him I am MOST certain I am. He said they never issued that saw with anything other than .325. I just blew it off. But today was the worst.
I was actually at the dealer purchasing my new Ariens 22ton splitter when I asked them to also order me the 550xp with 3/8. ( I did obtain the splitter though)

Now a concerning question please,,,If I contact the AS sponsors, how would I handle any future service issues with the 550xp? I would HAVE to take to the dealer that I have now, right? (or travel VERY far).

Either way, I suspect that dealers may be offended if I bring in a product that THEY did not sell to me. Do you think?

I will take all advice at this point. Thanks a lot!

 

[machinisttx]

I appreciate all the replies here so far guys. I felt very awkward at the dealer today as they ALL told me their mis-info. It was REALLY a strange feeling for me. It was as if I entered some form of the Twilight Zone as they all basically told me I was crazy. I actually started to doubt myself, but then remembered all the reading I do here and KNEW I was right. Thanks!

In general, salesmen get a bullet point list of things to talk about in order to sell a given item and nothing more. They want to talk about things to get you excited about the product so you'll buy it, and they don't care about anything else. In my experience, it's far more common to run across clueless salespeople than informed ones.