Husky 55R or 154SE or Stihl 028 Super?
- Thread starter Redgap
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Redgap
ArboristSite Operative
Looking forward to putting a chain brake on my 154 and finding out!
The 028`s don`t win races often, they are a tank that just keeps on trucking/cutting. They earned a lot of respect and followers among the occasional users doing firewood duty for the average Joe in their backyard. I have likely worked over more 028`s than any other Stihl model and can`t remember any owner of one wanting to give it up. The 026 became a close contender for outnumbering the 028`s but anyone that owns a 028 that I know of won`t trade one for any other saw for firewood duty. Fuel lines and carb kits and the occasional oil pump /drive are the most common issues I have seen in these saws. I recently had a chap drop off a Super that had a rather loud clanking noise coming from it, the piston skirt was totally worn away, knife edge thick on the intake side and missing about 1/4" off the bottom of the skirt and it still wanted to run it tells me one thing, they are built for the long run. I had some very nice spare jugs and pistons, that saw will be cutting firewood again this fall, actually already is cutting and will do so for years to come.
One of the guys who bought a vintage 028 Wood Boss from me five years ago stopped by the other day. He said his saw tended to die after idling for awhile. I had my tune-up screwdriver handy and closed the lo-speed setscrew 1/8th turn and the idle speed setscrew a quarter turn. That's all it needed. He was amazed.
I have to agree with PioneerGuy. These saws are tough and were built to last. I have to wonder why on earth Stihl ever decided to discontinue them -- one of the best firewood saws I have ever used.
I have to agree with PioneerGuy. These saws are tough and were built to last. I have to wonder why on earth Stihl ever decided to discontinue them -- one of the best firewood saws I have ever used.
Back in Sept. 2003 we had a very devastating hurricane blow through here and it flattened most big trees in my area, homeowners bought up all the 028`s they could find just to clear up their own yards, properties. A year or so later there was a rash of them up for sale rather cheaply in most instances, I bought 12 of them that had very little run time on them and had no trouble at all selling them off for double what I paid for each of them, a little cleanup and a fresh tank of mix , all gone the next fall firewood season, moved plenty more of them as I usually had a list of buyers looking for one of them. I kept a couple of the least used ones for myself but still get asked for more each firewood season that rolls around. A few have sporadically come back for simple repair but not one owner would part with one.
Redgap
ArboristSite Operative
I’ll get it running and make some sawdust, then pass judgment on it
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Right now my 154SE is my favourite saw to run. To be fair I've modded it a fair bit, but it is just flat out fun to run. It has a shallower starter cover so it is a bit narrower than a 254XP, so it feels nice and compact and easy to maneuver. I've had a couple 346XPne saws (since sold) and I still have a Dolmar 5105, but there is no grin factor to those saws - despite them being regarded as top 50cc saws by many people. So out of the 3 saws mentioned, your 154SE would be at the top of my list.
Redgap
ArboristSite Operative
Then I’d better get cracking on installing the chain brake from one of my saw carcasses, so I can rock n roll.
