OK...I should not have been so arrogant to Andy.......My apologies to Andy and anyone else who is upset with my comments. When Andy mentioned Operator errors, I assumed he was making a reference to me not keeping my chain sharp. I was wrong to make that assumption.
Here is my vexation....I am heading to the woods tomorrow with my 20 year old saw, while my 5 year old saw is in 30 pieces in a box in the garage. I realize stuff (most stuff anyway) doesn't last forever.... unless its made by Toyota. To me, Husqvarna was like Toyota...pay a little extra and it lasts a lot longer.
Unfortunately, that's no longer the case.
I read in other responses that many manufacturers are using plastic in their products. I have been around enough engines to know that plastic in a crank bearing will not last. Plastic in any moving part does not last. Plastic will never replace steel, especially when heat is involved. Even Tonka know that!!
As a consumer of these products, it's shameful that we have allowed this to happen. I see comments here where folks are saying that plastic is in everything and I should just get used to it and move on. If you really believe that, then the multinationals have moved the goalposts on you.
Oddly, it seems some are ok with it taking 5 years for your Husqvarna to go to the landfill, rather than the 20 we should (or used to) get... the CEO of Husqvarna and their shareholders are going to make (or continue to make) a mint off that mindset. I have a hard time buying into that.
I appreciate the apology.
Plastics can last as long as metal when used in the right place, and not all plastics are created equal. And a lot tools use powder centered metal, which usually isn't a good idea.
Yes a saw in a non everyday use should last much longer than five years. That said they're many things that can cause bearing failures, sometimes it poor design, sometimes it's something the operator did, sometimes things just fail. No saw ever made was designed to last 20 years, most loggers get a year out of a saw. Honestly saws are inexpensive tools in the big picture.
I too am a Toyota guy, but like all manufacturers they've had problems too, 07-08 Camery's had poorly designed pistons and rings, so they burn oil. As long as I keep adding a quart of oil every thousand miles the engine in my 07 will last a long time.
I'm no fan of the 550 and their have been too many failures, and it sure put a bad taste in many people's mouths, but it happens with every manufacturer at some point. And sometimes equipment just goes down. I was cursing my Stihl weed whip today, I shut it down to refill the string and it absolutely would not restart. I've had carb issues with it for a few years now, the new EPA carbs just don't want tune right, I've gone through the damn thing quite a few times now, even vacuum tested, it's just finicky, has been from day one. It's an FS110 which has a nylon cam/gear, it's 14 years old, so really it's time is coming to an end, stihl wouldn't be in business if everything they made lasted forever. Things come up, we have no other choice to deal with it and move on.
I suggest getting a short block and rebuilding the saw, it's not that expensive and you'll gain some experience.
