MS 500i Backorder

[ValleyForge]

I can’t imagine burying a 36” into Eucalyptus with this saw, sorry. Even with full skip.
i e only had a chance to cut 25” logs so far…28”, skip which was what came on it when I got it.

Not much eucalyptus around these parts…I’m mostly hitting year or two dead standing red and white oaks from 2 to 4 feet’ish….

have you upgraded the suspension? You’ll chuckle when you see the handle/frame bushings….

 

[PV Hiker]

Around these parts cutting pine the 36" lighweight bar has been working out fine. That combo packing it in on foot on trails for many miles is OK.

 

[singinwoodwackr]

Not much eucalyptus around these parts…I’m mostly hitting year or two dead standing red and white oaks from 2 to 4 feet’ish….

have you upgraded the suspension? You’ll chuckle when you see the handle/frame bushings….

What mods did you do?

 

[ValleyForge]

What mods did you do?

Just a barkbox and the WCS suspension. I really can’t speak highly enough of the suspension mod…i ran the 36“ for a while with the factory suspension and had to hunt down a solution, it was that bad. It really is a completely different saw now.

 

[singinwoodwackr]

Just a barkbox and the WCS suspension. I really can’t speak highly enough of the suspension mod…i ran the 36“ for a while with the factory suspension and had to hunt down a solution, it was that bad. It really is a completely different saw now.

I'm not familiar with suspension mods at all.
Any links to the parts, pics, writeups?

 

[ValleyForge]

I'm not familiar with suspension mods at all.
Any links to the parts, pics, writeups?

search west coast saw and you’ll see their suspension kit. I’ll find the old buffers and take a pic and post it.

 

[Logger nate]

https://westcoastsaw.com/collections/fallers-suspension-kit-500i

 

[ValleyForge]

Here a pic of the stock bushings…note the flimsy rubber ring around the end that goes against the saw body…crazy….

 

[singinwoodwackr]

Here a pic of the stock bushings…note the flimsy rubber ring around the end that goes against the saw body…crazy….

View attachment 989882View attachment 989883

Looks like exact same pt on the 261

 

[chipper1]

Absolutely and ported, they're fantastic. Stock, they're just a bit low on power and not snappy. I mean, the squish is .060" from the factory, and the exhaust is very restrictive, among other things porting takes care of. That said, it's an incredibly simple and clean design, very well made. I'd say out of the box, it would run with a 372, but not near as quick to spool up.

Which 372 .
And how's the handling compare?

Good to know! The Bozeman store has damn near 10 462c on the shelf

So 9 of them . Sorry bud, I couldn't resist.
Hope all is well out your way.

 

[chipper1]

OP, did you find your 500i yet.
You said you would be cutting in a rd in the UP, are there even any big trees on the property there.

 

[Officerdangle]

McGuckin Hardware in Boulder Colorado has two 500's on self as of today. Other dealers do not.

 

[Aknutter]

Wayne lawn in Canton had one earlier this week on their shelf. I don't think it was a R though.

 

[chipper1]

Wayne lawn in Canton had one earlier this week on their shelf. I don't think it was a R though.

Howdy neighbor .

 

[Howard Justice]

Plenty of them here in the Boise, ID area.

Hope it’s ok to jump in here…. Looking for 500i in SE. No luck in Charlotte or Atlanta so far. Anyone found availability in SEC country? Thank you.

 

[ValleyForge]

Hope it’s ok to jump in here…. Looking for 500i in SE. No luck in Charlotte or Atlanta so far. Anyone found availability in SEC country? Thank you.

There is a new power head on eBay….starts at 800 bucks plus shipping….

 

[OM617YOTA]

The advice I got was to check the more city type hardware stores with Stihl dealerships. The legit Stihl dealers in logging country will be cleaned out in a hurry and even have a waiting list, but a city hardware store is less likely to have had their stock discovered. That's how I got lucky, finding mine.

 

[Howard Justice]

The advice I got was to check the more city type hardware stores with Stihl dealerships. The legit Stihl dealers in logging country will be cleaned out in a hurry and even have a waiting list, but a city hardware store is less likely to have had their stock discovered. That's how I got lucky, finding mine.

Thanks.

 

[Phecda]

Our local shops don't have any. The only pro saw i've seen this year in stock anywhere is 261CM's and 362CMS. and some 400's.
Which is good because i've been feeling under the weather with C.A.D lately.

 

[StihlsawuserMS361]

After cutting about 3 cords with the 500i, I finally cleaned the air filter. You won't believe what I found. It was clean, both the filter (okay just a little dirty) and the carb intake which was spotless. There was a thread that got over responded to, that Stihl should be ashamed at the air filtration being such a bad design. OMG, mine was clean. How is this possible?

https://www.arboristsite.com/threads/stihl-should-be-ashamed-of-themselves.357516/

Montana,
Where do you have your chain oil adjuster set at?