Stihl 440 460 any opinions?

[jack_90125]

needing a saw that can handle a 32 in bar. have a 360 and have seen the 440 and 460 and they should fit the bill. any one use one? is there something better? seems like the 460 might be better as the price is not much higher and get more cc or is that the wrong way to look at it?
thanks

 

[Patrick62]

marginal

You would have to be pretty gentle to run a 32 on a 460. With a full bar, I don't think it would pull very well.
Pretty much forget the 440 in this application. Get a bigger saw.

 

[Fifelaker]

I have a muffler modded MS440 it does ok with a 28" bar. I don't think it would like a 32" very well. I am not sure about the oilers either. My opinion MS660 Would be a better saw if a 32" bar is the main bar.

 

[Cerran]

I have a muffler modded MS440 it does ok with a 28" bar. I don't think it would like a 32" very well. I am not sure about the oilers either. My opinion MS660 Would be a better saw if a 32" bar is the main bar.

Maybe a Dolmar 7900? I think you're getting into a much bigger saw (80cc+) with that long of a bar.

 

[stumpy75]

opcorn:

Ought to be fun watching this thread!

 

[mitch95100]

a 440 will not like a 32" bar much- my 046 pulls it fine just not when you push on her

 

[stihlaficionado]

My 046 w/ a 28 " bar skip chain pulls strong

U can always have one of our resident saw builder's mod the 460
or get a 660

 

[Bucko]

460 or bigger....

 

[MacLaren]

Yeah, if ya wanna stay stock then get the 460 or Imo, the 660. However, as it was said before a ported 460 would be nice.

 

[PA Plumber]

Sharp chain, 7T sprocket, and a light hand and the 440 can do it.

I would think the 460 ought to do it better.

I have put a few tanks of fuel through a 441 pulling a 32 incher.

 

[Patrick62]

Full skip chain for sure! otstir:

opcorn:

 

[logbutcher]

Whats all this macho $#@% about bigger better stronger.

You selling firewood ? A real professional logger ?

Damn, a MS 360 with full comp 24" bar will cut 99% of what you have out there. Don't know that that 24" will drop a 40" DBH er ? Spend the $$$$ on drink....the good stuff.:msp_mellow:

Forget 32" skip chains, unless you're cutting for $$$$$$$$. Doing firewood for you, the 360 is the saw for < 10-15 cords / year.

Now if you've got the hots for macho: MS460, 32" skip. Do it. :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[Patrick62]

Ok...

Whats all this macho $#@% about bigger better stronger.Overkill is a good thing

You selling firewood ?yes, I do A real professional logger ? close, sometimes

Damn, a MS 360 with full comp 24" bar will cut 99% of what you have out there.absolutely Don't know that that 24" will drop a 40" DBH erheck yea... ? Spend the $$$$ on drink....the good stuff.:msp_mellow:thunderbird? two buck chuck?

opcorn:opcorn:opcorn:opcorn:

Forget 32" skip chains, unless you're cutting for $$$$$$$$. Doing firewood for you, the 360 is the saw for < 10-15 cords / year. I totally agree with you.

Now if you've got the hots for macho: MS460, 32" skip. Do it. :hmm3grin2orange:

It could be a compensation for other things that are... ahem

I think the 460 is a fine saw, but the 32" bar is nuts... I have a 30" bar here and have used it exactly one time. The gentleman asked if a 32 could be pulled with a 440 or a 460. It really isn't our call to figure out what he is doing with it. I think the responses are correct thus far. I know a guy up here who just had to have a MS880 with the 50" bar on it...

 

[Wood Doctor]

Get an MS 650 or...

... if you have the dough, get an MS 660. That's MHO. Then you can go all the way to a 36" bar if need be.

 

[logbutcher]

Inconvenient Truth:
I wouldn't know jack what to do with a MS880 50" bar. ( Gees, I'd be all week using my Pferd to sharpen the beast. ):hmm3grin2orange:

That means that our Maine wood has to be PNW DBH. Don have no 5+ footers anymore since the King took them.

...yes, "AHEM" it is.

 

[jack_90125]

thats discouraging to hear! wonder why still says no problem or use up to 32 or 36 for the 460.
the 660 sounds nice but alot more $ for basically a 1 time use with the 32. figured the price was not terrible as the tree cutters want 15-2000.00 just to drop it and basically it is in the open.
guess I could kill my 360 on it.
thanks for the info!
jack

 

[Patrick62]

Now, we get the rest of the story

Thanks for holding out on us jack...
you got a big tree to remove. "They" want a kings ransom for doing the work. Jeez, it is only a tree....

Okay, here is what I would do. You have a 360, go for it. Carefully, and well thought out. What bar do you have for the 360? Could you get a 24" bar? maybe go for the 28" and stick a loop of full skip on it. Be gentle, the 360 can pull it.

Now, Goliath awaits you. Cut a nice big open notch. Never mind how many times you gotta screw around from both sides getting it to look about right. You only got one shot at it, get it good. If you happen to have a copy of Dents book handy he details a method of cutting the middle out from inside the notch and then nip the ears and away she goes. I think as long as the notch is good, and you leave plenty of hinge you can do the back cut in a conventional manor and you will be fine. The 360 ain't gonna really rip it off as quick as you would like, but as long as the notch is good you be okay.

When it hits the ground I expect you to already be sitting on the pickup with a cold one. :hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:

 

[jack_90125]

well the 360 can go to 25 but if the 460 would have a prob with the 32 guess there is no point.
its probably close to a 48 inch tree or more. I thought about cutting with the 360 as there is nothing around the tree. just figured it would take too long.
figure the pros it would not take long and no cleanup or bucking but not at that price when I could buy a saw to do it quickly and then always have more power in case a few of the other big ones die off like this one did.
so do not go by stihl guidelines of what the saws will pull? what about the saw that they say can do a 60 inch bar and it is a pricey thing if it cannot do what it claims.
oh well
as always appreciate the info
thanks
jack

Thanks for holding out on us jack...
you got a big tree to remove. "They" want a kings ransom for doing the work. Jeez, it is only a tree....

Okay, here is what I would do. You have a 360, go for it. Carefully, and well thought out. What bar do you have for the 360? Could you get a 24" bar? maybe go for the 28" and stick a loop of full skip on it. Be gentle, the 360 can pull it.

Now, Goliath awaits you. Cut a nice big open notch. Never mind how many times you gotta screw around from both sides getting it to look about right. You only got one shot at it, get it good. If you happen to have a copy of Dents book handy he details a method of cutting the middle out from inside the notch and then nip the ears and away she goes. I think as long as the notch is good, and you leave plenty of hinge you can do the back cut in a conventional manor and you will be fine. The 360 ain't gonna really rip it off as quick as you would like, but as long as the notch is good you be okay.

When it hits the ground I expect you to already be sitting on the pickup with a cold one. :hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:

 

[jdc123]

I dropped a 45 inch water oak with a 440 32" full skip a couple of weeks ago. It will pull it fine if you give it time. If I had to cut with a 32" bar all the time I would want something bigger. If I were going to buy a saw just for this I would get the 460 ( I know some say a 32" bar is to much for it, but based on how my 440 handles it I think it would be fine ). But if I wanted a more all-around saw I would get the 440 or 441.

 

[jdc123]

well the 360 can go to 25 but if the 460 would have a prob with the 32 guess there is no point.
its probably close to a 48 inch tree or more. I thought about cutting with the 360 as there is nothing around the tree. just figured it would take too long.
figure the pros it would not take long and no cleanup or bucking but not at that price when I could buy a saw to do it quickly and then always have more power in case a few of the other big ones die off like this one did.
so do not go by stihl guidelines of what the saws will pull? what about the saw that they say can do a 60 inch bar and it is a pricey thing if it cannot do what it claims.
oh well
as always appreciate the info
thanks
jack

I go by what Stihl says. And I have an arborist friend who has a 36" bar for his 440, doesn't use it everyday mind you, but uses it when he needs to.