Stihl Chainsaw Recommendations

[Big_Wood]

Doesn't the 461 have a single bearing in the rod with the pin pressed in the piston as opposed to two bearings in the piston? If so, the piston shown above if representative indicates a sizing issue at Stihl, does it not?

Ron

i believe i clearly said it represents a grenade but whatever lol i'm not sure what's going on with it. he said he has 2 ported ones and 1 stocker that has done the same thing. mine was ported and tuned over 16k for work and had a tight pin. after 130 tanks i traded it to this buddy for a 390. ain't nobody got time for that BS. in the 660 days there were hardly any dead stihls in logging camps. now that the 661/461 is out there are literally totes upon totes of dead stihls. it's pretty graphic for a stihl guy. the 461 is like any other modern saw. a single caged needle bearing and the pin is a slip fit with retaining clips. my discussion with my bud was that he can literally take that used piston and install a 460 pin to tighten everything up again. i don't know how a steel pin wears before a cast piston? leave it to stihl to accomplish the impossible

 

[rwoods]

Wasn't challenging you, wc90. I was just trying to confirm the wrist pin is pressed into the piston and if so, why would it be turning in the piston other than a sizing issue. Or does the pin "float" in the piston? If it is meant to float and turn then the piston was likely cast with some material that is abrasive. DNK, but I am curious. Ron

 

[Big_Wood]

Wasn't challenging you, wc90. I was just trying to confirm the wrist pin is pressed into the piston and if so, why would it be turning in the piston other than a sizing issue. Or does the pin "float" in the piston? If it is meant to float and turn then the piston was likely cast with some material that is abrasive. DNK, but I am curious. Ron

oh i never challenged you either man and never took it as a challenge. the grenade thing was a joke. i'm not sure exactly what it is as i've only been in the one i owned. just sharing info from my buddy as he has seen a few like this now.

 

[Khntr85]

oh i never challenged you either man and never took it as a challenge. the grenade thing was a joke. i'm not sure exactly what it is as i've only been in the one i owned. just sharing info from my buddy as he has seen a few like this now.

Hello there westcoaster.... hey I don't know how often you talk to your friend, but I would personally be interested in knowing what he means by "common" problem....I mean has he seen this in 1-100 saws, or 1-1000 saws.....whether a saw is used for 10 tanks of fuel a year or 1000, you should be able trust that the saw is mechanically sound!!!

PLEASE understand I am in no way, shape or form taking offense to this, I would just like to know more about the issue..... thanks!!!

 

[Khntr85]

Good post here. For me, as a firewood cutter, fun is important. I can buy cut and split firewood for pretty cheap around here. If firewood wasn't fun for me, I wouldn't do it. I've spent a lot of time with a 20" bar on an 036 and a 361. Admittedly I've never run a 362. The 60cc saws do the job. They'll even pull a 25" bar if needed. To me, though it's a little blah. Put a 20" bar on a 460, though, and I'm grinning every minute. To me, that's worth the price difference. Of course, I bought most of my saws used. When I sold my 361, I only had to add $120 to buy a 460.

Now, another option that no one has mentioned is ported saws. A ported 362 would cost about what a stock 461 would cost you. It'd pull the 20" bar with total authority and be quite a bit lighter than a 461. Just something to think about.

Well I personally have ZERO experience with ported saws, sadly.... people around me just don't have them or do port work...I have ported (if I can even call it that lol), a few ms250 and ms180 that I have rebuilt, they are definitely stronger that stock...

I am a realistic and frugal person....I have rebuilt all of the saws I use except the ms461 that I bought new and a ms250 my dad bought me for Christmas years ago....I just said hell with it, I need a big saw for some of the big knarly pieces I get into....yes years ago I just hack away at these pieces with my trusty ms250 and my old manual piling craftsman with a 20" bar....now my eyes get big when I grab "bertha" and just rip the HELL out of the big knotty pieces!!!!.... A buddy I now cut with can't believe how the ms461 just rips threw the big stuff.... if I would of know how much easier the ms461 (or a big saw in general), would have made my life years ago, i would have had one a long ass time ago!!!!!!!

By the way do you own a ms460 now???

 

[Ryan'smilling]

Well I personally have ZERO experience with ported saws, sadly.... people around me just don't have them or do port work...I have ported (if I can even call it that lol), a few ms250 and ms180 that I have rebuilt, they are definitely stronger that stock...

I am a realistic and frugal person....I have rebuilt all of the saws I use except the ms461 that I bought new and a ms250 my dad bought me for Christmas years ago....I just said hell with it, I need a big saw for some of the big knarly pieces I get into....yes years ago I just hack away at these pieces with my trusty ms250 and my old manual piling craftsman with a 20" bar....now my eyes get big when I grab "bertha" and just rip the HELL out of the big knotty pieces!!!!.... A buddy I now cut with can't believe how the ms461 just rips threw the big stuff.... if I would of know how much easier the ms461 (or a big saw in general), would have made my life years ago, i would have had one a long ass time ago!!!!!!!

By the way do you own a ms460 now???

Yes sir, having the tool for the job sure makes things more fun.

Yes, I have owned my ms460 for a year and a half (bought used). It really woke up with a muffler mod and a retune, just like everyone said it would.

Unfortunately it's in hiding right now since I brought home a Masterminded MS660. As long as the saws aren't all together, my wife can't really count them, so the 460 is gonna get some R&R for a little while.

 

[Nicholas Johann]

What type and diameter of wood will you be cutting? I have a 361 that pulls a 25" bar just fine in good sized (20" +)Doug fir but I doubt it would do the same in oak.

A lot of people say "buy more saw than you need." I'm not sure how much time they spend running a saw in a day but I'm fairly worn out after a full day running the 361. I personally wouldn't want any more saw than the job required.

The largest butt ends are 36" or so. They are typically oak. This is about 50% of the cutting I do. The other 50% of the cutting is 16"-24" or so.

 

[Khntr85]

That's funny man, hell woman can't tell them apart any, just the smaller ines from a big one LOL....
Wow, I bet that 660 is down right angry!!!'...

Sounds like you have all the bigger saws you need now!!!!

 

[Nicholas Johann]

must be a PA thing @sundance luv my 036.
i'll second the 036/ 361/362 for a good all around saw. i run my 036 for anything big with a 20 inch bar and no problems. the 361 is nice withe the anti-vibe. never ran a 362... yet. good luck with your STIHL choice. are you overwhelmed yet @Nicholas Johann?

Not overwhelmed. I expected this type of response. I appreciate all the feedback.

 

[wood4heat]

The largest butt ends are 36" or so. They are typically oak. This is about 50% of the cutting I do. The other 50% of the cutting is 16"-24" or so.

Sounds to me like a 461 is in order! A 362 would handle the occasional 24+ log but if that is the bulk of what you are cutting a larger saw is needed.

 

[catbuster]

Of the Stihl lineup I'd take the 461R with a 28" bar for that job. 28" Rollomatic Super bar, RSF chain. I would take a 390XPW with a 32" GB Titanium bar, still Stihl RSF chain of any saw period of that job.

 

[Big_Wood]

Hello there westcoaster.... hey I don't know how often you talk to your friend, but I would personally be interested in knowing what he means by "common" problem....I mean has he seen this in 1-100 saws, or 1-1000 saws.....whether a saw is used for 10 tanks of fuel a year or 1000, you should be able trust that the saw is mechanically sound!!!

PLEASE understand I am in no way, shape or form taking offense to this, I would just like to know more about the issue..... thanks!!!

i talk to my bud everyday. i'll ask him again and report back. i believe what he meant by common is that whenever there is an engine failure this turns out the be the most common issue.

 

[Big_Wood]

just texted him and he replied right away. he said there's not much else to say other then the ****** pin wears out lol he also told me that he realized the 460 pin part number is the same as the 461 so the 460 pin ain't gonna fix the issue.

 

[Khntr85]

just texted him and he replied right away. he said there's not much else to say other then the ****** pin wears out lol he also told me that he realized the 460 pin part number is the same as the 461 so the 460 pin ain't gonna fix the issue.

Ok westcoaster, that's for the info!!!

Just out of pure curiosity, I wonder if this happened to the in the 460 too...

 

[Big_Wood]

I've never seen a 460 with this issue. I've got one here right now I'm gonna pull apart and give her a hop up within the next few days so I'll inspect the pin anyways

 

[Spring1898]

Hey OP, just curious you seem to be mentioning buying new, have you decided against buying used?
You are looking at a 60cc and a 75cc saw. Do you no longer have the 50cc saw? If so having 2 saws a 50cc and a 70cc is a common combo
And if not, it might be worth while going bigger and then seeing later on down the line if you could use a lighter 50cc.
But even for the size of the things that you are cutting it sounds like a 70cc saw would be the better way to go.

Again, not sure if you are only looking at new, but you could probably pick up 2 nice used saws from guys on here for the same price as one new one.

 

[Khntr85]

I've never seen a 460 with this issue. I've got one here right now I'm gonna pull apart and give her a hop up within the next few days so I'll inspect the pin anyways

Ok good deal let me know... I asked a guy in my state and another from down south and they haven't had this problem at all....I know the way loggers and tree services around me treat their saws, it's a wonder they all don't "grenade"....

 

[Big_Wood]

Ok good deal let me know... I asked a guy in my state and another from down south and they haven't had this problem at all....I know the way loggers and tree services around me treat their saws, it's a wonder they all don't "grenade"....

i pulled the top end off that 460, the pin was tight in the piston. can get a pic later. cleaned it up and porting it tomorrow.

 

[Khntr85]

i pulled the top end off that 460, the pin was tight in the piston. can get a pic later. cleaned it up and porting it tomorrow.

Hey that's good to hear lol.... ya if you get a chance, snap a pic...and let me know how porting goes.... how long have you been porting anyway.... I have fooled around with it, but I am a rookie by ALL means lol!!!!

 

[Big_Wood]

Hey that's good to hear lol.... ya if you get a chance, snap a pic...and let me know how porting goes.... how long have you been porting anyway.... I have fooled around with it, but I am a rookie by ALL means lol!!!!

First 2 stroke I ported I must have been 10-11. It was one of those green yard works weed eaters. It didn't run long lol I've never explored machining and didn't even know about setting squish before I joined here. I get gains out of every saw I Port though.