Now that the 540 has been around for awhile what is everyone's opinion on it whose been running one? I just don't like how complicated they are compared to my trusty 201 but it seems they have a lot of nut behind them.
Thinking about buying a 540xp
- Thread starter chevybob
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Hey, buy it and tell us what you think.
Jeff
Jeff
lf you already have a 201t l would say all that you will gain puchasing a 540t is frustration and dissapointment. History will tell you who makes a good top handle and Husky never has. They went the wrong way with their 540t...its a disaster. l have a 555 & 550xp which are both excellent saws and top choices in their class so l aint brand bashing. lf you already have a 201t why not look at a lighter 150t or echo271t or makita231t which would divesify your TH fleet. Since l got a makita 231t(23cc rebadged echo), l rarely fire up the 200t or 201t. lts just so light and smooth.
Pud
ArboristSite Operative
There good saws , we have 2 200s a 201 little makita a 540 and I have my own 540 , it's always the first saw to get taken out of the truck , both must be nearly a year old and have never been in the shop or even stalled once or had a flat spot or anything and the other guys really don't take care of stuff that well , they do take an eternity to warm up tho
treeclimber101
UNCLE BUCK
What option do you have , a 201 or 338 or a 540 well you have the 192 s and whatever echo has to offer , I ran one and thought they were pretty cool seemed heavy and slightly back heavy but I am used to running a 200 or 338 so it may have been just a case of not being used to it . My option is finding old 200s and having them rebuilt .... I have 2 recently one I only paid 50.00 for it and the other 350 but when they die I will send them to mastermind to do his masterminding on them
sac-climber
ArboristSite Operative
The 338 is one of my favorite top handles, other than the filter location. I don't think the 201 is that bad either, a little less oomph than the 200...sure. I'd give the 540 a chance no problem. I hate the 200T or nothing at all BS 
KenJax Tree
Terraphobic
Husky rear handles are all i use but i've never been a fan of their top handles((yes i've used them) i've always and will always buy Stihl top handles
Matt81
Bliss: Saw full of fuel and yard full of trees!
I started out with a 334T. I still have it from new from i think 2001? I needs a new fuel line right now as i think i was a little rough when i replaced the primer bulb and something has come loose and fuel streams out when you pump it or start it. Yeah not real safe. Since then i have had a 338XPT for the last 4+ years and it has been great. Fits me like a glove and i can use it blindfolded i am so used to its feel and handling. I don't know why they get such a bad wrap. I will concede that the bloke that designed these series of saws was smoking something fairly strong to think that the air filter at the front was a winning idea. Other than that nothing, as in nothing, has broken or needed to be replaced other than filters and plugs. Good power to pull the 14" bar in our Aussie hardwoods. It's up there with the most reliable saws i have ever owned.
I use 200T's a lot when i am using my works saws and not my own. Yes power is good and balance and reliability is ok also. They however break down like anything else. I was sick and tired of having to use my own saws because the 200t was in the shop waiting on parts again. Latest repair it got a new carb. Dealer did not ask if we wanted a Chinese carb but we got one anyway at full ridiculous Stihl price. Saw is barely useable now and dealer says it is running the best they can get it to run. It was running better on the old leaky carb. Honestly unless you have the time and patience for the attention these older saws need i would recommend something newer. Boss wanted to run and get the 201T as soon as he could. I said wait a while. This was the original one before they woke up and advanced the timing on the production saws. He still thanks me that i made him listen. I know a local climber that threw one out of a tree cus it was that bad. I have never used one for more than a few cuts however, as i was smart and steered clear from all the bad press. How a company like Stihl can release a saw like that i will never know! When you rely on the saw to put food on your table and all the dealer does is put out his hand for money time and time again and never really get to the root of the problem, it is difficult to establish any trust. The new one Stihl has finally fixed with the advanced ignition timing is by all accounts a close to worthy equal of the 200T. Seems like a nice saw and i would not have a problem with owning one given the chance.
I however followed my own gut feeling and got a T540XP about easter this year. I was a bit concerned about the autotune though and not being able to work on my saws the way i have been used to. Not real happy to plug a saw into a PC! I finally fired it up about 3 weeks ago and am very glad i did! Even on it's first tank, after the autotune breaking in procedure, it was out cutting my old reliable 338XPT in the same log by over 3 seconds. Same size bar at 14" and both on a new loop of 91VXL. I now have about 6 or so tanks through it and i am leaving my 338XPT at home most jobs. Yes it takes a little longer to warm up and smooth itself out, but i believe that this is just a character trait of the autotune system in general? Power is incredible for a top handle. Even with it being barely broke in it is more snappy and responsive than any stock 200T i have used. I have not experienced the off idle problem i have heard some mention? It seems to cope better being buried in large diameter hardwood too. Feels a little heavier than the 338XPT and maybe a little more rearward bias balance, but i am getting more used to it each time i climb with it. Do not listen to those who say it is a disaster or not built well or some other uneducated nonsense. There are many climbers here (and in the US) who were shelving their useless and expensive original 201T's and buying T540's. Many i have spoke to around our area say they won't be going back to Stihl for a top handle for quite a while because of the complete lack of support regarding the problems with the original 201T.
Since then i have had a 338XPT for the last 4+ years and it has been great. Fits me like a glove and i can use it blindfolded i am so used to its feel and handling. I don't know why they get such a bad wrap. I will concede that the bloke that designed these series of saws was smoking something fairly strong to think that the air filter at the front was a winning idea. Other than that nothing, as in nothing, has broken or needed to be replaced other than filters and plugs. Good power to pull the 14" bar in our Aussie hardwoods. It's up there with the most reliable saws i have ever owned.I use 200T's a lot when i am using my works saws and not my own. Yes power is good and balance and reliability is ok also. They however break down like anything else. I was sick and tired of having to use my own saws because the 200t was in the shop waiting on parts again. Latest repair it got a new carb. Dealer did not ask if we wanted a Chinese carb but we got one anyway at full ridiculous Stihl price. Saw is barely useable now and dealer says it is running the best they can get it to run. It was running better on the old leaky carb. Honestly unless you have the time and patience for the attention these older saws need i would recommend something newer. Boss wanted to run and get the 201T as soon as he could. I said wait a while. This was the original one before they woke up and advanced the timing on the production saws. He still thanks me that i made him listen. I know a local climber that threw one out of a tree cus it was that bad. I have never used one for more than a few cuts however, as i was smart and steered clear from all the bad press. How a company like Stihl can release a saw like that i will never know! When you rely on the saw to put food on your table and all the dealer does is put out his hand for money time and time again and never really get to the root of the problem, it is difficult to establish any trust. The new one Stihl has finally fixed with the advanced ignition timing is by all accounts a close to worthy equal of the 200T. Seems like a nice saw and i would not have a problem with owning one given the chance.
I however followed my own gut feeling and got a T540XP about easter this year. I was a bit concerned about the autotune though and not being able to work on my saws the way i have been used to. Not real happy to plug a saw into a PC! I finally fired it up about 3 weeks ago and am very glad i did! Even on it's first tank, after the autotune breaking in procedure, it was out cutting my old reliable 338XPT in the same log by over 3 seconds.
Same size bar at 14" and both on a new loop of 91VXL. I now have about 6 or so tanks through it and i am leaving my 338XPT at home most jobs. Yes it takes a little longer to warm up and smooth itself out, but i believe that this is just a character trait of the autotune system in general? Power is incredible for a top handle. Even with it being barely broke in it is more snappy and responsive than any stock 200T i have used. I have not experienced the off idle problem i have heard some mention? It seems to cope better being buried in large diameter hardwood too. Feels a little heavier than the 338XPT and maybe a little more rearward bias balance, but i am getting more used to it each time i climb with it. Do not listen to those who say it is a disaster or not built well or some other uneducated nonsense. There are many climbers here (and in the US) who were shelving their useless and expensive original 201T's and buying T540's. Many i have spoke to around our area say they won't be going back to Stihl for a top handle for quite a while because of the complete lack of support regarding the problems with the original 201T.
Matt81
Bliss: Saw full of fuel and yard full of trees!
No problem. Happy to offer my experiences. I just call it like i see it. I am not a fan boy for any one brand as you can see from my sig. I could have kept my 338XPT which i was very happy with for many more years, but after buying and running the T540XP i know now what i have been missing out on! Honestly time will tell i guess with the long term reliability of the Autotune system but so far so good. Hopefully my reluctance to accept and adopt new things is unfounded.
You are obviously happy with your 201T? Yours has had the ignition timing fixed i take it? I have been real keen to get my hands on a fixed one to try out.
You are obviously happy with your 201T? Yours has had the ignition timing fixed i take it? I have been real keen to get my hands on a fixed one to try out.
Not sure if mine has the fixed timing or not I bought it about this time last year. I did an exhaust mod and retuned and have been very happy with the saw power wise. It pulls a 16" bar buried in hardwood no problem. But lately I have been having the problem of the saw shutting off after a wide open throttle cut and I have to hold the throttle when starting it otherwise it takes a few pulls.
KenJax Tree
Terraphobic
If i got a killer deal on a T540xp i might give it a shot.
Toddppm
Addicted to ArboristSite
So I just opened the box with my 540 , it's a 2013. Is there an easy fix for the fuel line issue? Should I send it back? Since I bought it from treestuff it's not like a local dealer is going to want fix it for me.
Matt81
Bliss: Saw full of fuel and yard full of trees!
Eek!
I think mine is a 2013 also. I will check tomorrow when I'm using it. What fuel line issue? Guess i missed that one.
Eek!
Something about the brass nipple I think. You should be able to buy a 2014 I would think.
Jeff
treeclimber101
UNCLE BUCK
Glad to see a little 338 respect ... They are a good saw , and for the money , doesn't break your heart to have to replace a few ..
treeclimber101
UNCLE BUCK
My issue with the 338 is the fuel/oil tanks , you have to tilt the saw to fill it , kinda a pain in the ass
imagineero
Addicted to ArboristSite
The 338 is one of my favorite top handles, other than the filter location. I don't think the 201 is that bad either, a little less oomph than the 200...sure. I'd give the 540 a chance no problem. I hate the 200T or nothing at all BS
For a different perspective, most full time pro climbers use 200t's, even the ones that only run husky for every other saw in their lineup. There's a reason for that. Those climbers who use lesser saws think that the 0.5 second difference (or whatever) in a cut is not a big deal. On the ground it's not a big deal. I'm a semi die hard stihl fan, but on the ground I could really care less. I've got a couple 346xp's in my lineup and so long as I'm sharpening the chain and tuning the saw I don't mind if it's a 372 or 440 (love those 441cm's though!) a 395 or a 660, and would definitely favor a 3120 over an 880.
Up in the tree it's a different story though. A climbing saw is your bread and butter if you're a climber, that saw makes you money. And over the course of the life of that saw, that one saw might make you $100k as a contract climber, or even more money if you own the business and are climbing. That's a whole lot of money. Those branches aren't just gone to hang around and wait for you to do your thing, for better or worse we have gravity. Fractions of a second really do make a difference up in the air, and a whole lot of difference to the time it takes to get a job done. If you've got a saw that really drives the chain, you can drop branches confidently in the attitude you want them in. It's a very spontaneous thing, and there's no second try. A good fast saw with an aggressive chain means you can spear cuts down. Or fold them and pop them off at exactly the right attitude to control the bounce when they hit the ground. You can fold them ust how you want them, and release them at that split second in time when they will come down just right and cause no damage.
Being able to do that saves a whole bunch of time. I can cut and drop 10-15 branches in the time it takes to rope 1. That might translate to 2 or 3 trees done in a day vs 1. If you're a basic climber with easy trees and just need to get the wood on the ground and haven't even gotten around to doing trick cuts, then there's a whole bunch of climbing saws out there that will fill your needs. Or rear handled saws. Or hand saws, or whatever. If you're a gun climber who needs to git 'er done every day of the week then who gives a **** about the price? We used to pay $1500 a pop for 200T's in aus, and worth every penny (though of course I was buying mine stateside) but if someone came out with a more powerful climbing saw that hit the sweet spot I'd fork out $2k+ in the blink of an eye and do the same again a couple times a year. That saw makes money like no other saw can.
Shaun
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