I did a search and came up with almost nothing. They seem to get great reviews on about every site you visit. The biggest con seems to be that it's a tad heavy. What gives, are they a redheaded stepchild or what?
Why not much talk about the 455 Rancher on here?
- Thread starter Grateful11
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Honkie
ArboristSite Guru
Bla bla clamshell bla la bla power to wieght bla bla Lowes big box bla bla 55cc bla bla bla..................
rickyrooster
ArboristSite Guru
Most saws that are talked about much on this site are pro saws. The 400 series husqvarna's are home owner saws. As you already stated in your post they are very heavy for the amount of power they produce compared to the pro saws. These saws have a clam shell engine design verses the seperate cylinder and 2 piece crankcase. Dont get me wrong, these are a very popular saw with people who burn firewood and dont feel the need to spend the extra cash for a more costly pro saw. If you take care of the husky it should last you a long time and I'm sure you will be pleased with the job it will do for you. Rick!
dingeryote
Blueberry Baron
It cuts wood. Slowly.
Not much exciting about them to yak about.
Most exciting thing about mine is that despite numerous attempts to kill it, it keeps running with compression dwindling.LOL!!
Just a solid, economical, tool for less than frequent use.
Stay safe!
Dingeryote
Not much exciting about them to yak about.
Most exciting thing about mine is that despite numerous attempts to kill it, it keeps running with compression dwindling.LOL!!
Just a solid, economical, tool for less than frequent use.
Stay safe!
Dingeryote
bobt
Addicted to ArboristSite
My Dad's neighbor has one, and he likes it well enough. Sure they have some drawbacks, but for the money they are an option. I feel they are similar to a Stihl MS290. The 290 gets no love around here on AS either.
Bob
Bob
I have a couple of friends that own 455's, and one that owns an MS290. I've cut with them a few times, and they absolutely LOVE those saws. Some folks are just happy if they can get a pick-up load of wood couple of times a month when the snow is flying around these parts, and don't care all that much about chain speed, power to weight ratio, and will never put enough hours on any of them to know they could wear out quicker than their "pro" series counterparts......Cliff
Works. I think of it as my "junk" saw. What I don't want to cut with the others, I can bring out the 455 and cut. Got mine for $200 at Sears. It was a floor model. Just not my favorite.
Hal
Hal
It's a homeowner saw that is very capable of getting most jobs done. The fact that it doesn't have more metal on it is the reason there's no love. I have never had a problem with mine, and it does EXACTLY what it is supposed to do - start easily, get the job done. Just don't expect pro-performance from it because it's not a pro-saw.
455 was the first Husqvarna i owned, it was considerably better than the old saw i had. I cut alot of wood with it not knowing any different. I used it for almost a yr before it gave me some trouble. I am guilty of buying it at lowes, but there was a silver lining to that. I took the saw for repair at ther reg saw shop, they were not impressed, and they asked me how old it was. When i told them it was less than a yr old they mentioned taking it back to lowes and see what they would do. I did this and found out they send them off for repairs. I was willing to let them do that to as i knew it couldnt be to bad. I waited around at the return desk for a manager until the clerk just got fed up and gave me a complete refund (id kept my receipt too). The fact id have to send it off for repairs and the dealers response got me to thinking... I then bought a pro model because of the better dealer support and the ease of working on it myself. I have since bought more pro models, its just hard to go back.
The 455 isnt a bad saw, but like others have said, it depends on how much/how hard you want to cut with it.
just my $.02
The 455 isnt a bad saw, but like others have said, it depends on how much/how hard you want to cut with it.
just my $.02
I am a fan of mine as well, not a light saw, could have more power but for the price it preforms very very well! I have no real harp about my 455 I bought it knowing it wasn't a pro saw and not to expect pro performance from it but with a 16" bar this saw is one of my favorite firewood getters out of all the saws I have gone through.
I think the main problem is knowledge. Some folks would have a difficult time rationalizing a nearly $400 455 Rancher when they can get a $480 346XP, and I've seen 359's on sale for under $500. Really, the only way to rationalize it is if value your time cutting less than that $100 difference.
Farmertim
ArboristSite Operative
Around here there is roughly a $250 - $300 difference between the Rancher and 346xp. I am glad I choose the 346, but my neighbour swears by his Rancher, and he uses it a lot! Feeds a lot of wood through his saw-mill. He hasn't cut with my 372; that may change his mind about the Ranchers performance! All in all, the performs well, and he uses the snot out of it.
Tim
Tim
little possum
Crash and Burn
Some of them had rubber encased bearings, I believe. I was told over time the mix would eat away the rubber, and cause crank failure.
MichiganMadMan
ArboristSite Lurker
I liked my 460 Rancher right up until I bought my Jonsered 2188
. I guess sometimes ignorance is bliss. They weigh and handle almost the same, but the chips shoot out of the 2188 at the speed of sound. It makes the trees seem smaller.
My Rancher blows away my Homelite 330 by the same amount as my Jonsered blows away the Rancher, so it really depends on what you WERE using. If it was a decrepit Wild Thing, a new Rancher is going to seem like the cat's meow. If you normally use a monster saw, everything else seems underpowered.
The Rancher has some things going for it. They can take a beating, they run well, and you can get tune up kits at Tractor Supply.
. I guess sometimes ignorance is bliss. They weigh and handle almost the same, but the chips shoot out of the 2188 at the speed of sound. It makes the trees seem smaller.My Rancher blows away my Homelite 330 by the same amount as my Jonsered blows away the Rancher, so it really depends on what you WERE using. If it was a decrepit Wild Thing, a new Rancher is going to seem like the cat's meow. If you normally use a monster saw, everything else seems underpowered.
The Rancher has some things going for it. They can take a beating, they run well, and you can get tune up kits at Tractor Supply.
Hedgerow
HACK
I liked my 460 Rancher right up until I bought my Jonsered 2188
My Rancher blows away my Homelite 330 by the same amount as my Jonsered blows away the Rancher, so it really depends on what you WERE using. If it was a decrepit Wild Thing, a new Rancher is going to seem like the cat's meow. If you normally use a monster saw, everything else seems underpowered.
The Rancher has some things going for it. They can take a beating, they run well, and you can get tune up kits at Tractor Supply.
From a 460 to a 2188??? Guess you weren't dabbling!!! Now kick that tweener 460 to the curb!!!:msp_tongue:
Hedgerow
HACK
MichiganMadMan
ArboristSite Lurker
I thought about it, but when a friend asks if they can "borrow" (which is Michigander for RUIN) a chainsaw to cut slots in the dirt under a tree knocked down in a storm, it fills the bill. To the average joe, it looks serious.
I keep seeing the Dolmar/Makita saws pop up from time to time as a nice midrange saw....
Hedgerow
HACK
Good thinking there... I got an 025 I use in a similar manner. And yes, Dolmar makes a damn fine saw! The 5100S is on my "list". And the 7900 out of the box will flat eat a stock 372's lunch...
This is sort of along the same lines of going to a Chevy pickup truck forum and asking why nobody seems to talk much about the Cobalt. Same manufacturer, but a very different tool
That said, the 455 is by all accounts a great homeowner and firewood saw. The pros pooh pooh it because its got more plastic and has a lower power to weight ratio than a pro saw...but its neither designed nor intended to be a pro saw and get used 40-50 hours a week every week. Its more than adequate to get the job done around the homestead, so long as the job isn't to clear a forest.
I know quite a few people with 455 Ranchers, they've been run hard for years and as long as they avoid a ground strike, the saws have always been up to the task at hand. I even saw one guy using a 455 and a 28" bar in an alaskan mill. Seemed to work fine.
Is it on par with a 357XP? Of course not...its also half the price.
I would have bought a 455 if I hadn't stumbled into a new 359 for the same price, but that was a one shot deal.
That said, the 455 is by all accounts a great homeowner and firewood saw. The pros pooh pooh it because its got more plastic and has a lower power to weight ratio than a pro saw...but its neither designed nor intended to be a pro saw and get used 40-50 hours a week every week. Its more than adequate to get the job done around the homestead, so long as the job isn't to clear a forest.
I know quite a few people with 455 Ranchers, they've been run hard for years and as long as they avoid a ground strike, the saws have always been up to the task at hand. I even saw one guy using a 455 and a 28" bar in an alaskan mill. Seemed to work fine.
Is it on par with a 357XP? Of course not...its also half the price.
I would have bought a 455 if I hadn't stumbled into a new 359 for the same price, but that was a one shot deal.
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