Stihl vs Husqvarna

[xyz123]

If you got the 362 new and later Gen2 up. Super light for 59cc pro saw.

 

[WinterDeere]

The 362 is a great saw. I'm still running it's predecessor (036 PRO), no reason to update, and it's a great size saw for all-day firewood cutting. Easy to start, easy to carry, it strikes a real nice balance between "just enough" power for most firewood cutting use, and still not being too heavy.

I already had miles and miles of 20" chain loops and a new 20" bar off another saw, when I bought mine, but found it was a little under-powered for pulling 20" with the nose buried in large oak logs. I threw some big felling dogs on the saw, to see if shortening up the bar 1" would make a difference, and it actually helped a lot. I'd guess most might look at the big dogs on the saw and think I'm trying to be some poser wanna-be western logger, but it was just about reducing exposed bar length while using the hardware I already owned.

If I were buying a new MS-362 today, I'd mount an 18" bar on it and skip the felling dogs. I like a relatively aggressive grind on my chains, taking the depth gauges (rakers) down a good 20% = .005" lower than factory spec for better speed, but this does put a lot more load on the saw. I'm also cutting a lot of larger hardwoods, so full nose-buried cutting is the norm. Big bars on small saws do fine, until you bury the nose in something bigger, which seems to increase the friction and load by a lot.

Someday I'll wear out my 20" bar and 15 chain loops I have for that saw, and then I'll probably replace it all with 18" hardware, if the saw is still running strong and reliable by then.

 

[xyz123]

@WinterDeere Take your 036 360 even 361 over a 2 myself.

 

[walhondingMF]

562xp with new light bar.

 

[WinterDeere]

Nice! I was just going over saws today, deep cleaning and spark plug swaps. Two Stihl and one Husqvarna, I have no real brand loyalty, they both make some great saws with massive power to weight numbers.

I do find Stihl wins on many of the smaller points, like size of filler necks, sturdiness of chain brake levers, and overall durability, but I think Husqvarna might edge out some of Stihl’s best on power to weight. Overall, I guess I prefer Stihl, but hold nothing seriously against Husqvarna, either.

One of my Stihl’s has filler caps as large as the average garden tractor. I wish every saw were like that.

 

[Hay Dude]

I’m NOT writing this to start a Stihl/Husky war.

I rented a 12” diesel chipper from a well established rental company last week who is authorized to service Stihl and Husqvarna. (I didn’t realize a dealer could sell/service both).
I was talking to the GM a bit, discussing my dissatisfaction with new saws and their complexity when/if they break. He asked me what saws I ran. I told him I had 3 Stihls.
His comment to me was, “well at least you aren’t running Husqvarna, they outnumber Stihl for repairs in our shop by a lot and we sell more Stihl than Husqvarna”.

I am not brand loyal. This however kind of struck me as a pretty solid information from a guy who’s been in the saw business for like 40+ years.

 

[jyoutz]

I’m NOT writing this to start a Stihl/Husky war.

I rented a 12” diesel chipper from a well established rental company last week who is authorized to service Stihl and Husqvarna. (I didn’t realize a dealer could sell/service both).
I was talking to the GM a bit, discussing my I’ve noticed a Regiondissatisfaction with new saws and their complexity when/if they break. He asked me what saws I ran. I told him I had 3 Stihls.
His comment to me was, “well at least you aren’t running Husqvarna, they outnumber Stihl for repairs in our shop by a lot and we sell more Stihl than Husqvarna”.

I am not brand loyal. This however kind of struck me as a pretty solid information from a guy who’s been in the saw business for like 40+ years.

I’ve noticed a regional preference among loggers and fire crews. In the western U.S. Stihl is dominant, while I’ve seen more Huskies in the east. Probably dealer presence?

 

[WinterDeere]

I didn’t realize a dealer could sell/service both.

My dealer sells and services Stihl, Husqvarna, Echo and RedMax! They have side by side racks of Stihl and Husqvarna, and the Echo's go on the floor around the perimeter of the whole show room. I don't think they have any RedMax saws, just trimmers and blowers for that brand.

 

[5030]

I’m NOT writing this to start a Stihl/Husky war.

I rented a 12” diesel chipper from a well established rental company last week who is authorized to service Stihl and Husqvarna. (I didn’t realize a dealer could sell/service both).
I was talking to the GM a bit, discussing my dissatisfaction with new saws and their complexity when/if they break. He asked me what saws I ran. I told him I had 3 Stihls.
His comment to me was, “well at least you aren’t running Husqvarna, they outnumber Stihl for repairs in our shop by a lot and we sell more Stihl than Husqvarna”.

I am not brand loyal. This however kind of struck me as a pretty solid information from a guy who’s been in the saw business for like 40+ years.

Don't bother me one iota. The Kubota dealership where I work part time sells Echo power products and they also repair and service all makes of saws and power equipment and most of what I see coming into the shop for repairs is because of owner abuse and / or stupidity. That pertains especially to chainsaws and it's mostly attributable to saws that were straight gassed or left sitting for an extended amount of time with an e-gas oil mix in the fuel tank that turned to gum and then they won't start. Why I only run canned gas in mine because they don't get used frequently. Canned gas = no carb issues. That and dull chains. Dull chains don't cut well and just produce sawdust and not much else. Owner abuse and stupidity isn't brand related at all.

 

[Hay Dude]

Buy once, cry once. Man, this thing rips bone stock.