550XP or 562XP as a fill in?

[Matt93eg]

Hey all,

I am just a firewood cutter. I use a Husky T435 35cc for clearing out tops and real small stuff. After that I move right up to my Husky 390XP with either a 22", 28", or 36" depending on what I am cutting. The weight doesn't bother me to much but I have been itching to get a saw to fill in the gap. Mainly I am looking at the 550XP or 562XP. I have gotten some power head only prices, I currently do not have a bar for the 550 so I would need to buy a bar and chain, if I bought the 562 i would run the 22" on it for now. Since I would need to buy a bar and chain for the 550 it puts me within about 15$ of the 562, the 562 is about 1.5 pounds or so heavier though. I am also aware that due to me running my 390XP so much I am afraid it might put me into a spot where the 550 or 562 may disappoint me, I am used to blasting through wood. I did have a Husqvarna 450, wasn't too fond of it but it wasn't a pro saw and I know the 550 even though 50cc is in a different league. Id run a 16" on the 550. Eventually probably put an 18 on the 562 but would probably use the 22 for the time being but I wouldn't use it to cut stuff that big, id grab the 390.

Any opinions and insight is appreciated.

 

[Sean McGillicuddy]

562 is my vote ..

 

[EbS-P]

11.7 vs 13.4 pounds. Not enough of a difference for me not to get the bigger saw but……. Have you considered a battery saw??

I too have a 35cc then jump up to the 90cc. I have never needed anything in between. I did get a cheap ego battery saw and I can say for for small jobs it’s great. It’s the only saw I have used for the past 12 months. As I have not done any firewood processing in that time.

 

[ABMax24]

I've got a 550XP mkII with a 20" bar. I really like it, it's light and works well. It's my only saw and is light and nimble enough to limb well with, but powerful enough to buck logs efficiently. That little 50cc engine is very snappy and reactive to throttle input, and it screams, redline is 13,200rpm.

The 550 is popular in Scandinavia, and works well for softwoods and smaller hardwoods. My use case is similar. Big hardwoods I could see it struggling.

One thing to keep in mind is the weight of bar and chain, yes a 562 power head is only 1.7lbs heavier, but a taller bar with 3/8" chain is heavier than my narrow bar with 0.325 chain.

 

[Matt93eg]

11.7 vs 13.4 pounds. Not enough of a difference for me not to get the bigger saw but……. Have you considered a battery saw??

I too have a 35cc then jump up to the 90cc. I have never needed anything in between. I did get a cheap ego battery saw and I can say for for small jobs it’s great. It’s the only saw I have used for the past 12 months. As I have not done any firewood processing in that time.

I wouldn't say I need a fill in saw. More rather a want than a need. Have wanted to try a 5 series auto tune. Not really into the battery stuff. I know they make some really good stuff now in all aspects of battery powered products, not just chainsaws but I'm just an engine kinda guy. Adds to enjoyment factor to me.

 

[Matt93eg]

I've got a 550XP mkII with a 20" bar. I really like it, it's light and works well. It's my only saw and is light and nimble enough to limb well with, but powerful enough to buck logs efficiently. That little 50cc engine is very snappy and reactive to throttle input, and it screams, redline is 13,200rpm.

The 550 is popular in Scandinavia, and works well for softwoods and smaller hardwoods. My use case is similar. Big hardwoods I could see it struggling.

One thing to keep in mind is the weight of bar and chain, yes a 562 power head is only 1.7lbs heavier, but a taller bar with 3/8" chain is heavier than my narrow bar with 0.325 chain.

Yeah everything I read says the 550 is one hot 50cc. Also true on the bar and chain being heavier, had not thought of that. I'd run a 16" on the 550, If I got the 562 I'd run an 18" but may just use the 22 I have now for the time being if it doesn't throw it nose heavy. Decisions decisions.

 

[sloeffle]

I have a huge log jam / dam on my property and the neighbor came over last Saturday to help me cut some of the pieces up in hopes they will float away. He had a 550 and I had my 562 ( ran the 24" light bar and I have 20" bar for it also ) and I must say I was thoroughly impressed with his 550. He has zero issues going through stuff that maxed out his bar. If my 290 ever takes a major crap that might be my next saw.

 

[Matt93eg]

I have a huge log jam / dam on my property and the neighbor came over last Saturday to help me cut some of the pieces up in hopes they will float away. He had a 550 and I had my 562 ( ran the 24" light bar and I have 20" bar for it also ) and I must say I was thoroughly impressed with his 550. He has zero issues going through stuff that maxed out his bar. If my 290 ever takes a major crap that might be my next saw.

Do you know what size bar he was running?

 

[walhondingnashua]

I have a 562 with a 24" woodlandPRO bar on it. It is nose heavy, especially since it is not a lite bar, but not to a point that it is an issue for me. In a year of running that bar, the saw has had no issues with oak, hickory and ash pushing bar length. Prior I have run a 20" on it with no problems, but not noticeably much lighter. Not sure about the 550, but the husky xp autotune saws all have great reviews and one of the first positives is how much power they have for their size.

 

[Matt93eg]

I have a 562 with a 24" woodlandPRO bar on it. It is nose heavy, especially since it is not a lite bar, but not to a point that it is an issue for me. In a year of running that bar, the saw has had no issues with oak, hickory and ash pushing bar length. Prior I have run a 20" on it with no problems, but not noticeably much lighter. Not sure about the 550, but the husky xp autotune saws all have great reviews and one of the first positives is how much power they have for their size.

My 22" is a Tsumura light bar so it might balance good with it. If thats the case I would hold off on buying a 18 for it for now.

 

[Ashful]

Any opinions and insight is appreciated.

I have a T435, along with 63 cc and 85 cc saws (Stihl 036 & 064), and find them to be a great compliment with 19" and 28" bars, respectively. If dropping down to 50cc, I'd probably never want a bar much longer than 16" or 17" on it, which could work just as well.

I think a good argument could made for either, with the realization that a 20" bar on a 550xp is going to be disappointing. Choose the desired bar length, and let that guide the saw choice.

 

[EbS-P]

A Ported 550 with a light bar is definitely on my wish list. Won’t ever happen though I don’t cut enough. The lightest saw that get the job done is the best saw IMO for what I do. Speed doesn’t matter that much to me.

I think real question is, if you get a 550 what size chain for the 550. Is like to keep everything I own the same but understand that .325 would be quicker.

 

[Ashful]

The lightest saw that get the job done is the best saw IMO for what I do. Speed doesn’t matter that much to me.

LOL... just shows how we all have differing priorities. To me, "the fastest saw is the best saw". The faster it cuts, the less I care about a little extra weight. This is exactly why I like big motors on small bars, and sharpen my chains more aggressively than the factory spec, by taking the depth gauges down an extra 20% beyond spec.

Highest power/weight ratio is the golden spec, and why I still run an antique Stihl 064 AV! Some claim this saw has the highest power/weight ratio of any saw Stihl has ever made. Going by the specs, I'm actually not sure that's true, but it does appear to be among the top saws they've ever made.

 

[Newbie78]

I have some saws. Among them, I have 1-40cc saw, 4-50cc saws, and 3-60cc saws.They are all pro saws of various brands except for my Echo 590, which has an appeal of it's own, low price and some mediocre features notwithstanding.

What to buy depends on what size/type of wood you generally cut, your age/strength/need for speed, and other things.

60cc saws cut bigger wood significantly faster than a 50cc saw, starting at about 8-10". 50cc saws usually run .325 chain while 60cc saws usually run 3/8 chain. Generally, the smaller chain is far smoother in a limbing application and nearly as fast as a 60 in a small wood bucking situation. The 50cc saw is lighter and handles that way. Yes, a few pounds does make a difference, especially when maneuvering the saw in a limbing situation. Bucking, not so much. I cut quite a bit of 10-16" beetle-killed jackpine. It's mostly a nightmare of bent, clingy branches that a 50cc saw is ideal for.

One thing that really matters in a powersaw is handling. Both the 562 and the 550 are among the very best handling saws available with superlative antivibe.

don't get hung up on speed (unless you are just bucking, as any boat anchor of a saw is reasonably comfortable for bucking). Comfort and handling is far more important, and let's face it, it takes very little time to cut the wood compared to all the loading, unloading, splitting, and stacking of the wood that goes on. Not to mention the bringing wood to the stove and cleanup, etc, etc.

Too bad, cause holding a screaming 2 stroke in your hands is the best part, next to the heat the wood provides.

you have a bit of a weird saw lineup at this point...you need to fill in the huge gap. I'd get the 50cc saw with a 70cc saw in the future. No need for a 60cc saw when you get a 70. With a 50cc saw I bet you will rarely pick up the 390, except for big wood.

Any decent saw should just pull like crazy with an appropriate-sized full bar buried. Of course, sharpening is an art that you should be versed in...

Me, fwiw, I have no interest whatsoever in ANY new Stihls or Huskies, except maybe for a ms461, 372, 390, or 395.

the previous itinerations/models of the 550xp and 562xp's were junk. Known junk. That's why there have been so many itinerations...obviously. I think most of the problems are solved now with those two models, as well as their Stihl counterparts (which haven't been quite so problematic over the years). There are still (mostly isolated, but not in certain environments - like very cold weather, for example) some issues with moronic and autoboom technology, but they have largely been solved.

regards

 

[sloeffle]

Do you know what size bar he was running?

I’d say a 18” bar.

Husqvarna just came out with the 562XP II. You might be able to score a 562XP for a much better deal. They lowered the price online already.

 

[Matt93eg]

I have a T435, along with 63 cc and 85 cc saws (Stihl 036 & 064), and find them to be a great compliment with 19" and 28" bars, respectively. If dropping down to 50cc, I'd probably never want a bar much longer than 16" or 17" on it, which could work just as well.

I think a good argument could made for either, with the realization that a 20" bar on a 550xp is going to be disappointing. Choose the desired bar length, and let that guide the saw choice.

Solid advice I would say. If I got the 550 ideally I would run a 16" on it. I don't like to be over barred for the reason that you mentioned, its disappointing. I like a saw that will pull the chain with authority and being over barred takes that away. If I got the 562 ideally I would probably run a 18". Anything bigger I would just grab the 390XP.

 

[Matt93eg]

A Ported 550 with a light bar is definitely on my wish list. Won’t ever happen though I don’t cut enough. The lightest saw that get the job done is the best saw IMO for what I do. Speed doesn’t matter that much to me.

I think real question is, if you get a 550 what size chain for the 550. Is like to keep everything I own the same but understand that .325 would be quicker.

If I got the 550 I would keep it .325. I like speed cause it is fun but also when I am going down in the woods to get firewood loaded on teh trailer and haul back up to the house sometimes I don't have much time pending the day, after work before dark etc so the quicker I can get it cut and loaded the better off I am, might mean a couple loads vs 1 etc.

 

[Matt93eg]

I have some saws. Among them, I have 1-40cc saw, 4-50cc saws, and 3-60cc saws.They are all pro saws of various brands except for my Echo 590, which has an appeal of it's own, low price and some mediocre features notwithstanding.

What to buy depends on what size/type of wood you generally cut, your age/strength/need for speed, and other things.

60cc saws cut bigger wood significantly faster than a 50cc saw, starting at about 8-10". 50cc saws usually run .325 chain while 60cc saws usually run 3/8 chain. Generally, the smaller chain is far smoother in a limbing application and nearly as fast as a 60 in a small wood bucking situation. The 50cc saw is lighter and handles that way. Yes, a few pounds does make a difference, especially when maneuvering the saw in a limbing situation. Bucking, not so much. I cut quite a bit of 10-16" beetle-killed jackpine. It's mostly a nightmare of bent, clingy branches that a 50cc saw is ideal for.

One thing that really matters in a powersaw is handling. Both the 562 and the 550 are among the very best handling saws available with superlative antivibe.

don't get hung up on speed (unless you are just bucking, as any boat anchor of a saw is reasonably comfortable for bucking). Comfort and handling is far more important, and let's face it, it takes very little time to cut the wood compared to all the loading, unloading, splitting, and stacking of the wood that goes on. Not to mention the bringing wood to the stove and cleanup, etc, etc.

Too bad, cause holding a screaming 2 stroke in your hands is the best part, next to the heat the wood provides.

you have a bit of a weird saw lineup at this point...you need to fill in the huge gap. I'd get the 50cc saw with a 70cc saw in the future. No need for a 60cc saw when you get a 70. With a 50cc saw I bet you will rarely pick up the 390, except for big wood.

Any decent saw should just pull like crazy with an appropriate-sized full bar buried. Of course, sharpening is an art that you should be versed in...

Me, fwiw, I have no interest whatsoever in ANY new Stihls or Huskies, except maybe for a ms461, 372, 390, or 395.

the previous itinerations/models of the 550xp and 562xp's were junk. Known junk. That's why there have been so many itinerations...obviously. I think most of the problems are solved now with those two models, as well as their Stihl counterparts (which haven't been quite so problematic over the years). There are still (mostly isolated, but not in certain environments - like very cold weather, for example) some issues with moronic and autoboom technology, but they have largely been solved.

regards

Age wise I am 38, pretty small guy, just under 6ft and 160lbs but fairly strong. The 390 weight doesn't bother me most of the time, just kinda itching/wanting a fill in saw.

Almost all my cutting is hardwoods, mainly oak with some maple thrown in. Lots of big oaks that I will bury a 22" or 28" bar in. Lighter saw would but 16"-18" bar, anything I couldn't get with that I would jump right back to the 390XP.

Its funny you mention the little time running the saw in comparison to everything else is, I was actually thinking about that today. I was finishing up splitting what wood I had hauled to my shed and I was thinking man running the saw is what I enjoy the most and it takes the least amount of time compared to any other aspect of it. I absolutely love 2-strokes and chainsaws.

I do agree I have a pretty large gap going from 35cc straight to 88cc. But I think a 50cc or 60cc would be better suited to me because if I come to where I need all of my 22" bar in oak, even if I had a 70cc I would walk past it and grab the 88cc. I love running my 390XP to, love that saw.

Yeah I have done alot of reading on the 5 series huskies. I was against them for a long time. Now for some reason I kinda want to try an autotune, I really don't know why, I keep a tool in my pocket and make adjustments to what saw I am running when needed as it is now. I think the mark 2 550 is now pretty much figured out.

 

[Matt93eg]

I’d say a 18” bar.

Husqvarna just came out with the 562XP II. You might be able to score a 562XP for a much better deal. They lowered the price online already.

True, and if I went 562 I would probably want the older one, I think its pretty much figured out, who knows what can of worms the MK2 might be. I think it fixed the 550 issues but it seems the 562 it for some reason took them alot longer to figure out.

 

[Jsjac1]

I have a 550xp with the auto tune.
I have had to have it reset a couple times because it was impossible to get it started.
The dealer told me to not let it idle. It screws up the auto tune settings.
When the saw is running correctly it is great. I have almost left it in the woods a couple times because I was so frustrated with it.

 

[Matt93eg]

I have a 550xp with the auto tune.
I have had to have it reset a couple times because it was impossible to get it started.
The dealer told me to not let it idle. It screws up the auto tune settings.
When the saw is running correctly it is great. I have almost left it in the woods a couple times because I was so frustrated with it.

Do you have the Mark 1 or Mark 2 model?

 

[Jsjac1]

Do you have the Mark 1 or Mark 2 model?

Not sure how do you tell mark 1 or 2 ?

 

[ABMax24]

Mine is a Mark II. I had some issues with the Autotune when it was new, you'd go to lay the saw down on its side to fell a tree and it would just die. (Granted it was also -30 when this happened).

It also had some run ability issues, would go rich and lean all the time.

Both these issues were with the Husqvarna fuel and AV Gas. Switched to regular pump fuel and all the issues disappeared. I think the octane was just too high.

 

[Matt93eg]

Not sure how do you tell mark 1 or 2 ?

The easiest way to tell is by the recoil cover. On the sticker it will say Mark 2 if it's a 2.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

I have both the 550xp and the 562xp.. the 550 is my primary saw with an 18 inch bar. I use the 562 with a bigger bar for cutting the larger items. The 550 is just easier to move around in the woods and working around obstacles. The 550 is a fast cutter..