24" bar max on 460 but only 20" on 555??

[Bigsby]

Doing a little research on the Husqvarna saws and see that the 460 rancher has recommended max bar length of 24" vs. 20" for the 555. Just curious as to why the lower hp, homeowner saw supposedly can power the longer bar but not the 555? What am I missing?

 

[Ashful]

Maybe cuz homeowners have lower performance expectations, versus those buying pro saws?

 

[Bigsby]

Maybe cuz homeowners have lower performance expectations, versus those buying pro saws?

Ahh, Marketing 101. Know thy target audience.

 

[Osagebndr]

555 is the better of the two. Although the 460 is not a bad saw

 

[Bigsby]

555 is the better of the two. Although the 460 is not a bad saw

Yeah I recently purchased the 555 with the 20" bar, still breaking her in at this time. Think I'm gonna like her. To show my ignorance I assumed it could handle the longer bar if I so desired considering they have the 460 with the 24" bar on display at my local farm supply store. 20" is probably all I'll ever need fortunately.

 

[Fred Wright]

A 20" bar is about the max for a 50cc saw. I wouldn't go any longer than that.

 

[Bigsby]

A 20" bar is about the max for a 50cc saw. I wouldn't go any longer than that.

These are both 60 cc saws, the 555 has more hp, 4.3 vs. 3.6.

 

[Ashful]

Yeah, but 20" is about all a 60cc saw can handle in hardwood. I run 20" on my 63cc 036 Pro, and ended up installing large fellers dogs to shorten the effective bar to 19", cuz it bogs whenever I bury the nose in hardwood.

 

[notshubby]

im not familiar with the saws but was wondering if it might have something to do with the chain pitch? do they both run the same size/pitch chain?

 

[jebatty]

I'm not one that goes for long bars: 20" on my Husky 372XPG. Easy to handle in the woods, not too heavy, well balanced, and not a tree yet that I couldn't handle with that bar. I like the power and speed of cut with the 20" bar. Plus the shorter bar also means the saw is good for limbing, no need to switch to another saw.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Just a guess here, but it probably has something to do with the 460 being a large displacement saw, no?

 

[Bigsby]

Just a guess here, but it probably has something to do with the 460 being a large displacement saw, no?

They're both 60 cc saws but the 555 has about 20% more hp. I'm going with what Ashful said, the 460 is marketed to homeowners who probably wouldn't notice the lack of performance with the longer bar.

 

[jeff_t]

Just a guess here, but it probably has something to do with the 460 being a large displacement saw, no?

Husqvarna 460. Rancher. Not MS 460.

I had to think for a second myself.

 

[Rossco]

Want a 24" on the 555? then put one on.

Need to find a small mount 24" bar.

Last time I ran the 2'er it pulled through a big yellow Fir no worries.

 

[Fifelaker]

It may also have something to do with the oilers.

 

[Dmitry]

Thank you, guys. Until now I was a homeowner with best chainsaw in a whole world . Now I'm just a guy who doesn't know difference between rancher 460 and 555 saw. damn.

 

[BrotherBart]

 

[Bigsby]

Thank you, guys. Until now I was a homeowner with best chainsaw in a whole world . Now I'm just a guy who doesn't know difference between rancher 460 and 555 saw. damn.

Lol, I ran a 460 Rancher w/24" earlier this spring to buck the trunk of a big elm a guy let me have, about 33". It was his saw and it got the job done just fine and was glad to have it for something that big. Thought about buying one to replace my old saw but opted for the 555 instead. More power and lighter plus autotune for only about $100 more. Sounds like the 460 has done you good, might not be the sexiest saw but if it makes you happy who cares?

 

[BrotherBart]

It all depends on if you want to just cut wood or brag on websites.

 

[BrotherBart]

I love this pro vs. homeowner saw stuff here and on AS. The tree company mowing down everything within 15 feet of the lines on my 1,300 foot driveway through the woods were running Sthils. I asked the crew chief what kind of pro saws they were using. He said they quit using "pro" saws years ago and use the cheaper ones. And that they live just as long as the other ones and have saved them a ton of money.

And they seem to be serious about cutting trees. A MS-291 eating big red oak.

 

[Osagebndr]

I like the adjustability of a pro saw and have run both . IMO the pro saw will out perform a homeowner grade saw but if used properly with good mix and oil and a sharp chain they'll all get the job done

 

[Oldman47]

Owners manual for my says it is fine with a 2 foot bar, they just don't market them that way

 

[blades]

I can understand a large tree service on the less expensive saw choice as the saws tend to get quite abused. I know one company that refuses to resharpen chipper knives- they just buy a new set when theirs are dull. I would suppose they are figuring a bit of a safety/liability factor in to that decision, or perhaps a bad experience with a resharpend set. I have pulled blades out of cutomer rotation because I detected cracks in them over the years.

 

[claydogg84]

I can understand a large tree service on the less expensive saw choice as the saws tend to get quite abused. I know one company that refuses to resharpen chipper knives- they just buy a new set when theirs are dull. I would suppose they are figuring a bit of a safety/liability factor in to that decision, or perhaps a bad experience with a resharpend set. I have pulled blades out of cutomer rotation because I detected cracks in them over the years.

We don't sharpen chipper blades where I work either. After they've been flipped once they go in the metal dumpster.

 

[TreePointer]

In addition to chainsaw dealers, I know a few tree service operations and have read many comments by others. These days it's not uncommon for climbers/arborists to use almost exclusively pro saws, yet the groundies will have midgrade and sometimes even homeowner saws (anything available at a big box store). The abuse they take makes it more economical most times to buy a new groundie saw instead of taking on the cost of downtime, parts, and labor to fix the old one. The exception I see is with PennDOT trimmers--they only buy the best with our taxes!

Moral of the story? Don't treat your saws like a transient goundie overly anxious to get baked at quitting time.