Improving MY 455

[Ralphie Boy]

So, I pulled the stock 20 inch safety bar and chain off my Husky 455 Rancher and installed a 16" Oregon Mower Match bar and a full chisle Oregon LPX chain. Should have bought the full skip 16' chisle though. Neverthe less Nevertheless, a big improvment! Makes a good complement to my MS 441. Now, if I could find some one to port and tune it for me I'd have a real fun 'limber'.

 

[amateur cutter]

Ugh. No offense, but I would not want to limb with a 455 Rancher all day. Not a bad saw with the 16" setup though I'll bet. A C

 

[Ralphie Boy]

None taken Not the lightest but not bad. By limbing I meant limbing as in part of the bucking process and not trimming trees.

 

[bogydave]

I'd think the 455 would pull a full comp chisel just fine in most wood.
I tried the skip on my 20" 359. It cuts much better with the full comp RS or LG/PX

What wood is bogging it down?

 

[DexterDay]

I loved my 455... Came with a 20" 3/8" and I put a 16" 3/8" and WOW

That saw should only come with a 16" B & C. Runs much faster and takes some weight off...


I've since traded it off (regrets)... But have enough 036's to get by.

 

[Ralphie Boy]

Nothing, at this point, is bogging it down, however I've not cut a lot with it. Most of the stuff I've cut with it so far is either small or soft, such as maple and some box elder while clearing an area to stack more wood. I read somewhere where a full skip would take some of the drag off the chain and let a smaller engine cut at a higher R.M.P. I was thinking for somethiong like $14,95 to $16,95 it might be fun to play with the idea.

 

[PapaDave]

I cut with the b/c combo that came with mine for a very short time, then had the local hardware put on non-safety chain on my 20" bar.
BIG difference.
Bigger difference still, was when I recently changed to thin kerf b/c combo in 18". A wee bit lighter and seems to cut faster/gooder.
The saw is kind of heavy, and if I could go back about 6 years knowing what I know now (admittedly, not a whole lot) about chainsaws, I'd have gotten a Stihl 361 or a Husky 372XP.
Or, something similar in power, but lighter.

 

[MasterMech]

I loved my 455... Came with a 20" 3/8" and I put a 16" 3/8" and WOW

That saw should only come with a 16" B & C. Runs much faster and takes some weight off...


I've since traded it off (regrets)... But have enough 036's to get by.

You know Dex, you get your hands on an old 55 Rancher and you might forget about that old 455 of yours. I wasn't much of a 455 fan when it came out. Little difference in HP, gained a LOT of weight compared to the 55, and added a world of complexity. Sold a ton of MS290's after the 55 Rancher went away.

 

[Freakingstang]

You know Dex, you get your hands on an old 55 Rancher and you might forget about that old 455 of yours. I wasn't much of a 455 fan when it came out. Little difference in HP, gained a LOT of weight compared to the 55, and added a world of complexity. Sold a ton of MS290's after the 55 Rancher went away.

The ole' 55 is a brute, much like the 029... I still have one that is like mint. I also put a ported partner 5000 topend on mine and it really rips. the 55 is was one of the last semi pro/ heavy farm use saws that husky sold. the 455 is a pregnant whale.

 

[PapaDave]

Anybody wanna' buy a pregnant whale?

 

[MasterMech]

Anybody wanna' buy a pregnant whale?

You guys are killin' me.

 

[Freakingstang]

I forgot to add, a plastic pregnant whale at that... who would have thunk plastic could weigh so much? don't drop it in sub freezing temps or you;ll run the risk of breaking the plastic crank case.

 

[Pallet Pete]

Anybody wanna' buy a pregnant whale?

 

[PapaDave]

Well,...or Whale, mine has held up well, or whale and I'm not always real careful with it.
I've always thought it was a bit heavy.
It's that special Husky heavy duty plastic. I think it might be the orange pigment.
Yep, let's go with that.

 

[Freakingstang]

I've always thought it was a bit heavy.

I think it might be the orange pig.

Yep, let's go with that.

sounds like youv'e had good luck with it. just try to be careful tossing it around. Seen three or four from buddies gotten damaged that way, all in cold temps.

 

[ScotO]

Ya cut with what ya got......but if you ever run a 372XP or such, you'll not want to run that 455 again. As for getting more power out of that saw, you can open up the muffler (which will call for a re-tune as well) and that will wake it up a bit. As for the full skip chain, don't waste your time or money. Not gonna make a difference (it will probably cut slower with the skipper on it). Skipper chains were popular back in the day out west on the big bars because it was a lot easier to sharpen 1/2 as many links on a 48" bar. Also on a big bar, not as much drag on the cutting side of the bar, and less oil sling......

A buddy of mine has been cutting with a 455 Rancher for years with no issues whatsoever. I don't think he's thrown it around much, though...

 

[PapaDave]

" just try to be careful tossing it around"
"I don't think he's thrown it around much, though... Scott"

You guys are making me feel bad. I don't throw it around, but it does sometimes fall over when I set it down...or, when it's in the trailer getting bounced a bit.
Oh, there was that one time.........
Just don't want anyone thinking I abuse my stuff.
I knew you'd get me for all the nagging I did, Scotty.

 

[ScotO]

" just try to be careful tossing it around"
"I don't think he's thrown it around much, though... Scott"

You guys are making me feel bad. I don't throw it around, but it does sometimes fall over when I set it down...or, when it's in the trailer getting bounced a bit.
Oh, there was that one time.........
Just don't want anyone thinking I abuse my stuff.
I knew you'd get me for all the nagging I did, Scotty.

I'm not buggin at ya.....just saying some guys say to "not throw the saw around'. I don't know ANYONE who throws a saw around.....

For that matter, most of the saws today are made out of plastic junk. Even the pro models.....

One of the reasons I like my dinosaur 041AV Super.......