toasted my drive sprocket - 455 Rancher

[j7art2]

I've been cutting some serious firewood lately in preparation for winter. Over 3 full cords in less than a month.

Seems I toasted my drive sprocket. I've NEVER had a drive sprocket wear out on me in the many years I've owned a saw, but I've probably cut more this month than I have in the last 10 years. What causes them to wear out? Oiler is working fine, nose is lubed after every fill up.

 

[D8Chumley]

Improperly adjusted chain?

 

[claydogg84]

Improperly adjusted chain?

I would guess you're running it a little tight, like most people do.

 

[Firewood Bandit]

Drive sprockets wear out, the are an expendable item. I would switch it over to a rim sprocket which is cheaper and easier to change once the new hub is installed. Rim sprockets should be changed every 3 chains worn out. A worn sprocket is very hard on a new chain and vice versa.

 

[WiscWoody]

Your cutting wood now for this winter? Hmm....

 

[husky345 vermont resolute]

Hopefully this is for next year

 

[j7art2]

Unfortunately not. I just resurrected my wood furnace from non use of 8+ years in September. Finally got the go ahead from the better half to invest the money in that instead of propane.

The bright side? I live in the middle of hundreds of acres of state land. There's more dead and down stuff than I could ever imagine. All wood gets checked with a MM before getting stacked, and gets stacked appropriately from there. I've got 4 cords of wood already and have already burned one.

 

[j7art2]

This is what happens when your wife controls the finances. Last minute scrambling. Lol

 

[spirilis]

Yup that's why I control the finances with a tight grip :D

 

[Firewood Bandit]

This is what happens when your wife controls the finances. Last minute scrambling. Lol

I can't imagine the wife telling me what I can and can't buy. I don't tell her what to do and she doesn't tell me what to do.

 

[WiscWoody]

That's good that you have dead dry to use. It's the same up here as far as getting scrounge wood, there's more than enough to be had. There's times when I'll put a log in the stove that hasn't dried enough to burn good and it needs some help so I throw in a piece of dry flat wood or scrap dimensional wood by it and that gets it going good.

 

[TMonter]

+1 on moving to a rim sprocket for your saw. I have found the spur type drive sprockets tend to wear a lot faster and as people have mentioned are far harder to swap out.

http://www.treestuff.com/store/catalog.asp?item=429

or

http://www.baileysonline.com/Chains...-Husqvarna-455-Rancher-and-460-No-Bearing.axd

 

[j7art2]

Got a rim in yesterday. I had the chain WAY too tight. My buddy is a professional logger and said I should be able to pull one tooth completely out the bar with medium pressure. I couldn't do that before. In fact, the chain wouldn't turn freely most of the time. I assumed, obviously wrongly that it was because the saw had so much compression (I'm new to saws, give me a break LOL)

I grew up my whole life heating with firewood but just split and stacked. My dad always ran the saw. Now that I've got a house with the option to heat with wood, I'm on my own, and there's a bit of a learning curve. Lol

 

[j7art2]

My logger buddy gets new saws every year regardless of condition, and has a 562XP used as a skidder saw, and a "well used, but has lots of life left" 390XP for $325 each. The 390 is a few years old I think.

I'm a seriously considering upgrading even though my saw is almost brand new.

 

[Firewood Bandit]

My logger buddy gets new saws every year regardless of condition, and has a 562XP used as a skidder saw, and a "well used, but has lots of life left" 390XP for $325 each. The 390 is a few years old I think.

I'm a seriously considering upgrading even though my saw is almost brand new.

That is a smoking deal on the 390XP, good deal on the 562XP. A buddy of mine just rebuilt a 562 with 700 hours on it according to the computer.

 

[j7art2]

any idea how much it cost him for a rebuild? I'm seriously considering either one and putting mine up for sale. I'm leaning toward the 390, but I'm wondering if there's such a thing as 'too much saw'. I was actually planning on starting a separate thead about this exact scenario. He said in spring he'll have 'a couple 372's up for sale' but do I want to wait until then? I don't know their price either.

I don't know what a skidder saw means cause I'm not a logger. Not sure how that goes as far as the use of the 562. I'm going to look at them today and likely take some pics.

 

[WiscWoody]

My logger buddy gets new saws every year regardless of condition, and has a 562XP used as a skidder saw, and a "well used, but has lots of life left" 390XP for $325 each. The 390 is a few years old I think.

I'm a seriously considering upgrading even though my saw is almost brand new.

Those are my two saws of choice, a ported 390XP and soon to be ported 562XP. I run a 28" bar on the 390 and a 20" bar on the 562. Both saws are great cutters and I'm very happy with them. I've always been told you should be able to see three drive links when you pull on a chain moderately amd be able to roll the chain by hand easily.

 

[duramaxman05]

I also had a rim sprocket explode on my 441 this year. I was cutting a big hickory. I cant complain, I have had it 7 years and that all I have had wrong with it. They do wear out.

 

[Firewood Bandit]

any idea how much it cost him for a rebuild? I'm seriously considering either one and putting mine up for sale. I'm leaning toward the 390, but I'm wondering if there's such a thing as 'too much saw'. I was actually planning on starting a separate thead about this exact scenario. He said in spring he'll have 'a couple 372's up for sale' but do I want to wait until then? I don't know their price either.

I don't know what a skidder saw means cause I'm not a logger. Not sure how that goes as far as the use of the 562. I'm going to look at them today and likely take some pics.

The costs of rebuilding can vary dramatically depending on what the saw needs. A ring, seals and bearings are cheap. Put on an OEM P/C and your going to have $160-250 in that part alone.

You should just hang on to the small saws you have since they aren't worth a lot and get any of the above saws you mentioned IF you are going to be cutting a lot of wood over 20" or so. You don't want to lug around more saw than you have to, it's fatiguing.

Remember, loggers don't make that many cuts in each tree so they will opt for bigger saws. A firewood cutter does much more cutting per tree making stove length sticks.

 

[j7art2]

yeah, the more I think about it, the more I'm leaning toward the 562. Same weight relatively speaking (.2lbs more) but 1.2 horsepower more.

 

[j7art2]

I can't afford his saw outright, so I'd have to sell mine to get his. I'd gladly keep it otherwise.

 

[j7art2]

That is a smoking deal on the 390XP, good deal on the 562XP. A buddy of mine just rebuilt a 562 with 700 hours on it according to the computer.

Meant to ask, was it rebuilt because it needed it, or rebuilt because it had 700 hours on it, and it was 'probably overdue'?

 

[Firewood Bandit]

Meant to ask, was it rebuilt because it needed it, or rebuilt because it had 700 hours on it, and it was 'probably overdue'?

The piston and cylinder looked great. It developed a massive air leak when a plastic bearing cage let go. The saw was shut down before damage was done. Goes to show if something doesn't seem right, STOP!

The 357XP I am doing right now was used commercially every day for years. The cylinder and piston are in great shape and I could get by with just a ring. But since it is apart it will get an OEM piston along with bearings and seals, the case has been split. I don't image this saw will have even close to $100 in it. So total for a rebuilt 357XP will be $210.

 

[j7art2]

I told him about your 700 hour saw, and he was shocked, and said it sounded like a rarity. Lol.

Anyway, here's the scoop on it.

Comes with 20 inch bar, and probably a bunch of chains. He doesn't run 20" anymore. 24 and 28 only.

Year is 2012, approximately 200 hours on it. Ran pump gas and 40:1 Husky oil it's whole life. My buddy actually owns the company (I didn't know this) and he and his brother run the operation. Was strictly a skidder saw, with the 'go to' saw his 372 or 390. It's dinged up, but we knew it would be, being a skidder saw.

He's a former Husqvarna/Dolmar mechanic at the local husky dealership, and said that he just put in a new carb, replaced the gasket (it was leaking) and while he was in there replacing the gasket, put new crank bearings in it.

Price is $325.

I think I'm going to get it, but opinions are always welcome for sure. Any reason why I should pass?

 

[Firewood Bandit]

J7art2,

Looks like a good deal if it's running good. Did one of the plastic bearing cages let go?

Why was the carb replaced? Did it have the dreaded "hesitation" issues?