Chainsaws

[RedRam1]

Koa man,



Thanks for the saw tuning advise, I'll play with it once I get it broken in. I did notice in my manual that it takes around 5 tanks before the saw is broken in and makes the rated HP. I'm at around 2200' elevation, so my optimum setting will probably be a little diferent from yours.



When I was reading my manual, it was mentioned several times that if you tighten the chain on a hot saw (something I have done a million times on other saws), you need to loosen it a little when you finish cuting to prevent the chain from stressing and possibly damaging the main bearings on the crank when it cools off and contracts. I don't have your level of saw expertise, but I have lived on a farm and been around saws all my life, and have never heard of anyone damaging a saw in this manner. Seems like the chain would have to be mighty hot and mighty tight on shutdown for this to occur, have you or anyone else heard of this happening?

 

[Tim1]

Hey redram, have you noticed any difference in the chain speed? This is why I changed to Husky. Oh yeah, move the saw by a tree when backing up the cat. Ask me how I know! Tim

 

[RedRam1]

Tim1,



The chain speed seems to be about the same. According to the literature, my old 262xp (62cc) made 4. 8hp and had a max engine speed of 13,500rpm. The new 044 (71cc)is supposed to have 5. 36hp, and also tops out at 13,500. I don't know at what rpm the max hp&torque occurs, but the new saw seeed to be running at about the same speed as the old one did under similar operating conditions.

 

[John]

First of all, congratulations on your new saw purchase RedRam1... excellent choice.



As there sounds as if there is some confusion between Husky and Husqvarna... they are one and the same! Husky is just a slang name for Husqvarna. Actually the name came about in the '60s with the dirt bike crowd... yes, Husqvarna made dirt bikes... heck, they made sewing machines too.



Koa Man is right on the money with saw chains although, I wouldn't go as far as saying the Stihl saw chains never stretch... just less than all others, especially Oregon saw chains.



RedRam1, I too noticed the saw chain I received with my Stihl 044 went a l-o-n-g time before requiring adjustment due to stretching... I'm not sure why either... it's the same chain I always get... full chisel tooth (i. e. , very sharp cornered tooth profile), "full comp. " style (i. e. , not a skip tooth chain).



Regarding bar length; I decided on a 20" bar as that is what I personally favor. Although you don't have to bend over as far with longer bars, I find my back gets sore sooner using the longer bars when limbing... you are working off the tip, the tip is farther away from you... better in respect to bending over however, you have more mechanical advantage working against you. At least for me, this is what I have found after more than two decades of cutting firewood. Also, I prefer the balance of the 20" bar on my 044 however, the 24" bar felt pretty good too. I would personally save the longer bars for occasions that actually required the extra length.

 

[RedRam1]

John,



Your mention of Husqvarna dirt bikes brings back fond memories of my misspent youth! I grew up on dirt bikes, and remember the Husky's, Montesa's, Bultaco's, Maico's, Ossa's, AJS's, Greeves's, Rickman's, Penton's, and CZ's, and a bunch of others that the kids of today have probably never heard of. I worked my way up to a CZ in '72, after going through a half dozen or so jap bikes. I had a '72 CZ 250, a '74 CZ 250 "Red Frame", and finally, a '76 CZ 400 Falta Replica.



It's hard to believe that in the early '70's, a piece of machinery built in Czecholsovakia was far, far superior to anything the japs built. In all honesty, I was a middle of the pack rider, but when I got that first CZ in '72, it was so much faster, and handled so much better than the japanese machines, that it made me look deceptively fast! By the time I got my 400 in '76, the jap bikes were the hot ticket, brand loyalty and the fact that my best buddy's dad had the CZ franchise kept me on CZ's. The arrival of the Honda Elsinores in '73 was the beginning of the end... they were almost as good as the Europeans. The monoshock Yamaha YZ's in '74 or '75 were just as good, and the Suzuki RM's were better.



By the way, back on the subject of chainsaws, I remember seeing an ad in Dirt Bike for Bultaco chainsaws. I'd like to have one of those just for the novelty value. Wonder if any of the other motorcycle manufacturers from that era made saws?

 

[John]

off track, but what the heck...

RedRam1, I too remember all the bikes you mentioned. I really liked the way the YZ Yamaha's rode... very comfortable, especially in their day. I almost pulled the trigger on a Maico 501 when it came out until I rode one That was definitely a case of too much plane and not enough pilot! I knew right then and there if had bought that bad boy I wouldn't be alive right now to tell the tale.



There is one other brand of bike that escapes me right now... not in the same league as the others you mentioned although, it is bugging the heck out of me not being able to remember...



they were made in Australia...



one of the model names was Wombat...



name that bike manufacturer? __________

 

[LarryB]

HODAKA !!!

#ad

 

[John]

Ah yes, that's it!

Thanks for refreshing my memory Larry. That pic brings back memories... a friend of mine had one when we were kids.

 

[RedRam1]

John,



I remember the Hodaka's well, but don't let the name (Wombat) fool you... Hodaka's were made in Japan and imported by some guy in Oregon I think. I'm relying on my sometimes flawed memory, and I'm certianly no Hodaka expert, but I am sure about them being Japanese.

Hodaka got really creative with names, in addition to the Wombat, I rememeber the Ace, Rat, Combat Wombat, Super Combat Wombat, and my all time favorite, at least namewise, the Road Toad.



I also remember the Maico 501, what a beast! In truth I was a little over my head with my 400CZ, sure was fun though! I never actually rode a 501, but did ride a couple of 450 Maicos, they were really nice, very flat torque curve/wide powerband and fast as he&&.

 

[LarryB]

Does the name "Roger DeCoster" ring a bell?

http://www.suzukicycles.com/racing/rcroger.htm

 

[RedRam1]

Larry,



DeCoster was one of my hero's, he was awesome. I remember everytime Roger would win a championship, there would be all sorts of rumors flying around about his works Suzuki. Since it was about the only jap bike winning at the time it was rumored to be the trickest bike on the planet, I remember guys saying that the plastic on his tank, fenders, etc. was so thin (to save weight) that you could see through it. It was also rumored that his bike cost $25K to build... this was around '70, and to my young impressoinable mind, an almost unfathomable sum for a bike.

Another wives tale from the era was that everytime a Euro bike would win a championship, which amounted to those races Roger didn't win on his Suzuki, one of the japanese factories would buy the winning bike and take it back to Japan to dissect & copy.



Those were the days, I've been out of the dirt bike scene since the late '70's, but it sure is fun to reminisce (sp?).

 

[John]

Originally posted by LarryB

Does the name "Roger DeCoster" ring a bell?

ABSOLUTELY!



I saw On Any Sunday about a million times (in the theater) when it first came out!



Man, those were the days!

 

[HillCountrykid]

I've got a '83 Suzuki RM465. I was 5 when it was built. My stepdad rode it in motocross back then. He was probably one of the best in Austin. He hit a rock one day and crashed. Ripped the ligament or something that holds your shoulderblade down. It was sticking up like a football pad. They had to put a long screw to hold it back down. Since then he did'nt ride it much. I bought it about 4 years ago. My girlfriend at the time was'nt to happy with my purchase. Guess which one is still around? Still runs like a scalded dog. I know the bikes probably have close to or as much power now, but I love my "old" bike.



Brian