# I love my Stihl BUT.... 562XP.. WOW!



## JP11 (Feb 3, 2013)

Ok, so I had one of those moments where you think you MAY be able to save the saw... but you decide to get the hell away from the big heavy falling tree.  Good choice... they make saws every day.

In hindsight.. I just missed on my back cut, and left NO hinge.  The 20" oak spun on the stump and pinched my bar.  Another in hindsight.. The powerhead and I were on the downhill side.  I stepped away and crossed my fingers.  Tree took the saw and stuck it in the ground.  Didn't land on it.

Busted my handle, fuel tank, and bar cover.  Oh well.  Not my point in posting.

Love my dealer!  Always great service.  Sent me out the door with a little 201C.  Pro style, but dinky limbing saw.  Worked great for cleaning up the oak, and getting it to the landing.  I fell a few small ash just for the heck of it with it.  Within 2 hours.. into my drive he came.

Seems he's had A LOT of problems with these Husqy 562Xp  So much so.... that he had enough left over parts and pieces from multiple saws to build one!  He told me it REALLY rips, and I should try it.

WOW!  What a saw!  Now, in fairness.. It has a 18" bar compared to my 441 that has a 20.  But this saw seems like it's the same weight as my old 310, with a good quarter more HP.  I don't think it would out cut my 441.. but man.. that extra weight is sure noticeable.

I don't cut for a living.  So a saw that's cutting edge, but with a few teething issues would work for me.  Sucker was real fuel efficient too.  I bucked an entire cord today with it,  when finished.. it hadn't run out of fuel but was very close.  I was surprised at the cutting ability and fuel economy.

Worth a look for those in the market for a new saw.


----------



## Bret Chase (Feb 3, 2013)

JP11 said:


> Sucker was real fuel efficient too. I bucked an entire cord today with it, when finished.. it hadn't run out of fuel but was very close. I was surprised at the cutting ability and fuel economy.
> 
> Worth a look for those in the market for a new saw.


 
an entire cord on one tank?  I bucked up a cord of locust, ash and soft maple this afternoon.... it took me almost 3 tanks of my husky 455R...


----------



## mikefrommaine (Feb 3, 2013)

JP11 said:


> Seems he's had A LOT of problems with these Husqy 562Xp  So much so.... that he had enough left over parts and pieces from multiple saws to build one! .



Thats not a great sales pitch


----------



## NickDL (Feb 3, 2013)

Glad to hear that you didn't get hurt. I'm not so sure that I'd want to buy a saw that was built from parts because the units are problems. Good luck with it.


----------



## Michael Golden (Feb 3, 2013)

At least you know you can get parts!


----------



## DexterDay (Feb 3, 2013)

Bret Chase said:


> an entire cord on one tank?  I bucked up a cord of locust, ash and soft maple this afternoon.... it took me almost 3 tanks of my husky 455R...




Rancher is a Fuel HOG compared to 562xp...



JP11 said:


> Ok, so I had one of those moments where you think you MAY be able to save the saw... but you decide to get the hell away from the big heavy falling tree.  Good choice... they make saws every day.
> 
> In hindsight.. I just missed on my back cut, and left NO hinge.  The 20" oak spun on the stump and pinched my bar.  Another in hindsight.. The powerhead and I were on the downhill side.  I stepped away and crossed my fingers.  Tree took the saw and stuck it in the ground.  Didn't land on it.
> 
> ...



My BIL has a 562 and I will give credit where credit is due. For a 59cc saw, it will hold its own in the 60cc saw territory and may scare a few 70cc saws away when they look at it (they look sexy). 

I wasn't a fan of auto tune, till I ran his.... They are Bad Mama Jamma's


----------



## scooby074 (Feb 3, 2013)

"Problems with the 562"?

That got me curious. I havent had any real problems with mine. It ran like a dog at the start until it was broken in, now it screams.


----------



## MasterMech (Feb 4, 2013)

550XP and 562XP are two very bright spots in Husky's line.  I haven't heard of major problems with either but I haven't exactly been looking that hard either.

Glad the saw was the only casualty.  Fixing the 441 ain't gonna be cheap but someone once told me - "School costs money."


----------



## JP11 (Feb 4, 2013)

Yeah.. I've got a buddy that's told me that... "It costs money to go to school"

I would buy the saw if I hadn't already gotten mine.  The dealer is great.  He has told me in the past to wait on purchases.  Naw, he'll say.. Hold off.  I'll wait a few months and he'll say.. OK, they got the bugs worked out.

I bucked a solid cord of maple, ash, a couple basswood and red oak logs were in there too.  I was amazed toward the end that it still had gas in it.

Just putting it out there for those interested.  It's a very techno geek saw.  Everything is computer controlled.  If you're into that kinda thing.

JP


----------



## mikefrommaine (Feb 4, 2013)

Sell your stihl on eBay as is. And use  that money and the money you would have spent repairing it to buy the 562. Seems like the husky would be a better all around saw if you only are going to have one saw.

As far as the auto tune, kind of like a lambda controlled boiler. Not my cup of tea.


----------



## JP11 (Feb 4, 2013)

Mike

You know I'm a professional button pusher.  

I'll stick with still, for now.  I may want a smaller saw to add to the mix.


----------



## kingquad (Feb 4, 2013)

I would really like to buy one of these, but I can't justify a 60cc saw in the line up.  50/70cc just seems to be a better combo for me.  I'm all in on the autotune though.  I will be replacing my line up eventually.  550xp and whatever replaces the 372xp.  Unless Stihl hurries up with the Fuel Injection, then I may switch brands


----------



## Nixon (Feb 4, 2013)

JP11 said:


> Worth a look for those in the market for a new saw.


But, but it's got an outboard clutch !! What will You do if if gets in a pinch ?  And ...... What will you do if You need to change the rim sprocket ????
Those are very scary questions for sure ! especially for those without wedges ,or a spare saw, an,a bit of mechanical aptitude .


----------



## MasterMech (Feb 4, 2013)

kingquad said:


> Unless Stihl hurries up with the Fuel Injection


 
Unfortunately, I've never known their R&D to be "in a hurry". 

One could always hope the successor to the MS660 is fuel injected.


----------



## MasterMech (Feb 4, 2013)

Nixon said:


> But, but it's got an outboard clutch !! What will You do if if gets in a pinch ?  And ...... What will you do if You need to change the rim sprocket ????
> Those are very scary questions for sure ! especially for those without wedges ,or a spare saw, an,a bit of mechanical aptitude .


Lamborghini's are damn nice cars too, but that doesn't mean they aren't a pain in the *alls to work on.


----------



## Nixon (Feb 4, 2013)

MasterMech said:


> Lamborghini's are damn nice cars too, but that doesn't mean they aren't a pain in the *alls to work on.


Are You saying that Husqvarna is the Lamborghini of the chainsaw  world ?  If not,what is so painful to work on in a Husqvarna  VS a Stihl VS any other saw  ?


----------



## MasterMech (Feb 4, 2013)

As you pointed out, get one stuck and it's a very different situation vs. an outboard clutch. Husky tends to have the faster saw but sometimes that comes at the cost of durability. 346Xp was a good example of that. Used to rebuild the top-ends on those every 18 months for local tree services. Saw performed so well they kept rebuilding them. Did the same for a few 372XP's for the same reasons. They used to walk in the shop (and I imagine they still do, I've just changed shops since then) and scoff at the Stihls. Guy owned a few 346XP's, couple 357XP's, and two 372XP's. Loved every one of them. One day he was complaining about having to re-jug a 372XP just 13 months after he bought it and was considering a new saw since it needed a new handle as well (cracked the fuel tank, see that a lot on Husky too. ) . I started to show him a MS440 and he asked "Why would I want one of those?" I pointed out the 10 year old 044 he had bouncing around in one of his trucks (we only got to see that one occasionally) and he reconsidered.

Every race fan knows that the race is won or lost in the pits. Husky builds some damn nice saws. So does Dolmar, Echo and Stihl. Every line has pros and cons but one in particular has a lot, and I mean a lot, of 35-40 year old saws out there still cutting.


----------



## Nixon (Feb 4, 2013)

MasterMech said:


> As you pointed out, get one stuck and it's a very different situation vs. an outboard clutch.


Here's My gripe about that myth ...... How many people get wedged in a cut ? And when they do, are they carrying an extra bar and chain ? OR , are they carrying an extra saw ?
My guess is an extra saw .  To me the whole wedged bar is BS ,as is the whole changing a sprocket hype . To Me , personally all the Stihl and Husqvarna saws are worth the bucks You pay for them ,can't bad mouth one of them .


----------



## MasterMech (Feb 4, 2013)

Nixon said:


> To me the whole wedged bar is BS ,as is the whole changing a sprocket hype​


 
I personally have been in extreme situations where I've gotten a bar stuck and elected to remove the powerhead and lose the bar and chain vs losing the whole saw downriver.  I'm not saying that happens everyday (thankfully!!) but I sure would have been upset if I couldn't have removed the powerhead that day.

Why is changing a sprocket type BS?  I like the ability to quickly flip rims when I change bar size.  Seems silly to run a 7 pin rim on a 70 cc saw wearing a 20" Bar.  So if you like to use a smaller rim with a long bar and a larger one for a short bar, the effort involved in changing that sprocket becomes a factor.  I don't have 7 saws at my disposal (and few here do) and I prefer to take 1 or 2 saws with me in the field.  I'll run a shorter bar until it comes time to tackle the trunk and switch if the tree warrants it.


----------



## __dan (Feb 4, 2013)

Yes on the Husqvarna Autotune. I don't know how they do it but it does work. Bought a 576 XP auto tune when they first came out a couple of years ago as a second saw to my 20+ year old little 340. The 340 has been a great small pro saw for climbing with and cleanup but I had to work it to get through big rounds.

I only cut for myself and family but I do significant dangerous tree felling with 3/4" rope, large block and tackle, and climbing. So, not a lot of hours on it like the 340 but have to have the right tools for tough jobs. Researched and was ready for the saw everyone raved about, the 372 XP, but walked out with the 576 XP. I only wanted to swing a 20" bar, the dealer said it was like putting bicycle tires on a drag racer.

It's a little heavy to swing all day, it's a nice break to swap back to the 340, but it has made quick work of red and white oak. It runs through the gas but there is no comparason to how much big wood gets cut quickly compared to the 340. Gets the job done with pride.

Has been starting on the second pull, has a loud big saw sound (a plus), and the low vibration feature has to be seen to believe. It has less vibration than the 340, which is ~ 40 cc with a 16" bar. Used and abused with zero problems.


----------



## StihlHead (Feb 5, 2013)

Nixon said:


> Here's My gripe about that myth ...... How many people get wedged in a cut ? And when they do, are they carrying an extra bar and chain ? OR , are they carrying an extra saw ?
> My guess is an extra saw . To me the whole wedged bar is BS ,as is the whole changing a sprocket hype . To Me , personally all the Stihl and Husqvarna saws are worth the bucks You pay for them ,can't bad mouth one of them .


 
Myth? The more you fall and buck larger trees, the more you are apt to pinch bars. If you have never pinched a bar, I say you have not cut very many large trees. Many people only have one saw when cutting. I usually carry two, but sometimes I only take one with a spare bar and chain (like if I am out falling with the Polaris ATV). Murphy is always waiting...

I swap bars on my saws a lot, and with shorter bars I use 8 slot rims. I dunno where any hype is in that. If you run all your saws with one bar, then I guess you are not going to swap out rims much. Seems a waste of a good saw to only run one bar on it. I typically run 20 and 25 inch bars on my 361s, and 16, 18 and 20 on my 026s and 310, and 14 and 16 picco on my 211. I run 25, 28 and 32 inch bars on my 044 and 066. I have far more bars than I have saws. Though even if you only run one bar on a saw you will still have to change rims when they wear out. Rims do wear out...

Outboard clutches are also on some Stihl saws and some Echos I have owned, as well as the 346xp. I did not like them and no longer own them. Also there are some crappy Stihl and Husky saws out there. Mostly the low end homeowner ones. I no longer own any Stihl 1123 series saws, and I do now have a very high opinion of them after owning, running and rebuilding many of them. The Stihl 180, 230, 250, 650 and 880 all have very high vibration levels, and IMO that is not a good thing for any saw. High vibration can and does lead to bad things like whitefinger, arthritis, and tendonitis. Not good...


----------



## kingquad (Feb 5, 2013)

MasterMech said:


> Unfortunately, I've never known their R&D to be "in a hurry".
> 
> One could always hope the successor to the MS660 is fuel injected.


Yeah, but they've already put it through it's initial paces in their concrete saw line up(very successfully from what I've heard). Hope to see it in the next few years. That will be another "game changer".

I have no use for a saw that size, but a fuel injected 661 would be bad a$$


----------



## Nixon (Feb 5, 2013)

M M & Stihlhead .
Myth was the wrong word , apologies . I should have said that the ib/ob clutch thing gets over stated as a problem . 
As to swapping rims, I do it in the shop ,and don't find it all that daunting . I also do inboard clutch rims in the shop as E clips seem to vanish when exposed to sunlight ! My experience has been with tree services, so my experience doesn't include falling really large timber. So, I can understand where your opinion comes from . 
Heck, I'm too old to do any of that stuff anymore,so I just do firewood , collect more saws than I should ,and aggravate younger folks in saw forums .


----------



## kingquad (Feb 5, 2013)

Nixon said:


> M M & Stihlhead .
> Myth was the wrong word , apologies . I should have said that the ib/ob clutch thing gets over stated as a problem .
> As to swapping rims, I do it in the shop ,and don't find it all that daunting . I also do inboard clutch rims in the shop as E clips seem to vanish when exposed to sunlight ! My experience has been with tree services, so my experience doesn't include falling really large timber. So, I can understand where your opinion comes from .
> Heck, I'm too old to do any of that stuff anymore,so I just do firewood , collect more saws than I should ,and aggravate younger folks in saw forums .


You've got quite the stable for a guy who just does firewood.  I'm envious.


----------



## Nixon (Feb 5, 2013)

kingquad said:


> You've got quite the stable for a guy who just does firewood.  I'm envious.


Everyone needs a hobby ! It's surprisingly cheap compared to a lot of hobbies . I used to compete with RC sailplanes...... That's a hobby that can drain a bank account real fast!


----------



## joecool85 (Feb 25, 2013)

I just got my 562XP.  It's a screamer.  I bought it used from my saw shop.  40 hours on it, needed to have the gasket that holds the bar and chain oil case together replaced (I guess it failed on almost all the early 562XPs).  He replaced the gasket and put on the new version starter (stronger than the one that first came on the saw) and I bought it for $350.  Came with an 18" b&c, I love it.  I'm now selling my Poulan Pro 330 since this saw has taken it's place in my "2 saw plan".


----------

