# Poulan pro 18" vs 20"



## JA600L (Sep 13, 2014)

Hey guys,  My Poulan pro 18" saw is starting to develop too many issues and I am considering getting a new one.  The saw has been fantastic over the years,  but I have lately noticed a whole list of problems while going over it. I am a mechanic,  but I know what's worth fixing and what's not. 

My question is should I upgrade to the 20" saw?  I like the 18" because it is easy to carry and feels about perfect.  The 20" I noticed had a Beefy chain on it compared to the 18". Any thoughts on whether this is better? I have a bunch of locust trees to cut up so I need all the help I can get.


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## pen (Sep 13, 2014)

Which saw are you looking at?  If it's the 50cc model?  From what I see of the saws on amazon, they seem to like to sell a 42cc with an 18 inch bar and a 50cc with a 20 inch bar.  

To me, that's not a lot of saw for those length of bars.  I'd rather see the 18inch bar on the 50cc unit.


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## D8Chumley (Sep 13, 2014)

I had a PP 5020 with 20" bar for a spare a few years back. It was ok but probably would've been better with a shorter bar like pen said


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## bholler (Sep 14, 2014)

i have a 50cc with a 20" bar and it works ok not fantastic but for the price i cant complain


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## TreePointer (Sep 14, 2014)

My preferences:

50cc = 16" bar, .325 pitch
60cc = 20" bar, 3/8 pitch


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## JA600L (Sep 14, 2014)

I need to cut a bunch of locust,  but I don't have $400 to spend.  I can get the 20" saw for $190.


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## Jon1270 (Sep 14, 2014)

Depending on the scale of the job and how often you encounter such situations, it might be worth renting a 64cc Makita from Home Depot.


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## TreePointer (Sep 14, 2014)

What is the displacement of the saw you're currently running?

The reason I ask is that you seem to be focused on bar length instead of how powerful the saw is.  Other than reach, buying a 50cc saw with a 20" bar is no improvement over a 50cc saw with an 18" bar.


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## JA600L (Sep 14, 2014)

I have a 42 cc currently with a 18" bar.  It really has done everything I needed it to do over the years.  Just this spring I cut a huge ash tree which yielded 3-4 cords.  

My focus is really geared more towards the chain options for saws. The 20" bar has what looks to be a more aggressive chain?  

If I were to buy the 18" saw is there a premium chain available for these saws? Is there better chain options with the 20"?


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## Jon1270 (Sep 14, 2014)

If you've had your current PP for a long time, keep in mind that the old ones had a very good reputation and _the new ones are totally different._  It was once a high-quality brand, but no more.   Read some reviews and you'll find a lot of disappointed long-time Poulan owners who assumed a new one would be like their old one.

It might help if you were to link to whatever is giving you the impression that the chain on the 20" model is more aggressive.  There are likely to be plenty of chain options for either saw, but I'm not seeing any specs to indicate what the pitch and gauge are.


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## pen (Sep 14, 2014)

For the money, what the heck, go with the 50cc and 20 inch bar.  I can't see it being any less saw that what you are running now.

The only reason to stick with the 18 and get another 42cc is if you have a pile of good 18in chains around yet and would want to keep using those versus buying all new, that is without getting a different bar for the 50cc, and I don't know what is interchangable with the poulans.

But heck, for the price of them, just run the sucker and keep that chain sharp!  Running a dull chain is bad news for any saw, but especially if the saw has more bar on it than it really should have.

pen


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## dougand3 (Sep 14, 2014)

JA600L said:


> If I were to buy the 18" saw is there a premium chain available for these saws? Is there better chain options with the 20"?


Yes, the 20" bar should be regular 3/8" pitch and .050 gauge. Can get "yellow" chain in chisel and semi chisel = more aggressive. The 4218 will probably be 3/8 and .050 BUT Low Profile (LoPro) "green" chain. You MIGHT be able to run regular 3/8 chain on 3/8 LoPro bar but cutters might be too tall or drivers are different. I've never tried - maybe someone has here.


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## KD0AXS (Sep 14, 2014)

I'd definitely recommend the PP5020AV. I have one and am very happy with it, especially for the price I paid for it. It's certainly no Stihl, but it seems to be a step above Poulan's other saws, and it gets the job done. It's definitely a bit underpowered for a 20" bar, so as long as you keep in mind that it does have its limitations it does a pretty good job. I found it on sale locally for $189 and took the ad to Home Depot for their price match +10% off, so I got it for ~$170.


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## TreePointer (Sep 15, 2014)

dougand3 said:


> You MIGHT be able to run regular 3/8 chain on 3/8 LoPro bar but cutters might be too tall or drivers are different. I've never tried - maybe someone has here.



3/8 and 3/8LP chains are not interchangeable.  A switch from one to the other requires a accompanying change in drive sprocket and bar tip sprocket.


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## TreePointer (Sep 15, 2014)

If you want to buy new and can stretch the budget a bit, the Jonsered 2255 (20" bar, regular 3/8 pitch chain) is $349 right now at TSC.  It's the same saw as the Husqvarna 455 "under the hood."  The weight, however, might be a little more than you want to swing.


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## Bigg_Redd (Sep 15, 2014)

JA600L said:


> My question is should I upgrade to the 20" saw? I like the 18" because it is easy to carry and feels about perfect. The 20" I noticed had a Beefy chain on it compared to the 18". Any thoughts on whether this is better? I have a bunch of locust trees to cut up so I need all the help I can get.



The 20" is two inches longer than the 18"

Hope this helps


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## dougand3 (Sep 15, 2014)

TreePointer said:


> 3/8 and 3/8LP chains are not interchangeable. A switch from one to the other requires a accompanying change in drive sprocket and bar tip sprocket.


Well, that makes it easy. Changing drive sprocket and bar sprocket on a homeowner 42cc saw would be overboard. Get the 50cc with regular 3/8 if you want more aggressive chain.


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## Jon1270 (Sep 15, 2014)

The non-safety chains aren't likely to cut any faster than common safety chain unless you're bore-cutting.   All else being equal, full chisel can cut faster than semi-chisel with the caveat that it dulls much more easily and is more challenging to sharpen.  The main thing is to keep whatever chain you're using nice and sharp, with appropriate raker heights.   Beyond that, avoid putting such a load on the saw's motor that it slows dramatically in the cut. If cutting is working the saw so hard that it bogs down and the chain frequently stalls, then you should apply less force, get a loop of skip chain, or get a more powerful saw.


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## Bigg_Redd (Sep 15, 2014)

JA600L said:


> I need to cut a bunch of locust,  but I don't have $400 to spend.  I can get the 20" saw for $190.



You have two $1000+ stoves in your sig (I'm guessing way over $1000) and you can't scratch together an extra $200 for a decent saw?


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## JA600L (Sep 15, 2014)

Bigg_Redd said:


> You have two $1000+ stoves in your sig (I'm guessing way over $1000) and you can't scratch together an extra $200 for a decent saw?


That is exactly why I can't spend a lot of money on a saw. I got a brand new stove,  liner, pipe, hearth, basement insulation,   and insulated my attic in one year.  You have to stop somewhere. 

 There is nothing wrong with Poulan pro for the sawing I do.  I really just needed advice on which of these saws offer better chain options.  The saw I have works but after 5 years of hard use I found the coil came lose and smashed the flywheel.  That could happen to any saw. If it weren't for some other small issues I'd fix it.


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## dougand3 (Sep 15, 2014)

JA600L said:


> I found the coil came lose and smashed the flywheel.


Funny, I have a Craftsman 42cc/18" (really a Poulan) from 1994 in which the exact same thing happened. The 2 coil bolts are threaded in plastic and strip after a few hundred hours use. One loose bolt bounced around and broke flywheel fins. I got a used flywheel off fleabay and put trimmer line in hole to seat the coil bolts better. These saws are worth fixing if parts are cheap. Sometimes you find non running ones for $5-$15 with all the parts you need.
If you do pull flywheel - the 2/3 jaw puller form Autozone Loaner Tools works great.


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## drz1050 (Sep 16, 2014)

Echo saws are great workers, and a little less expensive than Stihl/ Husky... 

Sorry, I can't in good conscience recommend one of the new Poulans. 

I have the CS-590 with a 20" Oregon bar and full chisel chain. I can bury the bar in oak, and as long as the log doesn't pinch, it just keeps going. 

My local Echo dealer beat any online price I saw.

For your wants? I'd look at the CS-400 or CS-370. You'd be hard pressed to find anything bad written anywhere about either one of those. I've been thinking about getting a 370 with a 14 or 16" bar for smaller tasks. 

No, I don't work for Echo or have any affiliation with them, just a satisfied customer who is not easy on his equipment. 

Or if you can't find an extra $100 or so, have you thought about checking out the local craigslist for a used Stihl/ Husky/ Echo?


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## zig (Oct 4, 2015)

I have a 20 inch pro that does fine for what I want it for but it would be nice to have a little shorter bar. Is it as simple as slapping a 18 inch bar and chain on, or will I have to change sprockets too?


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## dougand3 (Oct 4, 2015)

zig said:


> I have a 20 inch pro


Need the model # to tell. Or read the #s off the bar.


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## Jon1270 (Oct 4, 2015)

zig said:


> I have a 20 inch pro that does fine for what I want it for but it would be nice to have a little shorter bar. Is it as simple as slapping a 18 inch bar and chain on, or will I have to change sprockets too?



There's surely an 18" bar available that could be slapped on, but we'd need to know the pitch of the chain on your 20" bar in order to tell you *which* 18" bar would work.  Is it .325", or 3/8"?

FWIW, I'd suggest a 16" instead.  18" is so close to 20" that it might not seem worth the trouble to switch back and forth.


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## JBinKC (Oct 4, 2015)

Tough decision I have operated both saws and own a 5020 because I also own a limbing saw. If you decide to just keep the bar and use this as a primary saw  I probably would just stick with the 18 and accept the power loss. The 5020 is heavy and over time can be potentially fatiguing to use as a limbing saw and thus prone to lost time sharpening chains when cutting limbs near the ground however if you decide to retrofit the 5020 with a 16 inch bar  I  would certainly pick this combination for the extra power and reduction in weight. For an idea of reliability my saw starts very easy cold but in its 3rd year already is starting to show some sighs of potential repair as the saw needs to cool off some in order to restart.


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## brenndatomu (Oct 4, 2015)

I have several of both the 18" and the 20" PP (Craftsman label, same saw though) I like 'em a lot. I use the 18s for limbing and cutting smaller stuff, the 20s do most of my felling/bucking. I have run plenty of the big name "pro" saws and for a firewood hack these PPs are plenty good enough, especially for the money...I have $230 total invested in all five saws. Bought 'em all either barely used or new surplus...or "refurbished"
Just FYI you can get these PP5020AVs on the "fleabay" for $140 (IIRC) shipped, there are several on there right now even less $, less than two hours to go, just search pp5020av


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## Aqua-Andy (Oct 4, 2015)

I agree with the previous poster who suggested Echo saws.  I have two smaller Echo's and a Stihl MS310, the build and anti vibe is way better on the Echo than the Stihl. I'm sure I will get flamed for this statement but owning both brands of saws the Echo wins hands down.  Yes my Stihl is one of there consumer grade saws and not a pro model but we are talking about sub $400 here.  If you do not know how to tune a carb on a chainsaw just make sure you purchase from an authorized repair facility that will tune the saw before you pick it up.  I think for emissions reasons or whatever, Echo products come set extremely lean and run like crap.  This is how I got my two saws, customers returned because they did not run good.  Both saws needed close to two full turns on both the low and high needles to run properly.  Build quality blows away both Husky and Stihl's consumer grade saws and is worlds better than the Pulan Pro that you are replacing after only five years of use.


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## zig (Oct 4, 2015)

Jon1270 said:


> There's surely an 18" bar available that could be slapped on, but we'd need to know the pitch of the chain on your 20" bar in order to tell you *which* 18" bar would work.  Is it .325", or 3/8"?
> 
> FWIW, I'd suggest a 16" instead.  18" is so close to 20" that it might not seem worth the trouble to switch back and forth.


Bar says 20 3/8-70 qt. 20 in. 3/8 chain, 70 links. Not sure about qt though. 16'' is a good idea. i just wanted it a bit shorter to keep it farther up. Tip get's close to the ground sometimes. TSC has Poulan 18'' bar/chain for $40. Other than Oregon, is there a better bar for general cutting?


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## dougand3 (Oct 4, 2015)

One of these should work. Pay attn to bar mount - that's K095. (AKA small mount Husky).

*Oregon 180SLHK095 .050" Gauge 3/8" Pitch 18" Pro-Lite Bar
Oregon 160SLHK095 .050" Gauge 3/8" Pitch 16" Pro-Lite Bar
*


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## zig (Oct 5, 2015)

dougand3 said:


> One of these should work. Pay attn to bar mount - that's K095. (AKA small mount Husky).
> 
> *Oregon 180SLHK095 .050" Gauge 3/8" Pitch 18" Pro-Lite Bar*
> *Oregon 160SLHK095 .050" Gauge 3/8" Pitch 16" Pro-Lite Bar*


Thanks for the info. I'll look for them.


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