Choosing the "right" Stihl...I need a lesson in numbers!

[Jags]

A 390 with an 18" bar is a nice firewood saw.
A 361 with an 18" bar is like using a light saber.
A 440 with an 18" bar is like dropping a 350 V8 on your lawn mower. Its cool, but overkill.

 

[ISeeDeadBTUs]

And of course they don't make the 440 anymore . . .

 

[avc8130]

A 390 with an 18" bar is a nice firewood saw.
A 361 with an 18" bar is like using a light saber.
A 440 with an 18" bar is like dropping a 350 V8 on your lawn mower. Its cool, but overkill.

440 w/ 18" bar is the Binford 6100 of chainsaws.
ac

 

[RNLA]

Hi guys, Been watchin this thread, Congrats to the OP for his wise purchase of the 361. So in reference to the MS440 I have one ported and muffler mod with a 24" bar. That is as short as the dealer recomended. That was the dealer that set it up. 18" bar is asking to blow the motor, the saw needs to have enough bar to take advantage of the power. In other words you will over rev the motor on any saw if you put to short of bar on. Another thing you can do on some STIHL saws is get a drive sproket with 8 teeth, they come with 7. On a modified saw it seems to pull the chain better.

 

[HittinSteel]

Hi guys, Been watchin this thread, Congrats to the OP for his wise purchase of the 361. So in reference to the MS440 I have one ported and muffler mod with a 24" bar. That is as short as the dealer recomended. That was the dealer that set it up. 18" bar is asking to blow the motor, the saw needs to have enough bar to take advantage of the power. In other words you will over rev the motor on any saw if you put to short of bar on. Another thing you can do on some STIHL saws is get a drive sproket with 8 teeth, they come with 7. On a modified saw it seems to pull the chain better.

or a simple carb adjustment to compensate

 

[smokinj]

Hi guys, Been watchin this thread, Congrats to the OP for his wise purchase of the 361. So in reference to the MS440 I have one ported and muffler mod with a 24" bar. That is as short as the dealer recomended. That was the dealer that set it up. 18" bar is asking to blow the motor, the saw needs to have enough bar to take advantage of the power. In other words you will over rev the motor on any saw if you put to short of bar on. Another thing you can do on some STIHL saws is get a drive sproket with 8 teeth, they come with 7. On a modified saw it seems to pull the chain better.

Explain the 880 that stihl recommends a 21 in bar? I have ran a 16in. on my 460.

 

[HittinSteel]

I've come to the conclusion that a lot of chainsaw dealers are brain dead......... always amazed by some of the things they say. I'd trust a zit faced kid at Home Depot before some Stihl dealers.

 

[smokinj]

I've come to the conclusion that a lot of chainsaw dealers are brain dead......... always amazed by some of the things they say. I'd trust a zit faced kid at Home Depot before some Stihl dealers.

+1 if thats what there saying I would bust out Laughing!

 

[lukem]

A 390 with an 18" bar is a nice firewood saw.
A 361 with an 18" bar is like using a light saber.
A 440 with an 18" bar is like dropping a 350 V8 on your lawn mower. Its cool, but overkill.

I picked a used 361 a while back. It is a beast. It came with a 20 inch bar and a semi-chisel skip tooth chain. It eats wood. Don't have much time on it yet but I can't stop smiling every time I use it. To all of those considering buying a 361/2, whatever you do, don't test drive the saw unless you are serious about buying it. You'll have a very had time using a lesser saw after running it.

 

[gerry100]

Speasking of dealers..

Stihl thinned out their dealer network a few years ago.

In my neighborhodd they dropped a knowledgable and helpful guy because he was too close to another one out here.

Could explain some dealer problems.

 

[RNLA]

We have two good ones here in what used to be big timber country. I can think of a third who steps on peoples toes after 15 years of doing business at his store. STHIL dealers are either really good or the other way.

 

[Manatarms]

Search craigslist daily for Stihl.

The story is pretty funny...and sad.

This guy moved from the pompous city to get into the "country". By country I mean 4000 square foot houses with paver driveways and $50k landscaping the deer use as a buffet.
I guess he got sick of paying $800/month in oil. He and his neighbor went to the county fair to try to experience the "rural" life. They both got sold outdoor furnaces. He ran out and bought this saw and got a logging truck delivery.
Apparently his other city slicker neighbors felt the smell of burning woods was a little "too country" for them.
5 days into burning the DEP showed up as his door and fined him and supplied him with mandate to immediately stop use and decommission the furnace. $16k later he is back to $800/month for oil and I have a new saw


ac

What town was he in? Was he in a development?

-mark

 

[avc8130]

What town was he in? Was he in a development?

-mark

Lafayette.

Mcmansionville development.

ac

 

[loganj01]

Stihl dealers here aren't that great either with the exception of one in Chatsworth. When I was in the market for a new saw last year, I tried to buy a Stihl. My dad had an 028 that ran for years and never gave him any trouble. I looked and priced and compared forever it seemed. I finally bought a Dolmar 7900 and haven't looked back. I got it for a couple of hundred less than the best price I found locally on a comparable size Stihl. Not knocking Stihl of course...they're great saws, but I think the Dolmar is a better value for the money. JMHO.

 

[Manatarms]

Most of Lafayette is rural....right? I haven't been out there in a few years. Either way, putting one up in a McMansion is sure to get you stomped!

What town was he in? Was he in a development?

-mark

Lafayette.

Mcmansionville development.

ac

 

[avc8130]

Most of Lafayette is rural....right? I haven't been out there in a few years. Either way, putting one up in a McMansion is sure to get you stomped!

The GOOD parts of Lafayette are rural. As with all parts of NJ, some farms were sold and converted to Mcmansions. I'm not gonna give up this guy's address, but hop on Google Maps and start out at the corner of Houses Corner and 15...head northwest.

ac