goofa
Burning Hunk
Good luck dealing with northeast technical support. They are handy as a sore ass and very unprofessional. Hope you don't deal with rich.
Disappointed With My Stihl
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bobdog2o02
Minister of Fire
I will agree with this.......but why are there low end saws. Cant a company make SOLID products and just have other models with improved performance. I would trust my FIL's electric craftsman that has never been maintained over this Stihl in question simply on a safety standpoint. Low end should never be at a sacrifice of safety...........
One could be forgiven for thinking that a $399 saw ain't gonna be bottom of the barrel. Or toss the bar. My $85 Chusky hasn't tossed the bar.
Beer Belly
Minister of Fire
![[Hearth.com] Disappointed With My Stihl](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/132/132761-4a549bab8a9f02948d27d25836db5354.jpg "[Hearth.com] Disappointed With My Stihl")
To the left of the Bar Adjustment is a Torx Bolt.....is it possible to remove it and put in a second Stud.....I believe that is where a second stud would otherwise go.....on edit: then you'd have to deal with the cover.....drill a second hole, maybe a cover from another Stihl with has two studs ??
Jon1270
Minister of Fire
Sure, but this is one failure we're talking about, not a clear pattern of failures. We've have it from the OP that one CSR indicated Stihl is "aware of the problem," while a contradictory email from Stihl indicates there is no "bar stud issue." None of this is statistically meaningful.
Big generalizations seem premature.
Those little buzz-turds are going for $399 now? I'm not sure if that makes me feel more or less sympathy for the OP.
I agree. As a retired Journeyman Machinist I'd say that's a pretty poor design for something that is suppose to hold a saw bar on. Even my little Canon P&S camera has a metal threaded insert molded into the camera housing for a tripod mount.Correct!! However I'm a mechanical engineer that specializes in the plastics industry......a stainless stud threaded into plastic is an extremely poor design as the plastic will always be the weak link. If they wanted to use the plastic parts then at the lease they could have installed an oversize stainless thread insert into the plastic housing to take some of the torque of the screw...... you could even pinch the bar, give the saw a little twist and pop the bar stud
As far as resale to another consumer I tend to think of how I would feel......
![[Hearth.com] Disappointed With My Stihl](/talk/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.baileysonline.com%2FproductImages%2Fimage.axd%2Fi.QA%2B00009%2B536605%2Fw.1000%2Fh.1000%2Fx._AZ%2Fxm.0%2FNWP%2BBar%2BMount%2BStud%2B%2528M8%2529%2Bfor%2BStihl%2B024-066%2C%2BOlder%2BMS%2B240-660_L.jpg&hash=de85b7333d20ef289ad805e4aeaec72b "[Hearth.com] Disappointed With My Stihl")
OT: On another note I owned a MS250 for about 2 years, was never impressed with the saw and sold it but that's another story.
aansorge
Minister of Fire
My 250 has been very good. Still (stihl?) I like my used 360 better!
Advice: scrounge Craigslist until a good professional model comes around.
Sell the 251 after above has been accomplished.
Advice: scrounge Craigslist until a good professional model comes around.
Sell the 251 after above has been accomplished.
Heard back from Stihl they will exchange it for a "Wood Boss 271" Anyone familiar with this model?
Jon1270
Minister of Fire
Not directly, but it looks like the next model up from the 251, i.e. another plastic-chassis homeowner saw but slightly more powerful and with 2 bar nuts instead of one. In your position, I'd take that deal.
pma1123
Burning Hunk
Just recieved the latest Stihl flyer; it lists the sale price on the 271 w/20" bar at $399.99. Would that put you ahead of your investment for the current 251?
missedbass
Member
Yeah would put me ahead but could care less I'm a homeowner that cuts 5-7 cords of wood a year and uses it around the home. Asking for a saw that stays assembled is not asking too much. I want a homeowner saw that will do what it is interned to do the local Stihl Rep gets it
The Stihl Corp. is disappointing to talk with.
The Stihl Corp. is disappointing to talk with.
bobdog2o02
Minister of Fire
I'm no expert but 5-6 cords per year sounds more like a farm/ranch grade saw. I think the homeowner saw is more designed for cutting up downed limbs and trimming/ pruning. Not for hours of bucking and felling.
Dont get me wrong though, this should never be a point of failure. I would think the homeowner saw should have been safe and the bar shouldnt FALL OFF, i would expect that grade of saw to have lower QC on engine components and a less robust chasis...? dont know. kinda FUBAR for you though.
Dont get me wrong though, this should never be a point of failure. I would think the homeowner saw should have been safe and the bar shouldnt FALL OFF, i would expect that grade of saw to have lower QC on engine components and a less robust chasis...? dont know. kinda FUBAR for you though.
I have a 251 with about 15 tanks through it with no problems yet. That said, if I had it to do over I would have purchased the 362 even though it is substantially more money and saw. I'm a new home owner and didn't do enough research before I bought because I needed a saw quick.
OldLumberKid
Feeling the Heat
Would tend to agree with this, especially with Stihl's name, and a list price of $399.
kinda disturbing.
Pennsyltucky Chris
Minister of Fire
I think the OP's point is that for approximately $350, the saw should last more than a day. And a low-end saw shouldn't cost $350. Period.
I suppose I agree but it's not like Stihl hid the fact that he bought a low end saw. It's right on their web site: "homeowner."
Stihl built it's reputation on it's pro saws. The fact that they can build, market and sell cheap-o saws on the coat tails of it's pro saws says more about the consumer than it does Stihl. If you want a pro saw, buy a pro saw. The End.
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