Opinions on Husky 455 rancher

[utogga]

I got a 455. I got now serious problems with it but what I dislike about this is its parts. Its parts are made of plastic which I do not like.


(broken link removed)

 

[tradergordo]

I recently bought a Super 70 chain for my 455 (Oregon saw chain 72LPX, 3/8 .050 - 68 links). WOW - what a difference! It’s like I have a new saw. Cuts though wood like butter. Wish I had known about chains a couple years ago, I would have started out with this chain instead of the less aggressive ones I have.

 

[moosetrek]

Congrats on the new saw - good choice with Husky! I have a 55 Rancher that still runs great, new 18" bar (and non-safety chain) and it's cutting good. If you get a chance, maybe think about an 18" bar instead of the 20 (if that's what it came with), it'll help balance out the power/weight and make it a bit faster. You probably won't even notice 2" less on a bar.

 

[ROBERT F]

Congrats are in order, not a bad saw at all. would recommend the 18 inch bar, and stihl non-safety chain. that husky h80 low vibe chain undermines the saws capabilities. also recommend the husky bar oil, had problems last year with some other brands, getting the oiling right, as saw has adjustable flow rate and some oils are thinner or thicker. also try nt to set the saw in wood chips if it is running, it has some clean air draw setup, and when my girl set mine in a pile filled the case with savings and the saw started to overheat. now she only gets the poulan!

 

[moosetrek]

Hey another Pineburner- Looks like first frost tonight, must be that time of year when everyone's thoughts turn to firewood... saws... splitters... and horsepower.

 

[allhandsworking]

I was recently in a similar situation as you Andy. I used my FIL's saws, which are pro model saws, and if I break one, I end up shelling out the cash for a new one. My budget wasn't very big, so I was looking at the Rancher 455 and the Stihl MS290. I ended up going with the Stihl from a local dealership and ended up paying ~$350. I personally like it better than the 455, but that's just my opinion.

I'd like to be able to go with the stihl, but like i mentioned cash is tight and i can put the husky on the lowes cc.

If you are not in hurry and you're putting it on a credit card anyway, why not just wait and apply for a different no interest card and then get the Stihl that you want?

Sharpen the chain don't rush it. And put that cc away! Never use a credit card because you don't have the cash. Unless you had a tree on your house!

 

[Beowulf]

Hi CowboyAndy. I have used the 455 Rancher for a couple years. You will be very happy when you swap the full chisel chain onto it. It makes a big difference.

Things I have learned with mine: Pay attention to tightening the bar nuts, once you set the chain tension. For some reaon, this saw makes me forget, or else it tends to back them off worse than my other saws. No big deal, just always double check when you finish adjusting the chain.

The saw has a compression release (the little button on top.) I bought mine in a hurry, when my Stihl was sick and I needed a saw right now. I didn't notice it had a compression release until I finally bothered to read the manual about a year later. It does make starting a little easier, but is not necessary.

If you ever decide to change out bars, the saw will most likely like an 18" bar better than the 20 that comes on it. I have used the 20 for a couple of years, but if buying it again, I would have put an 18 on it.

I am finally selling mine to partially fund a pro-level saw for bigger wood than the 455 is comfortable with.

 

[wendell]

Dontcha hate when you get sucked in when somebody resurrects an old thread? :roll:

I'm reading through this trying to figure out how Andy is finding all these 455's around. :lol:

 

[Beowulf]

Yep. Ha Ha... just noticed the OP date.