Finally, its time

TessiersFarm · October 23, 2010, 07:56:01 PM

Finally 6 months later I am going to replace my old beast. My old Stihl was 1985 vintage 84cc, something like 19 lbs. I have been told a new 75cc saw would preform equall to the old beast. I use it for bucking firewood because I prefer it over my 036 and 361's, and I use it on a small alaskan mill with a 24" bar cutting 20" wide max. I don't like it in the woods because it is too heavy and bulky.

First problem is I have been having service issues with my Stihl Dealer and I am not doing business there again, I will however stay local. The new dealer I have found is a Husky dealer. I went to school with him and he has been in the business quite a long time and has a flawless reputation for service. I brought one of my stihl saws to him today and he is going to work on it. To top it all he offered to service my new saw even if I was hooked on Stihl and bought it from someone else. All that being said I will buy my new saw from him which means I am changing sides to Husky. I am not too familiar with the Husky saws so I have a few questions.

First I looked at a 372 he had on the self, $750 That is what he said would feel equal to my old stihl.
13.4 lbs
5.4 hp

Second He suggested a 385 which is the same cc size and he said would be much more powerful but would suck the gas as well. I didn't get a price on that one.
15.4 lbs
6.3 hp

When I went on line I saw they have 576's, which he had there but never mentioned.
14.5 lbs
5.7 hp

looks like the 576 is new version 372, more power, less fuel, whats the catch?

should I just go for the 385?

anyone actually used any or all of these saws?

wondering if I will find the pound or so difference in weight will be a big advantage, I am already saving minimum 3 to 4 lbs?

wondering if the hp difference will feel signifigant or be worth the added weight?

Money will play very little in my decision, I run a Farm, not a profesional wood business but at times we depend heavily on our saws and I want to spend my money on the right saw.

Thank you all and sorry for the long winded post.

Rocky_J · October 23, 2010, 08:04:41 PM

I am a big fan of the 372 and currently own four of them including one that is still unused. I bought extras when Husky was discontinuing the model because I figured it would be several years before the manufacturers worked the bugs out of the new stratocharged models. Look at the serial number tag on that saw and see when it was manufactured. I suspect it has been on that shelf for a while.

I have never seen or laid hands on the 576 but a couple members here have lots of positive comments, especially the units with the new autotune carbs. I would still like to wait and see how these models hold up after 4-5 years of service though.

Can't comment on the 385 as my next biggest Husky is the 395. All old school power, reliable as an anvil but I miss modern niceties like a side access chain tensioner.

Mark K · October 23, 2010, 10:55:33 PM

I am also a big fan of the 372. I have 2-385's and 2-372's, i like the power of the 385's. Mainly use them for my falling saw's and the 372's on the landing and everything else. My 372's are my go to saw for just about everything. I think the 385 would make a better milling saw out of all your choices. Ran a 576, was pretty impressed, only ran it for a day though.

Cut4fun · October 24, 2010, 10:21:38 AM

The new version of the 372xp is the 372xp XT, Pay attention when buying. The new 372 has decomp in the top ove cover and is strato, the old 372 has de-comp on right side of cylinder.

The 576xp reg carb just a hair heavier and is a nice more torque in the cut saw. Then there is a 576 autotune never ran one of those but Willard on here has 2 he loves.

$700's is the going price.

The 385xp is heavy for it's power stock and had crank problems early on.

The 390xp is a updated 385, havent heard of any problems with it.

For Milling older 394 or 395xp would be my choice. But not to carry to the woods. heavy.

TessiersFarm · October 24, 2010, 08:07:11 PM

The milling is a hobby, the firewood, pulp and sawlogs is a job, hate to punish myself at work too much. I found a friend of mine who ran 372's for years and has now switched to a 576. He is bringing both of them by tomorrow for me to try out. I am leaning towards the 576 with the autotune.

ladylake · October 24, 2010, 08:47:38 PM

I have a 385xp it's heavy 23# with a 32" bar full of fuel and oil, cuts good. Steve

HolmenTree · October 24, 2010, 10:13:38 PM

Tessiers, the 576 and 372 Huskies are strong reliable saws. That choice of the 2 you would have to make your mind up on.
But I'm curious of what model your 1985 84cc?? old Stihl is. It sounds like you got a 056AVS at 87cc or better yet you have a 056 Magnum at 94cc. These were tough saws ,very popular on the west coast back in the day. I always wanted to own a 056 Mag.
You may have a 064 at 84.9cc but they came out in 1986. One of my most favorite Stihls. If you got one of the early 064s at 14.1 lbs and 84.9cc don't even bother with a new 75cc.
Willard.

TessiersFarm · October 25, 2010, 07:07:55 PM

not sure of the number on the old stihl, I thought maybe an 045AV, could have been a 56, they were about the same if I remember right. Definately not the magnum. Year was early eighties, 83 to 85, not sure exactly. I may be a little off on the CC, I'm just going by what the mechanic said. I bought it used a while back to put on a chainsaw mill I got, more or less as a hobby. We always ran 036's and recently 361's which I like real well, not too heavy and pretty good power, but after I got the bigger saw I found I loved it for bucking firewood and almost anything on the landing, way too heavy to lug around the woods. Long story longer I decided I need a bigger saw for working, and the mill as well. Was looking at the 460 or 660, until my dealer decided he wanted to sell snowmobiles more than chainsaws. Thus here I am. Dealer is pushing the 372 because of the reduced weight, he says the pound makes a difference. Friend of mine is pushing the 372, although he loves the 576 which he has changed over too. Nobody is pushing the 385, mostly because the mill is a hobby and the capacity is small anyway. Dealer says $750 for the 372 and $780 for the 576 autotune. He also said the 372 is not going away, they are still available with some minor changes. Husky rep was in the saw shop today when I was there and he asked why buy just 1? I already have 5 saws not including the broke down one and this is a hard sell with my wife, 2 might mean divorce which would be OK but she might try to get custody of the saws. I always tell her when she asks how many saws or guns I need "1 more"

Thanks for the replies.

CX3 · October 25, 2010, 08:21:19 PM

Well heres my .02. I bought a 372xp brand new off shelf because the guys at the saw shop said it would cut circles around the stihl 460. This is totally untrue. With same chain the stihl waxed the husky. I even swapped the chains on the two saws, same result. I think husky saws are cheaply made, hard to start, and just overall not equal to stihl saws. They are cheaper to buy though. I was not happy with the purchase and traded it in the same day I bought it for another 460.

When I returned to saw shop to trade, the husky rep was there. I told him what happened and why I was not pleased with his product. He said the husky saws need 5 gallons of mix run through them to operate properly??? I dont have to do that with stihl. I would run a hack saw before I would buy another husky. Good Luck.

jteneyck · October 25, 2010, 08:42:45 PM

I use a 385XP for milling and occassional bucking of larger logs. The saw is now about 6 years old and has been completely reliable; never replaced anything except a fuel and air filter, and sparkplug, just because I thought I should. The saw starts on just a couple of pulls, as do all my Huskies, and Stihls, and Shinnys. Saws that don't start easily have some kind of problem because they all start easily when new. I think a new 385XP goes for at least $1000 these days.

I've milled over 3500 BF of all kinds of hardwoods with it. I run a 28" bar and Oregon 72RD ripping chain and it will cut about 2 fpm through an 18" red oak cant. Bucking with it is scary fast for an amateur like me, but I'm grinning the whole time.

JohnG28 · October 25, 2010, 09:09:27 PM

Is there any chance that your dealer has any 372xp's with the factory wrap handle. Saw one at a local dealer and they were saying that this model has slightly larger displacement, around 75cc, and little more power. It was going for $800. Just a thought, might be something to check. Hope it helps and happy saw buying.

beenthere · October 26, 2010, 12:08:14 AM

CX3
I didn't get top performance out of my new MS361 until about 5 tanks of fuel. Could have been a number of different variables, but who's counting ;D

HolmenTree · October 26, 2010, 11:06:54 AM

Quote from: JohnG28 on October 25, 2010, 09:09:27 PM
Is there any chance that your dealer has any 372xp's with the factory wrap handle. Saw one at a local dealer and they were saying that this model has slightly larger displacement, around 75cc, and little more power. It was going for $800. Just a thought, might be something to check. Hope it helps and happy saw buying.

I was at my Husqvarna dealer last year and saw 3 brand new 372XPs sitting on the floor. These were the 75cc models with full wrap "heated" handles. The guy who ordered them for his log home company sent them back because he didn't want the full wrap. When the new 372s came in with regular heated handles, he then bitched after he found out they were only 71cc.
I would have used a hacksaw. :D
Willard.

TessiersFarm · October 26, 2010, 08:30:13 PM

The 372's I saw were not wrap handles. I tried out the 372 and it felt like a toy compared to my old stihl, lots of power compared to the 036, but I wouldn't say equal to the old stihl. Definately turns up but slows down in the cut, which the old stihl didn't do. I didn't really notice a difference in weight between the 372 and 576 but the 576 seams to have more torque. Both were smooth as ice, I guess the engineers of the old stihl didn't worry about vibration. I did feel that I could fell with the huskies, which I never did with the old stihl. Now I gotta try the 385, I guess I am used to a big tough saw and I'm thinking I can handle the 385 easily for what I do. I guess I never new how brutal that old stihl was to run. Wondering if the 385 feels like it has a lot of torque like the 576 or feels more like the 372. In the past I always felt like the huskies turned up faster than stihl but stihl had more torque, I guess I am finding that still true. I did like the 576 real well.

Rocky_J · October 26, 2010, 08:54:23 PM

That 372 is only 71cc also, about the same as the old Stihl 044. Of course it isn't going to have the torque of an 84cc saw. They do pick up a bit once the rings get seated after 5-10 tanks of fuel.

jteneyck · October 26, 2010, 09:03:54 PM

I think if you want one saw for both milling and bucking the 385XP is the logical choice. The 372XP is too small for milling, and the 576XP would be slow in 20 wide hardwood. But if your primary use is bucking then the 576XP might be the better choice - lighter by 2 lbs, plenty enough power for bucking 2' diameter stuff, maybe $250 cheaper, more frugal on gas. For milling either fix your old Stihl or get a good used saw like a Husky 3120. That'll cut pretty much anything you put in front of it. But talk about heavy !

DonT · October 26, 2010, 09:56:36 PM

Ok a little curious.previous poster said he swapped chains from a husky 372 and a stihl460.Am I missing something,the husky would run 68 drive links of 3/8.58 chain on an 18 inch bar.the stihl would run 66 drivelinks of 3/8 .50 chain on an 18 inch bar.been my experience the two chains would not be compatable.Just my two cents,i have a 372xpg and like it a lot.I think both stihl and husky are good saws,but i have a great husky dealer close by so i tend to run huskies,with the exception of my climb saw which is a stihl 200T.

Rocky_J · October 26, 2010, 10:31:06 PM

Don, 24" bars would both run 84 links (I believe).

JHBC · October 26, 2010, 10:40:25 PM

Yeah 24 is the same. Some are different.

The 385 should be no problem for all day use, I use mine or a 460 with 28's all the time. I don't know about a saw for dual purpose, but look into a 390, the 385's aren't even being sold new around here anymore.

DonT · October 26, 2010, 10:42:42 PM

Yep my apoligies,I checked at baileys and it is possible.All my huskies run .58 bars and all my stihls run .50 bars,but I see you can run .50 on both.

Rocky_J · October 26, 2010, 10:52:17 PM

I have no idea why .058" gauge chain even exists any more. Only certain regions use it, I've never seen a saw with .058 gauge chain in my life. I buy 3/8", .050 gauge by the roll and spin my own loops for all my Stihl and Husky saws. Nobody around here even carries .058, if you want that size you have to order it.

John Mc · October 26, 2010, 11:58:46 PM

Just about all of the Husky & Jonsered users around here run .058. I never have understood why this varies from one part of the USA to another.

Skiddah · October 27, 2010, 09:41:27 AM

All I've ever run on my Husqvarna and Jonsered saws has been .058. I think it's interesting, I never thought of it as a regional chain before.

HolmenTree · October 27, 2010, 10:44:55 AM

Oregon .050 chain in 3/8" for example is .058 between the cutters and side links.
Stihl .050 -3/8" chain is .063 between the cutters thus making a wider cut.
With the Oregon .058 chain the drive links are even , a little stronger and you have a wider drive link tang to scoop more chips and bar oil over the .050. You may think .008" is nothing but it does work better.
Stihl makes .058 chain for the Husky / 'sered crowd also.
Regional thing? I think the 'sered / Husky market is bigger in the east- central North America where there are more endusers. Of course for competiton purposes you gotta seperate the apples from the oranges with Stihl .050 and Husky .058.

Willard.

IndyIan · October 27, 2010, 11:23:45 AM

Quote from: TessiersFarm on October 26, 2010, 08:30:13 PM
The 372's I saw were not wrap handles. I tried out the 372 and it felt like a toy compared to my old stihl, lots of power compared to the 036, but I wouldn't say equal to the old stihl. Definately turns up but slows down in the cut, which the old stihl didn't do. I didn't really notice a difference in weight between the 372 and 576 but the 576 seams to have more torque. Both were smooth as ice, I guess the engineers of the old stihl didn't worry about vibration. I did feel that I could fell with the huskies, which I never did with the old stihl. Now I gotta try the 385, I guess I am used to a big tough saw and I'm thinking I can handle the 385 easily for what I do. I guess I never new how brutal that old stihl was to run. Wondering if the 385 feels like it has a lot of torque like the 576 or feels more like the 372. In the past I always felt like the huskies turned up faster than stihl but stihl had more torque, I guess I am finding that still true. I did like the 576 real well.

I've got a 372 and have done some milling with it. 12" cuts in white pine are fine, but 12" cuts in hardwood (maple, oak)are a chore with it. I love the saw for firewood and felling but milling isn't its forte. I've never used a 385 but it might be the saw that can be used for firewood all day and do pretty well milling, but the 372 (20" bar)is about as heavy a saw that I want to use for turning a tree into firewood.