Husqvarna Rancher 50 revival. ⚠️ Lots of pictures!

[Powerstroke Cowboy]

Warning, this will more than likely be a boring thread that's going to have a lot of pictures. Not to mention, it's my first attempt at documentary work on a saw tear down and assembly.

Is the title says, it an Husqvarna Rancher 50. The saw was through a fire. The building it was in burnt to the ground. But,The saw survived due to it being under a table and all the blow in insulation fell down and cover it. So it was somewhat protected. There were four saws in the fire. Ones done already, and the Husqvarna is next. The Makita in my profile picture is the one I did first.

This saw was also in a case. That also helped.

This is not my saw. It's my Dad's, so there will be no porting, he believes in no power adding mods. But, I might be able to convince him to atleast do an MM. The piston will be lightened a little as well. No porting though......

Ok enough rambling, on to some before tear down pictures. I am going to put them in as full size. But, if the mods want I can just do the thumbnail version. I don't know if full size pictures take up more space than thumbnail pictures.

As you can tell, it's not to bad. For from new looking though!


Edit: picture of the tag on the saw.

 

[Powerstroke Cowboy]

Now on to the teardown. Let the fun begin!

Pop-a-top again. And settle down for the long haul! Hahahaha

With that said, let's pop the top of this thing!


Next let's get the bar and chain off. That should've been the first thing... Side cover off as well as the bar and chain. Much easier to work on now!


Handles next on the list. 5/16 socket for the side bolts and flathead for the bottom bolts. Ereerrrr I mean screws.

Bottom srews.

 

[Powerstroke Cowboy]

Some glamor shots after the above part were removed.


Now let's take the dog off. (How many of yall call it a dog?)


Two bolts hold it on and again a 5/16 socket was used. Yea, yea, my meteic socket was missing. So SAE it is. The bolts holding the dog on,also hold the case together and help hold the muffler heat should in place.





And it's off!!

 

[thedude74]

Very cool! Not bad looking considering it went through a fire.
I've had my eye on a white top rancher 50 on FB marketplace in Los Anchorage
It appears lots of parts interchangability between the Rancher 50, 51, 55.
With its split mag case looks like it has some good potential.
If you take the spinny thing and widen the exhaust port and raise it a bit.....i promise not to tell your Dad

Looking forward to your build.

 

[Powerstroke Cowboy]

While we're on that side, we might as well pop the right (clutch side) rear AV bushing cover off. Again 5/16 socket was used. It was nice being most if not all the bolts were 5/16.

Parts are starting build up in the catch box. O and don't mind my foot ware.

Now let's pull off the recoil start. This is the start of a lot of pull offs..... This also reveals both ignition side AV bushings.

Now let's get that fan shroud out of the way. It just slips in place. Just have to unhook the wires from it.

And that it's off, that was simple.

 

[Powerstroke Cowboy]

Very cool! Not bad looking considering it went through a fire.
I've had my eye on a white top rancher 50 on FB marketplace in Los Anchorage
It appears lots of parts interchangability between the Rancher 50, 51, 55.
With its split mag case looks like it has some good potential.
If you take the spinny thing and widen the exhaust port and raise it a bit.....i promise not to tell your Dad

Looking forward to your build.

Yes, it's not bad for being through a fire. Wish I had some pictures of the building (well pile of ashes and junk) the saw came out of.

Buy it. I have heard there good saws. And respond to mods well.

I have noticed the same thing. It seems like the 50,51 and 55 have a lot on common.

You don't know how bad I wanted to.do just that!! Hahaha! But, I will respect his wishes. After all, it's his saw, not mine.

Thanks man!

 

[Spike60]

Nice to see someone giving a little love to this chassis. Solid reliable saws that seem to get overlooked here in the hobby world.

You guys are right about this saw being in the 51/55 family. The 50 white top being the first. Plenty of interchangeability through the model run. One thing that trips up guys swapping top ends is that there was a case change around 1987. This was when the 50 became the 50 special. The case was enlarged at that time. Cases prior to that will only accept the 44mm top ends, cases after that will also accept 45 and 46 mm cylinders. There are a LOT of top ends for these saws. Some of the hottest being from the Jonsered 490 and 590. (Partner 5000 and 5000+). I put a 490 top end on a 51 and that saw is pretty quick. But the difference between the open and closed port jugs isn't all that dramatic. The 46mm 55 kit has nice low end torque and doesn't mind when you lean on it.

 

[Powerstroke Cowboy]

Nice to see someone giving a little love to this chassis. Solid reliable saws that seem to get overlooked here in the hobby world.

You guys are right about this saw being in the 51/55 family. The 50 white top being the first. Plenty of interchangeability through the model run. One thing that trips up guys swapping top ends is that there was a case change around 1987. This was when the 50 became the 50 special. The case was enlarged at that time. Cases prior to that will only accept the 44mm top ends, cases after that will also accept 45 and 46 mm cylinders. There are a LOT of top ends for these saws. Some of the hottest being from the Jonsered 490 and 590. (Partner 5000 and 5000+). I put a 490 top end on a 51 and that saw is pretty quick. But the difference between the open and closed port jugs isn't all that dramatic. The 46mm 55 kit has nice low end torque and doesn't mind when you lean on it.

I kind of want to pick one up for myself. Hahaha. Besides, then I would be free to mod till my hearts content.

 

[srcarr52]

8mm ~= 5/16"

 

[Powerstroke Cowboy]

8mm ~= 5/16"

Yaw, but the good old 8mm is missing from the set.

 

[Powerstroke Cowboy]

My as well keep uploading pictures. I've got a bunch.

With the fan shroud out of the way the coil can be removed. To little Allan head screws hold it in.



Unhook the kill switch wire and the coil picks right out. Lots of junk gets stored up in small places a.

I switched gears here and started on the air cleaner and carb assembly.

Air filter off.

Down to the filter base plate.

 

[Powerstroke Cowboy]

Removing the filter base plate to get to the carb. Two bolts and one flathead screw.


After removing the said fastners the base plate pops right off. That leaves the carb just hanging there.


The carb just needs the fuel line unhooked and throttle linkage unhooked and we are good to go.


No carb. I could use some carbs right about now. Tired and hungry I am. Hahaha.


Removing the throttle linkage is as simple as 1,2, 3. Glad it's so simple. I Can't count above three. It literally just pulls up and out of the fuel tank/handle.

 

[Powerstroke Cowboy]

Throttle linkage gone and removing the kill switch. It just popes out. Start removing the switch clip closest to the handle first. If not, it'll end up broke. Then, just work the kill wire out and it's free.


Now on to the intake baffle/bulkhead, eerrrr just keep it simple, it's the carb mount flange. Two bolts hold it in. Then, just slide it off the cylinder.

Lots of grime behind the plate. You cal also see the pulse fitting for the fuel pump.



Again. The pulse line is built right into the carb mounting flange.


The box is filling up.

 

[Powerstroke Cowboy]

Let me to the exhaust side of the cylinder and remove the muffler. Just two nuts and off it comes. Again, *cough* it's a 5/16 socket.




The two exhaust bolts just slip into a Grove in the cylinder. Simple and cheap.


Well that side of the cylinder is stripped.


What say y'all? Looks like this muffler could use a little help in the breathing department. It's sad how choked these thing are from the factory. But,it give boys a reason to mod their toys.

 

[Powerstroke Cowboy]

Well now what should we tear off this thing? Wait, I mean remove with surgical precision.

How about something so easy even a cave man could do it? Even those slackers @dall keeps talking about could get it done.

It's spark plug time!


Done! Told you that was simple!!


Now let's get that clutch out of the way. Got to turn it clockwise to remove it.


Done. Now we can get to the oil pump and chain tensioner.

 

[Powerstroke Cowboy]

Removed the cover plate for the chain tensioner and oil pump. One bolt was all that was needed.

Pulling it off.

Pulled the chain tensioner out of it's bed.

 

[Powerstroke Cowboy]

Now on to the oil pump. It just pops up and out.


And it out. Got to remember to put fresh grease In when it goes back together.

Another glamor shot. On a side note. Done.ask why I kept butting the nuts back on the bar mounting bolts......


I was going to remove the bar "studs" but, they would not turn out.. So I gave up. There not studsbut bolts pushed in from the oil tank. Hahaha!

 

[Powerstroke Cowboy]

Going to eat some food. Be back later.

 

[Maintenance Chief]

Great thread, based on sales just about every man in America owned one of these at one time or another!
I recently did a 300year anniversary edition 50 for an older guy at work. Well then I got a hankering to do one for myself. I found one in the scrap yard for 20$ , tore it down to every bolt and split the case. Put an 028 pop up piston in it and it still runs like a good running 55 ,lol.

 

[Powerstroke Cowboy]

Great thread, based on sales just about every man in America owned one of these at one time or another!
I recently did a 300year anniversary edition 50 for an older guy at work. Well then I got a hankering to do one for myself. I found one in the scrap yard for 20$ , tore it down to every bolt and split the case. Put an 028 pop up piston in it and it still runs like a good running 55 ,lol.View attachment 373621View attachment 373622View attachment 373623View attachment 373621View attachment 373622View attachment 373623

You got a point there. Seems to be a lot of these things around. It's fun taking something that's not working, stripping it down, then using it after.