Three Husqvarna 562xp builds, How do they stack up?

[afleetcommand]

Attaching some numbers to these to try and figure that out....

 

[Dub11]

I like the old man 562.

 

[Derf]

Thanks for the video, I guess I can summarize the following for those not going to watch the whole thing:

Saw 1 - stock 562xp with stock bar
Saw 2 - “essentially” a 560xp. Popup piston, gasket delete and muffler mod, using Oregon’s new laminated speedcut bar.
Saw 3 - 562xp with popup piston, muffler mod, gasket delete, using a Tsumura lightweight bar.

Saw 2 & 3 are faster than saw 1. Estimated cut times are around 2 seconds faster.

Using a bathroom scale Saws 2 & 3 are lighter than saw 1, by about 2 lbs.

A 372xp and a 390xp weigh the same amount, roughly 2 lbs more than a 562xp.

An old saw your father would have used was 10lbs heavier than a 390xp and slower than a 562xp.

 

[RIDE-RED 350r]

Love those Hilltop Saw Shop vids!

Walt, I could easily tell the modded 562 was head and shoulders above the stock 562 before you posted the times. In my mind, 2 seconds in wood that size is much more significant than 2 seconds in 24" frozen hard maple. That pudding has alot of proof in it my friend!

I like that triple nickel build. I keep forgetting that the 562 has the D009 mount on it.... So the "Old Man" saw, it has the same internal mods as the modded 562 then?? Popup piston and whatnot??

And on the weights, is the case size being smaller due to the k095 mount on the triple nickel really worth that much weight?? Or is it possible the 555 has a smaller bar oil tank to go with it thus reducing the loaded weight a bit more?

All said and done, I think you've proved with gusto that under real working man's world circumstances the mods are still worth the time and effort despite the 562 making us work a little harder for those gains.

Nicely done

 

[XP_Slinger]

Attaching some numbers to these to try and figure that out....

Great video Walt, as usual. My personal answer to one of your questions about whether or not mods are worth it. I say yes. If in 10 cuts I’m bending over cutting for 20 seconds less I call that a win for my back. 2 seconds doesn’t sound like a lot of difference in a single cut to most folks, but extrapolate that to a few hundred cuts and you’re looking at some serious time saved with production increase. Just my most humble opinion. Thanks for posting the video!

 

[Stump Shot]

Has me thinking of an old local logger of years past, he was not interested in a faster saw as he would rest as the saw did its work(bucking) and his work was lugging the saw to the next cut. He cut the same number of sticks(125) a day every day and that was enough for him.
Guess it comes down to what each man can handle.

 

[XP_Slinger]

Has me thinking of an old local logger of years past, he was not interested in a faster saw as he would rest as the saw did its work(bucking) and his work was lugging the saw to the next cut. He cut the same number of sticks(125) a day every day and that was enough for him.
Guess it comes down to what each man can handle.

100% agree. The value of mods are dependent upon the perspective of the individual doing the work. A friend of mine has a stock 2166 and after seeing my 372 run he wanted me to mod his Saw. A month later he did some cutting with his still stock saw and said “you know what? I really like my saw the way it is for what I do, don’t worry about porting it.” Can’t fault a guy for being happy with a stock saw. Everybody is different.

 

[afleetcommand]

Have to say a good stock 562 is nice to have and run. Some times I don't want the extra noise. Ease of starting, vibration and weight are more important than additional power at this point (relative to a stock 562 ). For me a stock 2260 with the right B&C would be all I need to be happy. And an original edition 365 (Low profile top cover ) with a 372xpw top end with a light bar for felling. Having both "tweaked" is nice but not necessary and is more about the hobby than anything. Now 15 years ago.....the value of the tweaks would have been higher for me, as power was more important because I could actually use every bit of it. ( A 385/390 would have been about perfect) Now its about reliability and being able to get through a productive day, an admission I'm not particularly happy about; but is reality at this point.

 

[Stump Shot]

Been thinking of the 550xp as a possible old man saw for myself. Have yet to try one though, how does it compare relative to the 562xp, if that is even fair to say.

 

[afleetcommand]

Been thinking of the 550xp as a possible old man saw for myself. Have yet to try one though, how does it compare relative to the 562xp, if that is even fair to say.

A tweaked 550 is actually a great concept. Maybe a bit more compression for a little more torque and leave the rest alone. Lighter yet than a 555? Bet we could get the power more useful. Might try that. Have a "donor" 550 that needs a job. (A few parts too..) That 2260/560 with a light bar really is pretty light though...but more (or less in this case) usually is better...

 

[morewood]

I have the red/black 550xp (2253) and love it. It is ported, but so much lighter than most saws. Having run a 562 and this I would have to say that as long as you weren't always in the big sticks these smaller saws have the power needed to cut easily with an 18" bar. To be honest with ourselves, we rarely cut wood bigger than that.

Shea

 

[RIDE-RED 350r]

550 is a rabid Lil devil in stock form and I agree that it has more than enough to bury an 18" in wood

 

[Simondo]

Attaching some numbers to these to try and figure that out....

Just my thoughts and feeling on the situation Walt....
Lot of effort can an did go into those saws to do the mods on what are already decent performers . A 560 on a 15 or 18 inch .325 combo seems good to me without much more than a little opening of the muffler to get better cooling.. if any mods at all with the revised saw we now have over here in UK.
I like the light/ short bar set up myself that is much more normal here rather than 20 or 24 inch that some choose.
On a purely practical V expense and time situation....stock (or as close to) is not a problem for me. As you may be able to tell my own default position is not the pursuit of "More Power" in any given saw i pick up and i would struggle with the concept that a 560 (562) is anything other than a decently powerful saw in stock form.
I wager the mod of all things engine runs deep over in the US, so there may also be that going on alongside the experimenting .

 

[kingOFgEEEks]

Been thinking of the 550xp as a possible old man saw for myself. Have yet to try one though, how does it compare relative to the 562xp, if that is even fair to say.

I ran a 550 side by side with my Dolmar 5100s, and decided to keep the Dolmar. The 550 was awesome, and felt great to run, but the Dolly just had that torque which was more useful for firewood. I would say that if I did more limbing and brush work, I would have kept the Husky instead, based on handling and ergonomics.

 

[Farmchuck]

Attaching some numbers to these to try and figure that out....

I really like that 560 Walt!

 

[MG2186]

I ran a 550 side by side with my Dolmar 5100s, and decided to keep the Dolmar. The 550 was awesome, and felt great to run, but the Dolly just had that torque which was more useful for firewood. I would say that if I did more limbing and brush work, I would have kept the Husky instead, based on handling and ergonomics.

That's interesting, I tried a brand new 5105 out and I thought it was a toad compared to a 2253/550. I've ran some ported 5105's and they're a completely different animal, JMO, both are nice saws for sure

 

[kingOFgEEEks]

That's interesting, I tried a brand new 5105 out and I thought it was a toad compared to a 2253/550. I've ran some ported 5105's and they're a completely different animal, JMO, both are nice saws for sure

I wonder if the cat in the 5105 makes that big of a difference, vs. the more open muffler in my 5100.

 

[RIDE-RED 350r]

I would bet that it does.

 

[Spike60]

Well there's nothing better than a nice, crisp running saw when your cutting......but...... how much difference does a modded saw actually make? I lean a bit more towards Simon's thinking. And my 2 cents is the same as anybody elses, just an opinion.

Modded saws are a LOT of fun, and much of that is what brings us together here. But I honestly don't think they really bring that much to the table other than that, (and I'm not suggesting that they need to.) I enjoy doing them just for the fun factor, but I kinda stop short of saying that they make any tangiblle difference in the work that I do with them. Which for me is firewood cutting which I suspect is the case with most of us.

I cut a pick up load of firewood on Sat after I closed the store. Some small stuff, but also some 18" hard maple. Grabbed a not too pretty, but well running Jonsered 630 with a 50mm 266 top end that has a gasket delete but is otherwise stock. (my Jonsered "636") The big blocks easily exceeded 100 lbs and needed to be ripped so I could lift them into the truck. The "work" in cutting that load of wood was rolling the logs, loading them into the truck, unloading when I got home, and they will have to be handled again when I split them. A couple seconds quicker cut time doesn't make a meaningful difference in the overall job for me.

I got plenty of saws to pick from, modded, stock, new and old. Most times it's just "I feel like running that one." They all get it done for me.

 

[Spike60]

That's interesting, I tried a brand new 5105 out and I thought it was a toad compared to a 2253/550. I've ran some ported 5105's and they're a completely different animal, JMO, both are nice saws for sure

The newer 2253/550 with the AT12 carb do run better than the early saws.

BTW, you still need that 390 crank? It wasn't where it was supposed to be, but I found it over the weekend.