Just had a 55 given to me :)

[Motorhead]

I have a 51 and a 55 open port, Gonna find a 50 to build,Open port is alright in my book.

 

[RIDE-RED 350r]

After those 2 vids posted, I'm not sure what all the fuss with closed port is about....

 

[huskihl]

I've got an all original 51 in the garage without a lot of use. Never even changed a fuel line in it. Seems like a great saw

 

[Wolverine]

After those 2 vids posted, I'm not sure what all the fuss with closed port is about....

Yep, us too!

To be fair, the closed port vid was done with only about 3-4 cookies cut on the fresh piston/ring. Checked tune, chucked up the right log and away he went. They are very close in performance. CP being 45mm, OP @ 46mm. Only reason we got a CP cyl is a local member here found one while looking for a tank for us. Andrew had the idea of being able to get the cp ported.
And the only windowed piston I found in 45mm was the lil' red barn on evilbay.

 

[RIDE-RED 350r]

There is a partial 51 at work I might see what o can do to resurrect at some point....

 

[Spike60]

Personally I dont like the 51 and 55, nor do I like the 50, it's the intake who is so little compared to 254 + intake system work flawless on 254, and that can't be said about 50,51,55 and so on. Weird, but both the 50 and 55 that i got had scored line from the transfer ports..

In size 51 and 55 is like 254, share same fuel tank, front handle bar and clutch, luckily we have many 254's in Norway, so I've never thought so much about 51 and 55

Well, a little history...........What is interesting when looking back at when the 51/55 and 254 were all on the market together is that the definition of homeowner saws was a lot different than it is today. Today there's a real obvious "all plastic" characteristic to homeowner saws. Back then, the 51/55 was the core of the Husky homeowner series, with TONS of them being sold. The Partner based 40/45/49 fit in below them. The 61 was on the upper end, and the 257 was added to fill the gap between them. There was a period where all saws except the later arriving 257 had gray tops to differentiate them from the XP saws. (and before that the white top Practica and then Rancher models.)

Those saws are all better than the typical Lowes stuff we see now. But they really didn't all go away from marketing position perspective. Those market positions are now held by the 545/555/365 "non XP" models. Real great values that usually get ignored cause there's no XP label on them. I sell a fair amount of 555's and 365's though. 555 is real close to the 550 in price and is quite a bit more saw for a small amount of money. 545 is a real tough sell cause it's less than the magic $100 gap between it and the 550.

 

[Simondo]

Well, a little history...........What is interesting when looking back at when the 51/55 and 254 were all on the market together is that the definition of homeowner saws was a lot different than it is today. Today there's a real obvious "all plastic" characteristic to homeowner saws. Back then, the 51/55 was the core of the Husky homeowner series, with TONS of them being sold. The Partner based 40/45/49 fit in below them. The 61 was on the upper end, and the 257 was added to fill the gap between them. There was a period where all saws except the later arriving 257 had gray tops to differentiate them from the XP saws. (and before that the white top Practica and then Rancher models.)

Those saws are all better than the typical Lowes stuff we see now. But they really didn't all go away from marketing position perspective. Those market positions are now held by the 545/555/365 "non XP" models. Real great values that usually get ignored cause there's no XP label on them. I sell a fair amount of 555's and 365's though. 555 is real close to the 550 in price and is quite a bit more saw for a small amount of money. 545 is a real tough sell cause it's less than the magic $100 gap between it and the 550.

The 365 over this side of the water has a rep as a fine saw regardless of the tweaks to turn it . A lot of hardwood ground saw work for tree surgeons is done by the 365 and they have a big price second hand ! The AV is good and that helps with all day use.
The 555 (Have seen your and Walts Vid ) has still to get a following as its all 560 (our 562) or 550 .
The interesting thing is when it comes to the 357 …like rocking horse sh@@ now! other than dogs….4 yrs ago they were on the way out with the 550 being launched , now everyone wants them along with 346 ….much to my annoyance as I want one
I like the 200 series and they have a strong following for general work . Compare a little 42 special to a current semi pro in the 40cc bracket and as you say ..a significant build difference then to now.

 

[Tor R]

Well, a little history...........What is interesting when looking back at when the 51/55 and 254 were all on the market together is that the definition of homeowner saws was a lot different than it is today. Today there's a real obvious "all plastic" characteristic to homeowner saws. Back then, the 51/55 was the core of the Husky homeowner series, with TONS of them being sold. The Partner based 40/45/49 fit in below them. The 61 was on the upper end, and the 257 was added to fill the gap between them. There was a period where all saws except the later arriving 257 had gray tops to differentiate them from the XP saws. (and before that the white top Practica and then Rancher models.)

Those saws are all better than the typical Lowes stuff we see now. But they really didn't all go away from marketing position perspective. Those market positions are now held by the 545/555/365 "non XP" models. Real great values that usually get ignored cause there's no XP label on them. I sell a fair amount of 555's and 365's though. 555 is real close to the 550 in price and is quite a bit more saw for a small amount of money. 545 is a real tough sell cause it's less than the magic $100 gap between it and the 550.

no doubt that 51/55 was better homeowner saw compared to the plastic saws we see nowadays.
I have a few homeowner saws myself like 40 Practica, 42 and 42 special, and a couple other saws who is soon finished, I kinda like those saws Husky made on 80's and 90's. They are easy to fix and pretty much rock solid.
What I like with 254 vs 55 is intake system, the same system we see on pretty much all the 2xx serie, isnt so much air leak on this system compared to the 3xx serie, sometime bolts are far better then any clamp lol.

In Norway they sell more 550 compared to 545, the price difference between them is huge, but what make them huge sellers are the heathed handles, if there had been a 545 G it would probleby sold well.

 

[RIDE-RED 350r]

I would completely agree that a 51/55/55 Rancher of yesteryear is a far superior saw than the current Rancher offerings in build quality.

I'll fix up my 55 eventually and I'll probably keep it....( this CAD thing comes on strong and doesn't quit!)

But I have to keep pecking away at my 359 project and see it through to completion first...

Oh and I just had another blown 394 dropped in my lap for repair again today.... Customer saw has to come first, proceeds from that will finance my own CAD projects!! Lol!

 

[Wolverine]

Oh and I just had another blown 394 dropped in my lap for repair again today.... Customer saw has to come first, proceeds from that will finance my own CAD projects!! Lol!

Sorry, can't offer up an ebay steal cylinder with a misspelled title again. Damn that was a good deal!

 

[RIDE-RED 350r]

It sure was!!! I owe you one.

Speaking of that 394, i got word today that the tree service that owns that saw has been using it and it's doing great.

 

[Wolverine]

Great news. I just pulled mine out of the Granberg. I had the bracket too close and it was bumping against one muffler bracket bolt. Stripped the threads right out of the case. What to do...

 

[tickbitintn]

Helicoil.... Problem solved....

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk