Stihl Bars - The Good, The Bad & The Ugly!!!!

[MustangMike]

Honestly I've never really liked a 044,never liked a 372 either.

There not small enough to be lite and not big enough to be super powerful.
There kind of a useless size to me.

I have always seen it a little different, they are light enough to limb with, and strong enough to buck with. If I'm only taking one saw, that will be it.

 

[MG2186]

Honestly I've never really liked a 044,never liked a 372 either.

There not small enough to be lite and not big enough to be super powerful.
There kind of a useless size to me.

Yea I know you've told me that. I never thought I would like using my 268 anymore either but that all changed after you got done with it

 

[MG2186]

I did not start with an 046, I started with an 044! But it has given 046s, 460s, 066s and 660s (that are not ported) a hard time in the past. Factory Hp rating on mine was 5.1 (they were later rated at 5.4 when they got slower). All of my ported 046/460s will beat it up.

Oh crap, sorry for some reason I had 460's on my mind. You did get really good gains out of it! How much better are they with a fully ported cylinder and machine work done to them?

 

[jmssaws]

Machine work is The biggest gains by far

 

[jmssaws]

I like a plain 044 much more than a hybrid.

 

[jmssaws]

Yea I know you've told me that. I never thought I would like using my 268 anymore either but that all changed after you got done with it

It runs better than a 044 though.

 

[mdavlee]

Hooray 562

 

[junkman]

Jason, I'll bet that is an ES bar, not an E bar.

Brian, I have never owned an Oregon bar in my life.

FYI, my uported 044 with my little mods (filter, muffler, timing base gasket delete) dynoed at 7.356 Hp on one run (average of 7 continuous data points) and 7.56 Hp on another (7 continuous data points with eliminating the high #). So, it did pretty well for a stock saw!

You should try one out ,my 32 oregon balances the 440 real nice , A 461 handlebar helps also .

 

[MustangMike]

I think this is just a very unusual saw. I have seen builders say that every saw (of the same model) has different#s, well this was one of the lucky ones that just came out right. I have also had a builder at a GTG tell me this is the strongest non ported 70 cc saw he has run.

I got this saw (044#1) new in Dec 1992. More recently I purchased 044#2 off Ebay. Both saws had dp muffs and HD-2 filters, but #1 was always a little stronger. So I sent #2 to Randy and it came back stronger than #1. Then I did a timing advance and gasket delete on #1 and now both saws are close to the same. (Note: both saws have KS jugs).

The best run for #2 on the dyno, computed the same way (the average of 7 consecutive data points) resulted in 7.538 Hp - No Complaints - a strong saw!

I will have to double check the #s, but I believe my MS440 made about 6.6 Hp with the same mods (no porting), and I am very pleased with how that saw runs. My brother, who has had a 460 for 12 years, said my 440 felt like a very strong light weight 460.

I seem to get better gains from 044/440s than I do from 046/460 with the "do at home" mods. Conversely, porting wakes up a 046/460 like I can't believe. IMO, unless you have a first year 046, everyone who has one should get it ported, the difference is phenomenal.

 

[MustangMike]

You should try one out ,my 32 oregon balances the 440 real nice , A 461 handlebar helps also .

It balances real nice with the 28" light, and there are not many trees around here that I need more than that to take down. When I do (usually a big Oak or Hard Maple) I will use one of the 046/460s.

I am curious what the weight is on a 32" Oregon, although I also have the 36" light bar, but do not normally leave it on a saw.

 

[junkman]

It balances real nice with the 28" light, and there are not many trees around here that I need more than that to take down. When I do (usually a big Oak or Hard Maple) I will use one of the 046/460s.

I am curious what the weight is on a 32" Oregon, although I also have the 36" light bar, but do not normally leave it on a saw.

The oregons feel a slight bit lighter than the es light ,but the es light is stiffer which is a plus when lining cuts up and using the bar to pry face cuts out ,i can cut most with a 28 also ,but at 6 foot the 32 lets me not bend over and arch the back as much ,that extra reach makes a difference limbing ,and keeps your face a few more inches away from danger .

 

[MustangMike]

I believe the trees you cut have much larger trunks, but generally smaller diameter branches than what we usually cut, hence the preference for different saw/bar length combos. I often see guys removing the limbs from evergreens by walking along the trunk with the tip of the saw pointed down.

With hardwoods, you generally can't do that. You walk next to the tree and reach up, sometimes as far as you can. I never like to limb with more than a 20" bar.

 

[junkman]

I believe the trees you cut have much larger trunks, but generally smaller diameter branches than what we usually cut, hence the preference for different saw/bar length combos. I often see guys removing the limbs from evergreens by walking along the trunk with the tip of the saw pointed down.

With hardwoods, you generally can't do that. You walk next to the tree and reach up, sometimes as far as you can. I never like to limb with more than a 20" bar.

Yes this is easier with our trees ,they have a long trunk to them ,not branchy like hardwoods

 

[mdavlee]

I limb hardwoods with my 34" lightweight a lot of time. Much easier with the reach. I'm really thinking of putting a 28" on the 562.

 

[jmssaws]

I always use a 24" falling and limb with the same saw usually a 064\066 or 395xp
We walk out by are self and work till out of gas.

24" is overkill most times,usually cut 18 to 20" trees and there hard! They grow slow in these hills and with tight growth rings there hard as steel.
A 044 with a 28" bar bore cutting hickory and white oak is not something I'm gonna use. A strong ported 395 can seem under powered at times,I hear all the time about small saws running long bars but there idea of running and mine must be two different things. My 460 has never had more than a 20" on it,if I need a longer bar I get a bigger saw.

 

[junkman]

I always use a 24" falling and limb with the same saw usually a 064\066 or 395xp
We walk out by are self and work till out of gas.

24" is overkill most times,usually cut 18 to 20" trees and there hard! They grow slow in these hills and with tight growth rings there hard as steel.
A 044 with a 28" bar bore cutting hickory and white oak is not something I'm gonna use. A strong ported 395 can seem under powered at times,I hear all the time about small saws running long bars but there idea of running and mine must be two different things. My 460 has never had more than a 20" on it,if I need a longer bar I get a bigger saw.

Whole different type of cutting here

 

[jmssaws]

Whole different type of cutting here

We do just the opposite here,big saws and short bars.

I'd love to go west and fall some big trees,maybe one day before I get to old.

 

[R2D]

Honestly I've never really liked a 044,never liked a 372 either.

There not small enough to be lite and not big enough to be super powerful.
There kind of a useless size to me.

Same thinking here.

 

[DELETED (Struggle)]

DW picked it up today and the idiot behind the counter didn't help my cause when he questioned how much it cost. He said something to the effect he had never seen on e that expensive before. Implement dealer so they don't sell a whole lot of pro level stuff. Wife wasn't impressed.

Sent from somewhere

 

[R2D]

DW picked it up today and the idiot behind the counter didn't help my cause when he questioned how much it cost. He said something to the effect he had never seen on e that expensive before. Implement dealer so they don't sell a whole lot of pro level stuff. Wife wasn't impressed.

Sent from somewhere

wait till ya use that bar a bit, then bring it in the kitchen again for pics.....wifey be REALLY impressed.

Nice bar. I need....errr....I want a 36 light! And a 24" maybe a 32" too