West Coast Saws 3 point felling dogs/spikes review

[Thumper88]

I just got a set for a 461 and HOLY SMOKES those things are big! I’m going to stick them on anyway and swap to a 28” Stihl light bar to see how they do. I’ve bent the Stihl dogs several times now, mainly from sticking my saw in the stump or on a log when swamping out my area. I do wish they would make a slightly smaller “east coast” version, lol. I will probably get a set for my 395 next. I do like the fact that the middle spike lines up with the chain!

If you decide you dont like them Ill give you your money back for them and can meet up to save shipping. My 064 needs a set and I havent ordered them yet.

 

[TINYHULK]

I have a set on my 500i. Stock besides the west coast upgrade kit (exhaust, suspension, 3 pt spikes, and 8 pin sprocket). I absolutely love the set up with my 32in bar and full skip chain. I will say if the saw is a little cold it will stall out if forcing the saw too hard. But when I find the sweet spot of pressure she falls through. As a climber, the 3pt spikes are annoying. in the bucket truck the spikes are so big they grab on to everything. Really annoying when your trying to maneuver a bucket and your shirt gets pulled away. On my harness it has stabbed my pants more than once. Good way to tear up your other gear. On the ground? love them. In the tree? no thank you

 

[davidwyby]

@chipper1

 

[Loony661]

I’ve got a set on my MS460 as well as my MS361. The 361 set is noticeably smaller in size and more preferred IMO. I also love that the middle spike aligns with the kerf on the bottom.. On my 460, it takes the 25” bar down to 21” of useable bar.. that’s my only complain. Otherwise, I love how they bite and roll through the cut when felling.

I lied, I have one last tiny complaint: I have bent them on the 460 a few times and had to straighten them out in the field with a vise grips.. Probably my own fault for jabbing the saw into a log to hold it while I jump/move around. It would be nice to see them a bit more bend resistant though. Otherwise, great product!

 

[Maintenance Chief]

I just put a set of Egan 3 points on my MS441.

 

[Big_6]

I put the Egan 3pt. on the 044. The 0 fo 6 got jealous,
so on go the Stihl 5pt. dogs.
In the end, the grinder came out and 2 teef came off and the o fo 6 was
rocking some Egans too!
Gotta love the bite these big dogs put in fellers and buckeroos!

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

 

[davidwyby]

missin' @Thumper88, hope you're well.

 

[Sierra_rider]

I'm running the 3 point WCS dogs on my 500i...I like them a lot and I dig the look too. Large falling dogs like these are useful on some of the thick-barked trees we have on the west coast.

Besides these, I've got a few others on other saws. My 400 runs the 4-point Pro-Safeties, while my 066 has the 5-point Pro-Safeties. I've got the stock 500i-R dogs on my 044 hybrid and have some rather agro 4-points(kinda look like old-school Stihl OEM dogs) on my other 044. I've also got a 372xpw with stock dogs.

Out of all those, I like the WCS 3-points and the 5-point PS the most for falling.

 

[sfg.Foley]

WCS are some a few manufactures that made the 3 points for echos. In m mind, specaly the 2511T/BH need thoose. The 3 Points are such an improvment that I didnt cautious the import tax and the shiping and put 3 WCS 3 Points of all of my Dogs (from 2511, 620, 3710) ... The biggiest improivment had the Milwaukee Battery Saw. They should do a deal that those saws get the WCS Dogs directly with ey whem you bug it.

I also missing the dogs for the Echo 501 and Echo 390. Would be a great deal because the saws are very similar from the outside. Not much work if you ask me. Also thees are small saws - the do not need a double dog setup. The 550 and Stihl 261 dont have two spikes from the factory. Theese saw are mainly made for delimbing, So a second dog would only destrub when delimbing.

Greetings

 

[davidwyby]

Thinking about lopping the bottom dog off so the point is higher/shorter and less likely to stall. I like the middle dog for levering thru hard wood, and the top one keeping my knuckles off the log.

 

[Loony661]

Thinking about lopping the bottom dog off so the point is higher/shorter and less likely to stall. I like the middle dog for levering thru hard wood, and the top one keeping my knuckles off the log.

View attachment 446260

Interesting…

 

[Woodpecker]

Thinking about lopping the bottom dog off so the point is higher/shorter and less likely to stall. I like the middle dog for levering thru hard wood, and the top one keeping my knuckles off the log.

View attachment 446260

I did the same with the set I had on my mmws 400. That bottom tine sticks out way too far. The extra leverage caused the saw chain to bog and stop way too easily for me. Sadly those dawgs got turned into a pretzel when a log smashed the saw. I’m trying a set of Egan dawgs now and like them more gooder.

 

[davidwyby]

It’s probably fine in softwood with square skip, but dry hard Euc and oak are unforgiving. Chain has to be a bit aggressive or it just skates, usually .404 and that low dog is just too low. If you look at the geometry, it’s pulling the saw/chain down into the wood.

 

[Woodslasher]

I've got Egan's on my 500i, I like 'em and they work just fine for me.

 

[Dustin4185]

I did the same with the set I had on my mmws 400. That bottom tine sticks out way too far. The extra leverage caused the saw chain to bog and stop way too easily for me. Sadly those dawgs got turned into a pretzel when a log smashed the saw. I’m trying a set of Egan dawgs now and like them more gooder.

.i swapped all mine to EPS spikes. The only issue i had was a couple sets had a hole too small for the roller chain catch stem. I had to drill it out which was a MFr! Not sure what steel he used, but it’s hard stuff.

 

[Loony661]

Have you guys been painting the Egan spikes, or leaving them raw steel?

 

[Woodpecker]

.i swapped all mine to EPS spikes. The only issue i had was a couple sets had a hole too small for the roller chain catch stem. I had to drill it out which was a MFr! Not sure what steel he used, but it’s hard stuff.

I think he said they were made out of ar500 steel. They make dozer blades out of the stuff.

Have you guys been painting the Egan spikes, or leaving them raw steel?

I left mine raw haven’t seen any rust but it’s only been a few months.

 

[Woodslasher]

I thought mine were coated, but they might not be. In either case, no rust and I've had the saw for ~1.5 years. I just double checked, uncoated AR500 is what he uses and no rust yet. I think bar oil should be a good rust repellent and between the stuff flinging off the bar and my occasional spills they're kept well coated. Kinda rambling now, but a lot of 056 big dogs came uncoated from the factory and 40+ years later they don't seem to have rust issues.

 

[Loony661]

I might have to give them a try - they sound over built and also a little more forgiving. The WCS 3 pts are nice, but very aggressive. I also have to hold back when starting into a cut.

 

[Woodpecker]

I thought mine were coated, but they might not be. In either case, no rust and I've had the saw for ~1.5 years. I just double checked, uncoated AR500 is what he uses and no rust yet. I think bar oil should be a good rust repellent and between the stuff flinging off the bar and my occasional spills they're kept well coated. Kinda rambling now, but a lot of 056 big dogs came uncoated from the factory and 40+ years later they don't seem to have rust issues.

Ed Zachary they get continuously misted with bar oil. I doubt rust will ever be an issue.