Husqvarna 550xp mark 2 or Stihl ms261

[JLS]

I think Stihl did a gas cap recall in 2011 for the "flippy" caps that were leaking. I've got a lot of Stihl saws and never had a gas cap leak problem, although one of my saws was included in the recall, so I got a new "flippy cap" for that one.

A chainsaw shop was saying that when Husky started selling saws at big box stores and local ma & pa hardware stores, when the owners had a problem and took it back to the place they bought it, they'd tell them to take it to his shop for warranty work.

He went on to say that one guy had bought a saw at I think a JD dealership (may have been a few years ago, IDK if JD sells them now or not.. for that matter it may not have even been a JD dealer) and they hadn't prepped it before he left the store. Got home and couldn't get it to stay running. Within an hour or two of purchase he went back to the place he bought it and said I can't get it to stay running. They told him they didn't have small engine mechanics, they just sold them - to take it to this guys Husky Dealer saw shop and he'd deal with it under warranty.

He said that kind of thing was running dedicated Husky dealers out of business, that these nationwide chains could sell the saws cheaper than he could, so he wasn't selling that many Husky saws, but was getting all the saws to do massive paperwork on to get paid, etc.

I've often gripped about the cost of things from a Stihl Dealer, but I do like the dealer network they have.

If you're handy you can get Husky parts online whereas genuine Stihl parts are not that easy to source outside of dealers. They tend to protect their dealers in that regard anyway.

I have Nephews that have a ton of Husky stuff and they run hard, and have been very trouble free for them. (Neither are overly brand loyal, as they each have Stihl MS462's and one has a 261 while the other has an older 461)

I've just had Stihl my whole life and haven't had any real issues at all. But mostly older Stihl's are particular on the cold starting technique as "Scissors" noted above.

TBH I don't think you can go wrong with either brand.

 

[Mitjam]

Leaking gas cap problem? Never heard about that and have been running Stihls for decades.

I truly don’t know as I don’t have a stihl that’s just what I was seeing on YouTube some of the complaints. But most are saying bar oil. And I agree I have I have a bunch of older gas saws always wet with bar oil sitting ,even the new Milwaukee electric leaks out sitting I just know now to empty if gonna be sitting for a while.

 

[whatsupdoc]

LOL reminds me of years ago guys claiming that carbs were better
than the scary electronic fuel injection. The same guys were out in the cold bitter days with screwdrivers holding their chokes open to get their cars started.

I have three saws and the one that always starts easy is my
562XP with electronic carb. As long as you follow the starting
procedure exactly it will start every time any any weather.

I worked for a outfit that had over 150 chainsaws (not rental)
and we repaired them in house. We had 90% Stihl saws and they
were very reliable even though they were operated by knuckleheads.

Repairs were either they dropped the saw or they ran it on straight gas.

Husky or Stihl both make good saws, I doubt either will disappoint.

 

[Mitjam]

I think Stihl did a gas cap recall in 2011 for the "flippy" caps that were leaking. I've got a lot of Stihl saws and never had a gas cap leak problem, although one of my saws was included in the recall, so I got a new "flippy cap" for that one.

A chainsaw shop was saying that when Husky started selling saws at big box stores and local ma & pa hardware stores, when the owners had a problem and took it back to the place they bought it, they'd tell them to take it to his shop for warranty work.

He went on to say that one guy had bought a saw at I think a JD dealership (may have been a few years ago, IDK if JD sells them now or not.. for that matter it may not have even been a JD dealer) and they hadn't prepped it before he left the store. Got home and couldn't get it to stay running. Within an hour or two of purchase he went back to the place he bought it and said I can't get it to stay running. They told him they didn't have small engine mechanics, they just sold them - to take it to this guys Husky Dealer saw shop and he'd deal with it under warranty.

He said that kind of thing was running dedicated Husky dealers out of business, that these nationwide chains could sell the saws cheaper than he could, so he wasn't selling that many Husky saws, but was getting all the saws to do massive paperwork on to get paid, etc.

I've often gripped about the cost of things from a Stihl Dealer, but I do like the dealer network they have.

If you're handy you can get Husky parts online whereas genuine Stihl parts are not that easy sources outside of dealers. They tend to protect their dealers in that regard anyway.

I have Nephews that have a ton of Husky stuff and they run hard, and have been very trouble free for them. (Neither are overly brand loyal, as they each have Stihl MS462's and one has a 261 while the other has an older 461)

I've just had Stihl my whole life and haven't had any real issues at all. But mostly older Stihl's are particular on the cold starting technique as "Scissors" noted above.

TBH I don't think you can go wrong with either brand.

Thank you. Ya my stihl dealer and husqvarna dealer are right across street from each other but neither have these saws in stock. Might drive to city one day let wife go to Costco and I’ll go look at saws in person pick them up and feel which one feels better. And see if and what price difference there is.

 

[Mitjam]

I have 2 Stihl MS261’s. I’ve had them for years. Never had a problem with them … ever. The professional grade Stihl saws are absolutely the way to go IMO.

Husky makes a great product as well. Both of my weed eaters are Husky & have been running for decades plus. My son has cut miles of fence line without issue w our Husky’s.

I’m just a Stihl guy for chainsaws. Our Stihl dealer close by is just fantastic.

I would absolutely go with the 18in bar. That bar length lets you maximize the 261’s cutting ability. I’ve got a 462 & a 500i for the bigger stuff. The 261’s are the saws I grab 9 out of 10 times.

They just run. Keep us posted.

Thank you. For the comment

 

[JimmyJazz]

I just bought a Stihl MS462 and went out of my way to avoid the m-tronic self tuning version. It probably works great until it doesn’t. Then you have no choice but to take to a dealer. When I need to adjust mine I just use a screwdriver. I went with Stihl over Husky simply because of dealers and price. Stihl dealers are everywhere around me.

I have had my MS462 with the self tuning feature for several years and have experienced no problems. A few times in order to tune it you run it wide open for about 45 seconds and that does the trick. It is a ferocious wood eating beast. Its best to operate it while wearing a flannel shirt and a grin. Its the epitome of manliness.

 

[Flintknapper]

MS462 . It is a ferocious wood eating beast. Its best to operate it while wearing a flannel shirt and a grin. Its the epitome of manliness.

^^^^
Great saw for sure.

I get out my SOLO 603 if I need to feel 'manly', but honestly...the older I get, the heavier it feels.

 

[Lil Foot]

 

[Botamon]

I have 4 different chainsaws - 2 Homelite, 1 Stihl, 1 Earthquake. None of them have ever leaked gas out the cap. ALL leak bar oil!

 

[Flintknapper]

I have 4 different chainsaws - 2 Homelite, 1 Stihl, 1 Earthquake. None of them have ever leaked gas out the cap. ALL leak bar oil!

Same here.

I have 7 chainsaws....none leak gas out of the cap, ALL leak bar oil to some degree.

 

[JohnDB]

To those who replied saying that their saws leaked bar oil: thanks, I didn't realise that it was so common, I need to become more accepting of that 'feature' of my saw. (My wifes Stihl MS171 doesn't leak other than what's on the bar, will try to figure out why one day...)

 

[Botamon]

Only way I've found to NOT have a chainsaw leaking bar oil is to drain the oil as soon as I'm done using the saw. Storing the saw on its side so that the oiling port is pointed up helps also.

 

[hedgerow]

I have two 261's one is Mtronics model and one isn't. I have zero troubles with either. When I was younger and before two shoulder surgery's my 461 was my go to saw. The 261's are my go to saws now. I cut 15-20 cord a year of hedge firewood. {Osage Orange}.

 

[fc1]

My 261c is about 4 years old now; the only issue was a worn-out plug making it difficult to start/keep running. It's usually oily on the bottom, but no fuel leaks.
Starts 3rd or 4th pull, every time, regardless of temperature.

Would buy again.

Agree on PPE; I have Stihl chaps and a Tasco helmet with integrated ears and mesh shield.

Pro tip: raise the mesh shield before spitting out sawdust.

 

[Mitjam]

My 261c is about 4 years old now; the only issue was a worn-out plug making it difficult to start/keep running. It's usually oily on the bottom, but no fuel leaks.
Starts 3rd or 4th pull, every time, regardless of temperature.

Would buy again.

Agree on PPE; I have Stihl chaps and a Tasco helmet with integrated ears and mesh shield.

Pro tip: raise the mesh shield before spitting out sawdust.

Thank you. I’m leaning more towards the stihl right now lighter weight and more dealers make it more appealing but I’m sure can’t go wrong with either

 

[David Page]

Been cutting firewood for 50 years, have an outside boiler. Usually cut 10 to 12 cord of firewood each year. Have had Homelites, Partners and Stihl's. MS034, MS025, MS362 and a couple of years ago my MS261. If I could only have one it would be the 261. Cuts about anything I find in Maine.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

Hello all. I wondering who out there can share some good and bad about these saws. I know it all comes down to choice can’t go wrong with either, juts would like to hear more experience. I’m not brand loyal but I use husqvarna brush cutters with trimmer heads all day at work in summer and they just go so that’s what I stick with. I have way more stihl dealers around me. I’m not worried about cut speed as most stuff I’m bucking up is 12 inch and smaller. I know I don’t need a professional saw but I do like them better than the less expensive homeowner/ rancher saw. Would like to hear about reliability and any issues? Thanks for any feedback

Husqvarna is a bit less expensive, and STIHL is more reliable, especially since Husqvarna moved most of their manufacturing to China. STIHL moved some consumer parts to China, Professional saws are still German and U.S.A. made last I heard. With that said you're probably better off looking at ECHO (Japanese) vs Husqvarna if you're interested in longevity and price.

Comparing equal CCs, Husqvarna generally cuts faster than STIHL, and Husqvarna engines burn out faster--that's just the way it goes when getting more power out of the same size engine, no fault to either brand.

STIHL tends to start easier as they age, there are several factors involved which mainly come down to Husky's initial savings using less expensive parts that don't last as long, especially with the newer China-built Huskys. I know that's a contention Husky owners have, they say they start better than STIHL and when new in some cases that's true, but every older saw I've seen will stretch the owner's arms while all my STIHL saws from 1 year old to about 50 years old start in 4 pulls or less, which just makes Husky owners even madder--and really there's no need for that, the owners of older Husky's paid less initially and with a teardown and rebuild they'll be as good as new.

On that, if you plan on keeping the saw a long time, STIHL Pro saws cost a lot less, which is why professional tree trimming crews use them (dare I say "exclusively"). The Pro saws have a separate sprocket which is inexpensive to replace as it wears and allows the operator to "change the gearing" as the job dictates, so when running a longer bar on a bigger log you can put a smaller sprocket on and save wear on the engine, bar, and chain.

Some of these new saws have "fancy" ways of starting - easy start recoils. Not sure I favor those - the decompression button works well on them however.

Some of the newer stihls are trying to make the saw lighter by making the bar and chain lighter. .050 gauge has been around a long time and it seems to be the norm over the heavier .063 gauge bar and chains.

The elastomer pull handles on Pro saws is because two-stroke engines can run forward or backwards, so if a slow pull on the higher-compression Pro (vs Farm or Consumer saws) causes one to pop-off in reverse it doesn't dislocate the operator's fingers.

The light bars bend easier. I have Tsumara, Sugi Hara, and STIHL light bars, STIHL are the lightest, Sugi the hardest and longest lasting though most expensive, and Tsumara the most affordable (and they spring back after getting twisted up in a windfall). I run light bars when possible because most of my saws run 0.063" gauge chain--which is pretty uncommon in the U.S. so most people want to run .050" for availability reasons.

Ya I have read lots of ppl having issues with the stihl gas caps leaking, some say if you relieve pressure before and after use it prevents problem. Also ethanol free gas is suppose to help as well. From what I read

When the U.S. EPA mandated ethanol the blend wasn't what STIHL expected and some caps did leak, the solution is to buy an updated O-ring. Some people hate "flippy caps" and some love them, I think they're overly-complex however work "pretty well." STIHL does have a cool-down "problem" where the air in the tank expands after turning off the engine, which also stops the cooling fan from blowing air over the engine and out the right side, so the heat radiates into the tank and builds pressure due to the one-way valve only letting air in (stopping gas fumes from escaping and igniting). Even opening a non-toolless cap slowly will belch gas vapor, the solution is to let the engine idle for a minute after use, shut it off, sharpen the chain, then fuel it. Not a great solution given the complexity of the cap (and associated price), but it is what it is. My Sears - MTD - Chinese Johnsred clone has the "spin me 12 times" cap and doesn't belch gas fumes, but also isn't as nice as STIHL's 45°-turn flip-cap--it is fast.

I just bought a Stihl MS462 and went out of my way to avoid the m-tronic self tuning version. It probably works great until it doesn’t. Then you have no choice but to take to a dealer. When I need to adjust mine I just use a screwdriver. I went with Stihl over Husky simply because of dealers and price. Stihl dealers are everywhere around me.

STIHL's M-TRONIC carb was initially licensed technology from Husqvara, and STIHL didn't have the most reliable electronic valves, but they fixed that and now it's reliable and pretty darn sweet--unless you're tweaking the saw for performance outside the window of M-TRONIC adjustment maps, then you need a computer. For most people any recent M-TRONIC is great. The STIHL carbs are the best saw carbs I've seen, either in M-TRONIC or manual adjust.

ECHO has older "Pro-sumer" technology at very affordable prices (for the quality), unlike STIHL parts are available on-line, on-line manuals are free, and of course ECHO's older technology is easy to maintain and very reliable. Parts are also reasonably priced and refill available when last I checked.

Husqvarna is fast, light, and doesn't vibrate much (they're smooth saws). The switch to China has made the ones I've seen not as reliable as older saws, and repair parts became hard to get on average and are way overpriced.

STIHL Pro is expensive initially. I find them easy to perform regular service on, I like their tear-down better than other brands but perhaps it's because they're all built similarly (and designed well) though some people don't like working on them, and the long-term ownership is not much in the way of maintenance or expense, and they're really reliable if maintained (annual cleaning does wonders). Parts are "usually" available in this post-COVID world, but only sold through dealer networks and many are OMG expensive--thankfully those are rarely needed.

There's "no best saw," only what's best for you. I run mainly STIHL though as mentioned other people prioritize differently and Husqvarna or ECHO or old McCullough saws are better for them (and sometimes me too).

At least that's the way I see it, your mileage and experience may vary.

 

[Mitjam]

Husqvarna is a bit less expensive, and STIHL is more reliable, especially since Husqvarna moved most of their manufacturing to China. STIHL moved some consumer parts to China, Professional saws are still German and U.S.A. made last I heard. With that said you're probably better off looking at ECHO (Japanese) vs Husqvarna if you're interested in longevity and price.

Comparing equal CCs, Husqvarna generally cuts faster than STIHL, and Husqvarna engines burn out faster--that's just the way it goes when getting more power out of the same size engine, no fault to either brand.

STIHL tends to start easier as they age, there are several factors involved which mainly come down to Husky's initial savings using less expensive parts that don't last as long, especially with the newer China-built Huskys. I know that's a contention Husky owners have, they say they start better than STIHL and when new and in some cases that's true, but every older saw I've seen will stretch the owner's arms while all my STIHL saws from 1 year old to about 50 years old start in 4 pulls or less, which just makes Husky owners even madder--and really there's no need for that, the owners of older Husky's paid less initially and with a teardown and rebuild they'll be as good as new.

On that, if you plan on keeping the saw a long time, STIHL Pro saws cost a lot less, which is why professional tree trimming crews use them (dare I say "exclusively"). The Pro saws have a separate sprocket which is inexpensive to replace as it wears and allows the operator to "change the gearing" as the job dictates, so when running a longer bar on a bigger log you can put a smaller sprocket on and save wear on the engine, bar, and chain.

View attachment 145336


The elastomer pull handles on Pro saws is because two-stroke engines can run forward or backwards, so if a slow pull on the higher-compression Pro (vs Farm or Consumer saws) causes one to pop-off in reverse it doesn't dislocate the operator's fingers.

The light bars bend easier. I have Tsumara, Sugi Hara, and STIHL light bars, STIHL are the lightest, Sugi the hardest and longest lasting though most expensive, and Tsumara the most affordable (and they spring back after getting twisted up in a windfall). I run light bars when possible because most saws run 0.063" gauge chain--which is pretty uncommon in the U.S. so run .050" for availability reasons.

View attachment 145333


When the U.S. EPA mandated ethanol the blend wasn't what STIHL expected and some caps did leak, the solution is to buy an updated O-ring. Some people hate "flippy caps" and some love them, I think they're overly-complex however work "pretty well." STIHL does have a cool-down "problem" where the air in the tank expands after turning off the engine, which also stops the cooling fan from blowing air over the engine and out the right side, so the heat radiates into the tank and builds pressure due to the one-way valve only letting air in (stopping gas fumes from escaping and igniting). Even opening a non-toolless cap slowly will belch gas vapor, the solution is to let the engine idle for a minute after use, shut it off, sharpen the chain, then fuel it. Not a great solution given the complexity of the cap (and associated price), but it is what it is. My Sears - MTD - Chinese Johnsred clone has the "spin me 12 times" cap and doesn't belch gas fumes, but also isn't as nice as STIHL's 45°-turn flip-cap--it is fast.

View attachment 145334


STIHL's M-TRONIC carb was initially licensed technology from Husqvara, and STIHL didn't have the most reliable electronic valves, but they fixed that and now it's reliable and pretty darn sweet--unless you're tweaking the saw for performance outside the window of M-TRONIC adjustment maps, then you need a computer. For most people any recent M-TRONIC is great. The carbs are the best

View attachment 145335

ECHO has older "Pro-sumer" technology at very affordable prices (for the quality), unlike STIHL parts are available on-line, on-line manuals are free, and of course ECHO's older technology is easy to maintain and very reliable.

Husqvarna is fast, light, and doesn't vibrate much (they're smooth saws). The switch to China has made the ones I've seen not as reliable as older saws, and repair parts became hard to get on average.

STIHL Pro is expensive initially. I find them easy to perform regular service on, I like their tear-down better than other brands but perhaps it's because they're all built similarly (and designed well) though some people don't like working on them, and the long-term ownership is not much in the way of maintenance or expense, and they're really reliable if maintained (annual cleaning does wonders).

At least that's the way I see it, your mileage and experience may vary.

View attachment 145337

Thank you so much so much for the reply I have looked at some just online. I still want to check and hold the saw the Kubota dealer where I spend all my money is also an echo dealer but they don’t know much about product. People seem to say echo may not be the fastest/ best options but seem very reliable for most part.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

Thank you so much so much for the reply I have looked at some just online. I still want to check and hold the saw the Kubota dealer where I spend all my money is also an echo dealer but they don’t know much about product. People seem to say echo may not be the fastest/ best options but seem very reliable for most part.

You're welcome.

I keep "almost buying" ECHO saws, if I were starting from scratch I'd buy ECHO because they're reliable, affordable, "easily fixable" and parts and manuals are cheap and available. They're heavier and slower, but not much heavier nor much slower. Some parts are plastic, some parts aren't super reliable, but over-all they're excellent saws when you consider everything you're getting.

STIHL is more like a high-end luxury car, and Husqvarna like the finicky race car, both being expensive but doing what other saws don't do. I kind of joke the reason you can't run a Husqvarna at STIHL Timbersports is because they'd always win, until year three when they'd all burn up. (That of course is untrue.)

 

[Mitjam]

You're welcome.

I keep "almost buying" ECHO saws, if I were starting from scratch I'd buy ECHO because they're reliable, affordable, "easily fixable" and parts and manuals are cheap and available. They're heavier and slower, but not much heavier nor much slower. Some parts are plastic, some parts aren't super reliable, but over-all they're excellent saws when you consider everything you're getting.

STIHL is more like a high-end luxury car, and Husqvarna like the finicky race car, both being expensive but doing what other saws don't do. I kind of joke the reason you can't run a Husqvarna at STIHL Timbersports is because they'd always win, until year three when they'd all burn up. (That of course is untrue.)

View attachment 145381

lol. Like I said I prob don’t need a pro saw but everyone that has one said there is no comparison to a standard homeowner saw. I know the cost is a lot more but if it makes the job a bit easier and faster then perfect