# Dates of Manufacture for the 028 ?



## Vernon Tull (Feb 11, 2008)

For the Stihl historians on the forum . . . 

I know these questions of manufacture date usually get the response to check Acre's reference site, but our Internet filter here blocks Acres and won't allow me to view it.

My first question is, what's the total span of manufacture for the 028? Was it 1977 to 1993? 

Secondly, if the 028 was and is the dependable workhorse that everyone claims, why did Stihl stop producing the saw? Thanks.


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## huskydave (Feb 11, 2008)

As far as I know 77 was the first year there are type1 type2 and woodboss versions and the saw evolved into the ms280.


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## HUSKYMAN (Feb 11, 2008)

huskydave said:


> As far as I know 77 was the first year there are type1 type2 and woodboss versions and the saw evolved into the ms280.



No it did not evolve into the 280, they are completely different saws. There is also the 028 Super with 51cc. 

Acres site does not list the last manufacture date of the 028


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## huskydave (Feb 11, 2008)

I should have said replaced. The supers I have seen were badged woodboss. I think there a few different styles.


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## Mad Professor (Feb 11, 2008)

huskydave said:


> As far as I know 77 was the first year there are type1 type2 and woodboss versions and the saw evolved into the ms280.



I think the "replacement " for the 028 was the 026. About the same power and lighter. 

I believe the main reason for dropping the 028 were similar powered saws by other man. had evolved into lighter saws.


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## adkranger (Feb 11, 2008)

Vernon Tull said:


> For the Stihl historians on the forum . . .
> 
> I know these questions of manufacture date usually get the response to check Acre's reference site, but our Internet filter here blocks Acres and won't allow me to view it.
> 
> ...



From Acres' site; start dates; 028AV 1977 43cc(42mm), 028AV Type 2 and Wood Boss 1979 47cc(44mm). No disconitued dates, but if memory serves 1993 or 4 sounds about right for when they disappeared from the catalog. The 028's big brother the 038 in the Mag II version continued on for several more years before succumbing to the 044. The 028 was replaced by the 026, which is basically an upgraded 024. The 026 is a very similar design to the 028 though lighter with the same power.

I've said it many times before, the 028 Super is my all time favorite Stihl model, stihl have two of 'em, and are my go to saws for middie work. They are not the fastest or lightest but their ability to just cut for years is unmatched. Though the 026 is every bit as good as the 028 it replaced I stihl prefer the rounded design of the original. Especially for pulling up through a canopy of a tree by the rear handle at the end of a rope while climbing. It has the best in-hand feel with a 16" bar of any saw I've ever used, something spec sheets just can't reflect. The 028's reputation for durability is well founded, I can attest to that, have more saw time on 028s than probably any other saw. I have never been let down on a job with one, ever. Only break downs I've experienced have been due to user neglect or poor maintenance. If Stihl decided to reproduce 028s tomorrow, I'd order two.

I'm not an insider, but my guess is that Stihl felt the need to increase the power to weight ratio in their middie line up due to the competition and thus the exit of the 028 and entrance of the 026. Many modern saw shoppers utilize spec sheets heavily in their decision making, just ask Saw Troll. Another reason(again from a layperson) is that companies feel the need every now and then to discontinue certain models to introduce new models to spark interest in their product line. Regardless of the popularity of said model, they sold every single 028 in the last years of production just like they did every ms440 in the last few years of it's production. I realize the 440 was sacrificed for EPA requirements as much as anything, but even without those requirements the 440 probably would have went away as well.

The new ms280 I'm sure is a product of trying to live off the 028's stellar reputation, though not exactly marketed to the same Pro market. It does share a few pro-like traits such as a mag case and it's profile does resemble the original somewhat. Just like Ford reintroducing the new/old Mustang, not exactly the same ole '68 fastback, but boy howdy she sure looks nice.....

Every serious sawyer needs to have at least one IMO.......


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## adkranger (Feb 11, 2008)

huskydave said:


> I should have said replaced. The supers I have seen were badged woodboss. I think there a few different styles.



The Wood Boss is 47cc(44mm) and the Super is 51cc(46mm). Different mufflers available as well. There were at least three I believe. Not sure when the Super was introduced, it's not on Acres' site. 



Maybe Lakeside will save the day with the particulars........................


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## HUSKYMAN (Feb 11, 2008)

huskydave said:


> The supers I have seen were badged woodboss.



I believe all the Woodbosses were 47cc's and only the Supers were 51cc. 
Here is an example of a Super, badged as a Super
http://cgi.ebay.com/Stihl-028-AV-Su...ageNameZWD7VQQcmdZViewItem?_trksid=p1638.m123


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## wadelong (Feb 11, 2008)

I just picked up a used 028 Super that needed a few parts. I picked up the parts from dozerdan. He is only a few blocks away from me. I asked him the same question about when did they build those saws. He showed me the dates from an old Stihl book from Keystone Stihl and I copied this. Type one was 1977-1979.
Type two was
028AV 1979-1980 028WB 1979-1980 028AVEQ 1979-1983 028AVSWB 1983-1990
Wade


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## huskydave (Feb 11, 2008)

This is what I was talking about. 028 super that is badged as a woodboss. 


http://cgi.ebay.com/028-AV-Super-St...638.m118.l1247QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting


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## Dapper Dan (Feb 11, 2008)

huskydave said:


> This is what I was talking about. 028 super that is badged as a woodboss.
> 
> 
> http://cgi.ebay.com/028-AV-Super-St...638.m118.l1247QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting



SO....Are the Super and the woodboss the same cc???


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## tanker (Feb 11, 2008)

Replaced my 028 super with an 034 super. Loved them both,wish I still had,em


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## HUSKYMAN (Feb 11, 2008)

huskydave said:


> This is what I was talking about. 028 super that is badged as a woodboss.
> 
> 
> http://cgi.ebay.com/028-AV-Super-St...638.m118.l1247QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting



Thanks Dave I had not seen one with a plate like that on it. It must be one of the latest versions. I believe ones like the one Dave posted are 51cc Wood Bosses, the other ones that say plain old Wood Boss are 47cc. My 028 says only 028 WB IIRC.


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## Dapper Dan (Feb 11, 2008)

I have been watching ebay a lot lately and have seen 028's badged 028av, 028 Woodboss, 028 Super and even 028 super woodboss.

Acres site says the woodboss 028 av is 47cc's, 028av 43cc's, 028 av type 2 47cc's, no mention of the Super (unless it is the "type 2"?????


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## HUSKYMAN (Feb 11, 2008)

I guess Mike just missed the 028 Super when he did his site, or didnt have any info on it. 

Its definitely the cream of the 028's


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## ralawler (Feb 11, 2008)

I've got a 028AV SUPER WOODBOSS, I love it . Run a 18" B&C .325. It fits perfecyly in with my 038mag. Its 51cc powerhead weight is about 12 pounds.
After runing the 038 awhile you don't notice the 12 pounds. Its not as fast as some of the new stuff, but I've never noticed a power problem. had the bar burried almost every time it comes out.


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## Vernon Tull (Feb 11, 2008)

huskydave said:


> This is what I was talking about. 028 super that is badged as a woodboss.
> 
> 
> http://cgi.ebay.com/028-AV-Super-St...638.m118.l1247QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting



The photo that you refer to, Dave, is very interesting because that badge is the rarest and most unusual of 028 Super badges. For most of the life cycle of the Super with the 51cc engine, it was simply badged as "028 Super" with no mention of "Wood Boss." Then in the Super's last year or two of production (whenever that was) the badge read "Super Wood Boss" with the word "super" in orange. *Also very interesting is that this last run of 028 Supers featured the first side chain tensioner ever available on the 028 and a see-through gas tank. * This development seems already to point to the evolution of the 028 into the 026.


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## huskydave (Feb 11, 2008)

That explains it my buddies had 028 supers they must have been late models. I liked the way they cut. I knew they had different badges but never saw an older one in person.


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## Vernon Tull (Feb 11, 2008)

A couple more photos to illustrate . . .


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## adkranger (Feb 11, 2008)

Yup, those pics of Vernon's are definitely late, late model.

The Wood Boss name was sort of interchangeable. Originals were 47cc(44mm), but it appears they added it to the Super's label near the end of the run. I seem to remember seeing/using a few of these too. The orange Super label kind of sticks out, like when the put the orange labeling on the 038 Mags about the same time period. The Super BTW is definitely 51cc(46mm) and Acres' site does not list them. My "newest" 028 Super does not have the "Wood Boss" on the shroud badge but did have that Wood Boss dude sticker on the clutch cover when it was "newer". It also does not have an opaque tank or side tensioner so it's late, but not the latest model produced. I agree with Vernon also that his is probably the very last incarnation of the 028 Super and probably rarest that I've seen. In very nice shape I might add..........


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## bcorradi (Feb 11, 2008)

Vernon Tull said:


> The photo that you refer to, Dave, is very interesting because that badge is the rarest and most unusual of 028 Super badges. For most of the life cycle of the Super with the 51cc engine, it was simply badged as "028 Super" with no mention of "Wood Boss." Then in the Super's last year or two of production (whenever that was) the badge read "Super Wood Boss" with the word "super" in orange. *Also very interesting is that this last run of 028 Supers featured the first side chain tensioner ever available on the 028 and a see-through gas tank. * This development seems already to point to the evolution of the 028 into the 026.


Excellent info Vernon. I did know there were "Super Wood Bosses" and I knew their displacement, but I didn't know they were the last 028 chronologically. I also knew that the last ones had the side tensioners, but I didn't realize they had a see through gas tank.

Whats also semi interesting and parallel...is I've seen 024 supers with both front and side tensioners. Wonder if the later side tensioning 024 supers came out roughly about the same time as the 028 "Super Wood Boss".


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## adkranger (Feb 12, 2008)

bcorradi said:


> Excellent info Vernon. I did know there were "Super Wood Bosses" and I knew their displacement, but I didn't know they were the last 028 chronologically. I also knew that the last ones had the side tensioners, but I didn't realize they had a see through gas tank.
> 
> Whats also semi interesting and parallel...is I've seen 024 supers with both front and side tensioners. Wonder if the later side tensioning 024 supers came out roughly about the same time as the 028 "Super Wood Boss".



Yeah, I remember seeing side tension before(though at the time I thought it was a conversion  ) but never an opaque tank. That's Super interesting...

Also, going strickly from my sometimes shaky memory I seem to recall the side tension on the 024 coming out about the same time as the 028 disappearing. The reason it sticks with me a bit is the tree outfit I was working with at the time was in serious quandry about what to use as a limbing/trimming/rear-handled bucket saw. 028s had filled that bill previously, they/we tried a few 024s but no one was really impressed with 'em and we were playing with a small Husky, 246 maybe?? But for some reason guys were frying them up, like to the tune of three or four of 'em in one bad month(to be fair I don't think it was the saw's fault, I think guys were tweakin' them in the field and the Huskys weren't as tolerant to this as the Stihls they were used to). Till finally the 026 arrived in our rigs which became the primary go to saw for the light work. This was in the years of 1989-91, not a Stihl timeline, just my recollection from my work history with one company's saw procurement........ We were stihl running the 038 Supers and Mags for many years after this. This was also the time period when we were replacing those old, all metal 020s.

If someone has a real, accurate Stihl chronology of the different models I would like to see it. It would be nice to either validate or completely dismiss my "recollections".............


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## Vernon Tull (Feb 12, 2008)

adkranger said:


> Also, going strickly from my sometimes shaky memory I seem to recall the side tension on the 024 coming out about the same time as the 028 disappearing. The reason it sticks with me a bit is the tree outfit I was working with at the time was in serious quandry about what to use as a limbing/trimming/rear-handled bucket saw. 028s had filled that bill previously, they/we tried a few 024s but no one was really impressed with 'em and we were playing with a small Husky, 246 maybe?? But for some reason guys were frying them up, like to the tune of three or four of 'em in one bad month(to be fair I don't think it was the saw's fault, I think guys were tweakin' them in the field and the Huskys weren't as tolerant to this as the Stihls they were used to). Till finally the 026 arrived in our rigs which became the primary go to saw for the light work. This was in the years of 1989-91, not a Stihl timeline, just my recollection from my work history with one company's saw procurement........ We were stihl running the 038 Supers and Mags for many years after this. This was also the time period when we were replacing those old, all metal 020s.



Very informative. Thanks adkranger and everyone else for a lively discussion.


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## adkranger (Feb 25, 2008)

I scored a 028 Super Woodboss last week, but it does not have Vernon's opaque fuel tank or side chain tensioner. It does have the same badge on top though, which tells me his is quite unique indeed. Maybe these last one's out of the factory were a little bit "parts bin" saws, using available pieces to finish up the production run. Makes for interesting shop talk in later years........


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## kkesler (Feb 25, 2008)

Vernon Tull said:


> The photo that you refer to, Dave, is very interesting because that badge is the rarest and most unusual of 028 Super badges. For most of the life cycle of the Super with the 51cc engine, it was simply badged as "028 Super" with no mention of "Wood Boss." Then in the Super's last year or two of production (whenever that was) the badge read "Super Wood Boss" with the word "super" in orange. *Also very interesting is that this last run of 028 Supers featured the first side chain tensioner ever available on the 028 and a see-through gas tank. * This development seems already to point to the evolution of the 028 into the 026.



Interesting. Not sure on the tank, but the 028AV Super I picked up last week has the side tensioner, and no mention of Wood Boss on the badge (and Super in black).


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