Bought a new Poulan Pro 5020 to see what there about

[Modifiedmark]

You all could save yourself a few bucks and get the clearance 50cc Craftsmans on Ebay. They look like the same saw. Probably returned on the Sears loaner program. Most of them don't look like they've may be cut a fallen branch and returned after the chain got loose.

You might get a deal on those but you might get hooked also. Better get em dang cheap, like less then $100 or you might as well just go buy one with a warranty.

Lowe's doesn't stock em here. Just a couple of green Poulans around $89-119, and one yellow model with a black top around $150. Little chance of getting a lightly used unit brought back by someone who just "borrowed" it after a windstorm took out a couple trees in his back yard, and returned it under Lowe's "no questions asked" return policy......Cliff

So you been shopping for one of these 5020's? :msp_biggrin:

Dont Cliff, there Poulans, you wont like them, they hate you. Seriously, this one aint for you, there a homeowner special that are only made to cut wood. They do seem to be a good homeowner special especially for what little they cost.

Hi Guys, I'm new around here, not new to saws tho, after reading this thread maybe I can add something. A couple of years ago I picked up a Poulan Farmhand 2900 46cc 20" bar with .325 chain so maybe a sprocket from one of these might fit the 5020. I gotta tell Ya how I got this saw, at a garage sale it was marked $7.00, not seventy, seven dollars, it looked nearly new and had 3 extra new chains still in plastic a scrench and a small bottle of oil.

I asked the Ladies what was wrong with it and they said it wouldn't start, I pulled it over and it had comp. so I gave em $7.00 took it home and pulled the top off and cleaned a 1/2" of crud off the air cleaner and it fired on the 3rd pull

John

Nope the 2900 sprocket will not work, too small dia to fit.

Like I said earlier, since there is a good selection of small Husky mount bars, there is no big reason to switch to .325 at this point. It seems to pull the 16" bar pretty darn good. I should get a couple of other 50cc saws in that same log so you can see its doing a pretty good job as that wood is hard.

 

[MS460WOODCHUCK]

I should get a couple of other 50cc saws in that same log so you can see its doing a pretty good job as that wood is hard.

This sounds like a pretty good idea there Mark! We'll be waiting...

 

[Cliff R]

"So you been shopping for one of these 5020's?

Dont Cliff, there Poulans, you wont like them, they hate you. Seriously, this one aint for you, there a homeowner special that are only made to cut wood. They do seem to be a good homeowner special especially for what little they cost."

Not the first bit interested in one, but thanks for looking out for me. I just happened to be in Lowe's grabbing a twin back of 52 DL 3/8 LP Oregon chain. I usually buy my chains from one of the AS sponsers, but had a gift certificate to use up at Lowe's. I took a look at the Poulan's they offered, the 5020 was not among them, not much more to it than that.....Cliff

 

[Vibes]

I was watching a few last week that went for around $70 plus shipping. Heck if they aren't what the buyer says, you can send them back on Ebay now probably easier than you can to Sears.

 

[Andyshine77]

Had a look at the 5020 a few hours ago, for the price it looked OK. I wouldn't say it's anything close to a 271 Stihl or a Husky 455 in overall quality, but remember the 5020 is less than half the price of the 271 or a 455, so yes I'd say it's a good buy.

Now I just looked over the saw, but I did see a few potential weak points. The rear handle that is part of the fuel tank seemed quite weak and it had a lot of flex, I wouldn't want to pull on it much at all. Like Mark said the filter didn't seem to fit all that tight, I could see making a simple clip or using a zip tie on the top to hold it down better. I can't say the filter is any worse than the lower end saw from the big names like Stihl or Husks, it may even be better. I mean both the much loved 260 and 361 had POS filters in my opinion.

Well that's my .02 I still may just pick one up. 179 bucks for a new 50cc saw is hard for a Poulan lover to simply overlook lol.

 

[Modifiedmark]

Had a look at the 5020 a few hours ago, for the price it looked OK. I wouldn't say it's anything close to a 271 Stihl or a Husky 455 in overall quality, but remember the 5020 is less than half the price of the 271 or a 455, so yes I'd say it's a good buy.

Now I just looked over the saw, but I did see a few potential weak points. The rear handle that is part of the fuel tank seemed quite weak and it had a lot of flex, I wouldn't want to pull on it much at all. Like Mark said the filter didn't seem to fit all that tight, I could see making a simple clip or using a zip tie on the top to hold it down better. I can't say the filter is any worse than the lower end saw from the big names like Stihl or Husks, it may even be better. I mean both the much loved 260 and 361 had POS filters in my opinion.

Well that's my .02 I still may just pick one up. 179 bucks for a new 50cc saw is hard for a Poulan lover to simply overlook lol.

Andy, I just dont see the rear handle weakness you speak of. The rear handle is NOT part of the fuel tank, it tied to the front handle and is spring mounted front and rear of the engine cradle. It dose seem to move pretty easy but I still dont see where that makes it weak.

I'm not sticking up for it, just pointing out somethings a look at the store might not show very easy.

The filter dont really concern me much at all. After running a full tank through it, there was nothing that I could see that made it past that filter. Remember this saw is air injected/super clean/ turbo whatever and it seems to work fine.

 

[aiwnios]

Just do this...

I second the liking the wrench holder, it really is something every saw could use.

 

[Andyshine77]

Andy, I just dont see the rear handle weakness you speak of. The rear handle is NOT part of the fuel tank, it tied to the front handle and is spring mounted front and rear of the engine cradle. It dose seem to move pretty easy but I still dont see where that makes it weak.

I'm not sticking up for it, just pointing out somethings a look at the store might not show very easy.

The filter dont really concern me much at all. After running a full tank through it, there was nothing that I could see that made it past that filter. Remember this saw is air injected/super clean/ turbo whatever and it seems to work fine.

Cool beans, like I said I just had a quick look at it, OK maybe not that quick. The rear handle on the clutch side where it turns upward seemed to flex quite a bit more than I like, and the top handle is pretty thin under the saw. Again we're talking about a 200 dollar saw.

Don't get me wrong the filter is a vast improvement over the older models, and any saw in the same price range, but it could be better, a rubber seal would surely help. I'm just glad to see Poulan making a viable homeowner saw that can compete with the big boy brands.

 

[Eccentric]

Northern Tool has the PP5020 on sale right now.

Poulan Pro Chain Saw — 50cc, 20in. Bar, Model# PP5020AV | Chain Saws | Northern Tool + Equipment

They've got it for $179.99. Regular price is $200.00. Was in the weekly email flyer I just got....

 

[Stevek90]

I liked the pic of the saw with the 16" Oregon power match bar. IMO those saws just look right with a 16" Prolite or Power match bar. I run a 16" prolite on my 295, I always cut oak and it seems decently matched when cutting near or full bar (for a little saw)

 

[PLMCRZY]

Poulan Pro Chain Saw — 50cc, 20in. Bar, Model# PP5020AV | Chain Saws | Northern Tool + Equipment

They've got it for $179.99. Regular price is $200.00. Was in the weekly email flyer I just got....

That one says it has a tool less chain tensioner. I wish I would hurry and heal up, I'm goin to test one doing a little volunteer work down here.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Modifiedmark]

That one says it has a tool less chain tensioner. I wish I would hurry and heal up, I'm goin to test one doing a little volunteer work down here.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Read it again you missed it saying no to the tooless adjuster.

 

[zogger]

That one says it has a tool less chain tensioner. I wish I would hurry and heal up, I'm goin to test one doing a little volunteer work down here.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

regular bar nuts on that one.

I noticed at the bottom of the ad two more cool saws, that poulan plug in electric 4hp, reviews are pretty good on that one, and that cool hydraulic that bolts to your tractor FEL. That's pretty slick. Two grand worth of slick, but cool.

 

[PLMCRZY]

Read it again you missed it saying no to the tooless adjuster.

Ya your right...


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[Pro_Marinero]

So I've lurked on this site for years but am finally pulling the trigger.

I bought one of the ebay Craftsman returns last week from TADD wholesale. Got it for $75 delivered. I had my eye on nicer looking ones but I was waiting for one with a visible defect. I ended up with one with the recoil rope pulled all the way out. I figured I was better off shooting for one of those than a brand-new looking model that someone didn't put pre-mix in.

It's in pretty good shape. It's dirty with sawdust, but not bad and the chain is in good shape. The compression was fine on the saw. I thought I had scored when I pulled the recoil housing off and the rope instantly spun back up. I figured I was good to go so I put it back on and again it wouldn't catch and hung up. I pulled it back off and saw the inner plastic hub on the recoil was scarred up. I've ordered a new one today so it will be a little while before I can put it together, and I ordered a whole extra recoil kit as well figuring it may be a weak point ($15 for all to my door). I'm excited to see how it does.

I would consider myself somewhere in the Joe Homeowner neighborhood. Although I don't know a ton about saw specifics like bars and chain, my dad was a dealer for years (Echo, Husky, Shindaiwa, Pioneer, Partner, and the merged P-P brand (he dropped it after they went to Poulan Pro)). and I can recognize a quality saw. I don't like to spend a lot on saws as I rarely need them. In fact, we recently had a big ice storm here in Puget Sound and I ended up with a lot of branches down. I easily took care of everything with my little Echo CS-3000. It's over-barred with a 16" bar but I use it for clearing trails on my motorcycle. I'm more about portability than cutting speed with it and I'm able to do whatever I come across on the Cascade trails I ride, so it works.

Anyway, when I had all the branches down I realized that it would be nice to have something with some more oomph for the longer days of cutting. My dad had an MS310 with 15 minutes on it in his shop a guy had given him after driving over it and breaking the rear handle. I tried to finagle that one but he had plans of selling it. After checking prices for used saws on Craigslist in the 3-3.5 inch range, I had no desire to spend that much. I looked at everything from Homelite XL's to Echo 670's. I really like Echo equipment and it's all I own, but I just couldn't justify that much for a saw. I even turned down a $350 brand-new 600p . As little as I use a saw, I could spend that money better other places. I stumbled on the bigger Craftsman after seeing one for sale on CL and did some searching on here. I read good things so I figured I would look for one. For $75 plus a few parts, I'm thrilled. :msp_w00t:

Anyway, just wanted to say thanks for justifying my purchase and being reasonable about what people really need. I get tired of "knowledgeable" people pushing Stihls or Huskys on people who are going to fire them up three times a year at best, and then make them feel stupid for buying an inexpensive brand. Tool quality is important, but it's also all about the use. I work on all of my own stuff but I honestly have a lot of Harbor Freight tools. If my livelihood was a mechanic, I would own Snap-On or Matco. The thing is... I'm not. Therefore my tools work great when I need them and I've saved my money for other stuff.

Appreciate everyone's objectivity in this comparison. Use over a lifetime is an important consideration when purchasing something of varying build qualities. My dad owns a Husky 66 and I think it's had two hours on it in 25 years. :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[rms61moparman]

So I've lurked on this site for years but am finally pulling the trigger.

I bought one of the ebay Craftsman returns last week from TADD wholesale. Got it for $75 delivered. I had my eye on nicer looking ones but I was waiting for one with a visible defect. I ended up with one with the recoil rope pulled all the way out. I figured I was better off shooting for one of those than a brand-new looking model that someone didn't put pre-mix in.

It's in pretty good shape. It's dirty with sawdust, but not bad and the chain is in good shape. The compression was fine on the saw. I thought I had scored when I pulled the recoil housing off and the rope instantly spun back up. I figured I was good to go so I put it back on and again it wouldn't catch and hung up. I pulled it back off and saw the inner plastic hub on the recoil was scarred up. I've ordered a new one today so it will be a little while before I can put it together, and I ordered a whole extra recoil kit as well figuring it may be a weak point ($15 for all to my door). I'm excited to see how it does.

I would consider myself somewhere in the Joe Homeowner neighborhood. Although I don't know a ton about saw specifics like bars and chain, my dad was a dealer for years (Echo, Husky, Shindaiwa, Pioneer, Partner, and the merged P-P brand (he dropped it after they went to Poulan Pro)). and I can recognize a quality saw. I don't like to spend a lot on saws as I rarely need them. In fact, we recently had a big ice storm here in Puget Sound and I ended up with a lot of branches down. I easily took care of everything with my little Echo CS-3000. It's over-barred with a 16" bar but I use it for clearing trails on my motorcycle. I'm more about portability than cutting speed with it and I'm able to do whatever I come across on the Cascade trails I ride, so it works.

Anyway, when I had all the branches down I realized that it would be nice to have something with some more oomph for the longer days of cutting. My dad had an MS310 with 15 minutes on it in his shop a guy had given him after driving over it and breaking the rear handle. I tried to finagle that one but he had plans of selling it. After checking prices for used saws on Craigslist in the 3-3.5 inch range, I had no desire to spend that much. I looked at everything from Homelite XL's to Echo 670's. I really like Echo equipment and it's all I own, but I just couldn't justify that much for a saw. I even turned down a $350 brand-new 600p . As little as I use a saw, I could spend that money better other places. I stumbled on the bigger Craftsman after seeing one for sale on CL and did some searching on here. I read good things so I figured I would look for one. For $75 plus a few parts, I'm thrilled. :msp_w00t:

Anyway, just wanted to say thanks for justifying my purchase and being reasonable about what people really need. I get tired of "knowledgeable" people pushing Stihls or Huskys on people who are going to fire them up three times a year at best, and then make them feel stupid for buying an inexpensive brand. Tool quality is important, but it's also all about the use. I work on all of my own stuff but I honestly have a lot of Harbor Freight tools. If my livelihood was a mechanic, I would own Snap-On or Matco. The thing is... I'm not. Therefore my tools work great when I need them and I've saved my money for other stuff.

Appreciate everyone's objectivity in this comparison. Use over a lifetime is an important consideration when purchasing something of varying build qualities. My dad owns a Husky 66 and I think it's had two hours on it in 25 years. :hmm3grin2orange:

Dang!

I wish I'd have said that!!!


Oh wait,..............................................I believe I HAVE said the very same thing several times!
It is nice to be vindicated.........thanks!


Mike

 

[Modifiedmark]

Pro_Marinero, Good post and welcome.

You make a lot of sense with that post as well and it is 100% right on for alot of people, and it just so happens that most of the average chainsaw buyers and users are not AS members.

I think these PP/Sears 5020's will be a good choice for lots of those people and truth be told it would probably suffice for more then a few members here as well.

 

[nick 55]

Like these guys said, welcome aboard. Just don't spend too much time here or you will end up like us and have way too many saws. Some of which are sought out for being absolute cherry, near NOS works of magnesium art that none of your "normal" friends will ever understand. Kind of like that 40 year old that collects comic books and goes to the Star Trek conventions wearing Klingon costumes. I swear, some of us probably have Poulan/Stihl/Husqvarna/Homelite/etc pajamas they sleep in at night.

No harm intended.

Nick

 

[zogger]

So I've lurked on this site for years but am finally pulling the trigger.

I bought one of the ebay Craftsman returns last week from TADD wholesale. Got it for $75 delivered. ......
Appreciate everyone's objectivity in this comparison. Use over a lifetime is an important consideration when purchasing something of varying build qualities. My dad owns a Husky 66 and I think it's had two hours on it in 25 years. :hmm3grin2orange:

Hey cool, good price. I'd like to get one eventually. Looking forward to a longer review when you go out and cut more with it.

 

[barneyrb]

Well, I got one in that will go under the knife shortly. It is the black (sears) version and I've already pulled the muffler and this saw is brand new.

It's going to be a couple of weeks before it's turn comes up in the shop but it will get a higher compression piston, ported, polished, and I fully intend to find the breaking point (if there is one). I will take full pictures of the internals and post them in this thread.

So before anyone starts asking that saw is 17th in line right now.