Buying a new saw need opinions

[KingMaker]

First time poster, I would appreciate some advice.

Earlier this week I laid my trusty Husky 55 (yeah, she'd been with me a while) to rest. A moment of silence if you please.... as Amazing Grace plays softly in the background....


So, I need a new saw. I'm no professional logger, live on a Farm in South Mississippi, cut fire wood in the winter, a few trees here and there when we need lumber for barn repairs, ect. My Husky was pretty idea for what I need in a saw.

I've looked at several different saws:

Husky 455e
Dolmar 5100
Cub Cadet 5220

Any opinions on these saws or a possible saw in that range? I don't make my living with this saw so I don't want to spend a ton on it, but I do want a good reliable saw that I can get serviced.

 

[computeruser]

This post would be happier in the Chainsaw forum, but here it goes:

Skip the 455. Look at the 346 and 353.

Dolmar - 5100/5105 would work great.

Efco/CubCadet - the 5220 is a step down from the above saws, in terms of design, but otherwise a good saw. The 56xx series is built better, in my opinion, with less plastic in critical places; its build is similar to the Husqvarna and Dolmars listed above.

Might it be easier/cheaper to just rebuild your 55, if it got the job done for all this time? Bearings, seals, new piston/rings, and some rubber bits, and she might be back in action for another 10-20 years...food for thought, anyway.

Welcome to the site!

 

[KingMaker]

This post would be happier in the Chainsaw forum, but here it goes:

Skip the 455. Look at the 346 and 353.

Dolmar - 5100/5105 would work great.

Efco/CubCadet - the 5220 is a step down from the above saws, in terms of design, but otherwise a good saw. The 56xx series is built better, in my opinion, with less plastic in critical places; its build is similar to the Husqvarna and Dolmars listed above.

Might it be easier/cheaper to just rebuild your 55, if it got the job done for all this time? Bearings, seals, new piston/rings, and some rubber bits, and she might be back in action for another 10-20 years...food for thought, anyway.

Welcome to the site!

Took my 55 to two different shops and both wanted a little less than $300 to fix it, I am going to keep it, my cousin has a 51 that still runs ok and most of the parts are interchangeable.

 

[climber338]

If 55 worked out great for you then i would go ahead and get the husky 359. I have the 455e and the thing is so heavy for how much power it has. My buddy has the 359 and that thing is awsome when it comes to power and wieght. Also i really dont like the tooless adjuster on mine it tends to come loose. If the 359 is out of your price range get the regular 455 with an 18 inch bar on that thing and you will be good. My other buddy has that set up and his screams but its nothing like the 359. I dont really know much about dolmar but from what ive heard they are pretty good saws. Go to a good dealer not a box store to get the saw. My .02

 

[euroford]

I swapped out from a 455 w/ 20" to a 372xp w/ RW 28" and the new setup is 2 pounds lighter than the 455, vastly more powerful and lets me cut without crouching over.

if you got the money, i would suggest nothing less.

 

[Taxmantoo]

Efco/CubCadet - the 5220 is a step down from the above saws, in terms of design, but otherwise a good saw. The 56xx series is built better, in my opinion, with less plastic in critical places; its build is similar to the Husqvarna and Dolmars listed above.

Actually, Cub Cadet calls the 56cc model 57xx.

This just can't be beat for $300:
http://www.amazon.com/Cub-Cadet-CS-5720-Commercial/dp/B002LVVB4A