Husky Plastic

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bushrat

ArboristSite Lurker
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Feb 15, 2005
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Location
Northwest Territories, Canada
Anyone haveing problems with top shroud covering carb cracking on new husky model's? I am on my third . Dealer says I am letting go of pull cord and it is cracking shroud when it re-coils. I no this isn't happening but can't prove it.
 
I know of at least one 066 Stihl that cracked its top cover when kickback of the cord handle hit the saw. I rather doubt that the recoil springs power by itself would do it, but kickback sure will.
 
Purchase an Elasto-Start handle at your stihl dealer for your size saw and install on your Husky, this should help with your problem.
 
I would think the cover should handle a smack from a plastic starter handel, but then what do I know.
This would not happen to be a 357 would it?
 
Hi Bushrat, I noticed you are from the NWT. The wood is pretty hard up there I'll bet so close to the treeline.
Your problem may be the extreme cold causing the cracking.
I liked the Wildcat Cafe in Yellowknife.
John
 
:blob5: I really don't know about plastic quality, but "felt quality" (the impression it gives when looking, knocking and handling) seems better on my H 353, than on the MS 361.
 
Thanks for the replies guys. I am running the 345 and Gypo logger you are right I am a fair bit south of the treeline but generally running at around -30c . I feel this plastic is cheap and shouldn't break on a saw which I paid 600 bucks for. I am trying to make a case with the dealer .He is telling me that Husky hasn't heard of any problems and I just can't beleive it.Husky has always made tough products in the past but it seems to me that things have changed.
 
bushrat said:
I feel this plastic is cheap and shouldn't break on a saw which I paid 600 bucks for.


Are you talking about a 45 cc 345 model ?
 
I haven't had any particular top cover breakage problems with any of the Husky models - once in a while a logger will break one of the little air filter covers, but nothing repetitive that I've experienced.
The cold weather does make everything more brittle in my opinion, but I haven't seen it make a huge difference.
Are you possibly over-tightening the screws holding it down and stressing it? Just a thought.
 
bushrat said:
Anyone haveing problems with top shroud covering carb cracking on new husky model's? I am on my third . Dealer says I am letting go of pull cord and it is cracking shroud when it re-coils. I no this isn't happening but can't prove it.

Plastic is still plastic not steel! At very low temperatures plastic becomes brittle :rolleyes: I would be very mad too if my saw plastic broke but on the other hand i would be even more mad if the saw was made of steel and i had to carry it around very long! If the saw was made to operated at those temperatures and the recoil really did break the plastic..........then i would say there is an engineering flaw in design and you should be able to get it replaced with something superior.
 
Paul Bunyan said:
i would be even more mad if the saw was made of steel and i had to carry it around very long!


Is that ever the truth. ;)

Keep them light ! :)
 
plastic can become very brittle in the cold. I've had very rubbery plastic that is meant to be mishapen shatter at around 0 F. So rigid plastic such as on a saw at -22F would not be surprising that it were to be very susceptible to cracking.
 
Bushrat,

I had a 359 that had a broken grip switch, you know, the raised switch under the palm of the hand, what Stihl calls the "large grip interlock lever." It broke day one of use on one saw. I don't know if it was cracked when I bought it, but I know for sure I babied it that day and never dropped it, or anything on it. I can't say, but can only hope that the part you are describing isn't made of the same plastic. Not to take away from the previous posts, because I certainly agree, but FWIW, It was warm that day.
 
One day in northwest Colorado, at about -30°F the metal swinging-cover over the trunk keyhole broke off when I pivoted it, on my '72 Ford LTD.  Everything gets brittle at severe cold temperatures.
 
glens said:
One day in northwest Colorado, at about -30°F the metal swinging-cover over the trunk keyhole broke off when I pivoted it, on my '72 Ford LTD.  Everything gets brittle at severe cold temperatures.

So true !
 
bushrat said:
Thanks for the replies guys. ..........I feel this plastic is cheap and shouldn't break on a saw which I paid 600 bucks for. ...................

I thought saw were cheaper in the great north. A 345 is nowhere close to that here even in your currency.

Bill
 
O.k. Brittle In The Cold Ya. I Wouldn't Have A Problem With That Accept I Have A Poulan Which I Use Around The House And Haven't Had A Problem With Plastic Breaking In The Cold . My Niehgbor Has A 1997 Husky And The Quality Of The Plastic Seems A Bit Better. Ya I Want A Light Saw Too But They Are Charging Me 23 Bucks A Shroud. Give Me A Break The Quality Isn't There. Oh Ya Nothing Is Cheaper In Canada Only Equal To The U.s. Price In Can$. Oh Ya By The Way Love The Saw And Haven't Thrown It In The Snowbank Yet.
 
bushrat said:
O.k. Brittle In The Cold Ya. I Wouldn't Have A Problem With That Accept I Have A Poulan Which I Use Around The House And Haven't Had A Problem With Plastic Breaking In The Cold . My Niehgbor Has A 1997 Husky And The Quality Of The Plastic Seems A Bit Better. Ya I Want A Light Saw Too But They Are Charging Me 23 Bucks A Shroud. Give Me A Break The Quality Isn't There. Oh Ya Nothing Is Cheaper In Canada Only Equal To The U.s. Price In Can$. Oh Ya By The Way Love The Saw And Haven't Thrown It In The Snowbank Yet.

How exactally are you measuring the "quality" of these different kinds of plastic? Just because they break in the cold doesnt mean quality is low! The fact is they probably werent designed for the temps that you are encountering. Design flaw..........maybe........but quality, probably just as good as any.
Like i said before if the specs of your saw say that it is made to be used at those temperatures then you may have reason to complain, however if the temps you are operating at are not within the listed specs then you dont have much of a case.
 
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