Husqvarna 181 SE

[TrunkJunky]

An acquaintance of mine is trying to sell me his Husqvarna 181se. He sent me some pictures of it and there's no chain break. I questioned him about it he sent me a picture of the tag on the case looks like there's been some sort of modification done to the clutch cover or they Frankenstein something else on to it. Just wanted to get some input on what might be going on with it. Thank you

 

[pioneerguy600]

What does it look like inside the clutch cover, provision for a brake band?

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

Looks like back half just cut off.

I've done that before on 272 ones running on jreds just for a looks stand point.

 

[Gord404]

farmer tec may have one- use their 395 ones and seem good - 288 is probably the same brake

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

Yep Farmertec G288 has them in orange or grey now days.

 

[TrunkJunky]

Yeah I don't know what the inside of that cover looks like unfortunately this saw is couple hours away so I don't have a opportunity to inspect it. The other thing about it is it's got a top air filter cover on it that says XP on it it doesn't look like a sticker it looks like it's embossed. I'm kind of seeing red flags all over the place that maybe I should just pass on it. I will post another picture of it in a moment I got to transfer it to my tablet

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

Looks to me like the original 181 braked clutch cover that had the metal hoop flag, with the handle root cover cut off and ground off top section the brake hoop mounted too, the round nub the band passed through.

 

[TrunkJunky]

Now that I look at that picture again I think I was wrong about it being embossed I think it's an XP sticker.

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

Yeah I don't know what the inside of that cover looks like unfortunately this saw is couple hours away so I don't have a opportunity to inspect it. The other thing about it is it's got a top air filter cover on it that says XP on it it doesn't look like a sticker it looks like it's embossed. I'm kind of seeing red flags all over the place that maybe I should just pass on it. I will post another picture of it in a moment I got to transfer it to my tablet

Likely has had a 281XP top cover to replace a damaged original- XP sticker matters little- more if the cover is complete and not cracked/smashed up.
And that is a decal that can be removed.

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

 

[rocketnorton]

+1 on farmertec 394, was $40. complete

288 cover is not same as 394/5

181, 281, 288 cover/brake is what u need

 

[TrunkJunky]

Thanks guys. It's $240 plus 4 hrs of driving. I will post more if/when I get it home.

 

[Jethro 2t sniffer]

Full wrap be nice and hard to get

 

[pioneerguy600]

The 181 has wicked high compression, I bought one many years back from a fellow that bought it new. He could not start the saw, he wanted to mount it on an Alaskan mill , he got tired of not being able to start it and we came to a deal for it ,sold it to my wood cutting buddy that could start it drop start style, thing was brutal and really liked cutting hardwood over 24" dia.

 

[Cliff R]

+2 on the wicked high compression. I had one for many years and it was tough to pull as no compression release. Great running saw, and pound for pound one of the fastest and most powerful saws I've owned. I never found my self using it much and sold it a few years ago......

 

[pioneerguy600]

Many of the early saws that came with chainbrakes the older fellows would just remove them any way possible, cut,break grind off parts, they hated the brake handles sticking up catching on their clothes or on limbs. They also blamed the brake bands for restricting chips and noodles causing clogs in the clutch cover so any protrusions inside the cover often got ground off as well.

 

[Hirdatron]

I have a 181se and can absolutely confirm has high compression and takes some starting!!

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

Now that I look at that picture again I think I was wrong about it being embossed I think it's an XP sticker.

All they were was a decal sticker. Can see where was on mine.

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

These things were THE best production power to weight saws in class for a good long while until Stihl played catch up again and introduced the 064,
Great saw in its day, still a good saw now.
Have a small combustion chamber and wide squish band, some prefer this configuration over the larger 288 style.
Yes, they are high compression saws when in good condition, but if the saw is in good condition and the owner knows how to start big high compression saws correctly, lack of decomp is not an issue.
One down side is genuine thin 52mm rings are getting hard if not near impossible to find- plus side, same chassis/stroke as 281 and 288 so parts/"upgrades" can still be had.
If the one on offer was close to me, runs and is complete apart from the clutch cover/brake issues and the price was agreeable- I would grab it- even though I already have two.

 

[Cliff R]

"Yes, they are high compression saws when in good condition, but if the saw is in good condition and the owner knows how to start big high compression saws correctly, lack of decomp is not an issue."

Mine was over 180PSI compression and required careful and correct "starting procedures" if you didn't want your arm hanging out of it's socket and a trip to the ER instead of cutting wood that day!

Seriously, to date I've never owned any saw with a better power to weight ratio. I bought mine after going to a CTG and watching a "stock" 181SE with a short bar whip up on every saw in attendance that day for speed cutting. Sadly I never found myself using it much as almost all my cutting are tops left over from logging operations where I use and prefer smaller/lighter saws as I'm climbing all over them to get them limbed out to get the brush and 6' pieces ready for the grapple.......