Husqvarna 395 quality control and questionable origin

[Paracelsus]

First question, does husqvarna ship gassed saws?
On the one hand, testing at factory, on the other: how can anyone sell new saws with the reassurance “never gassed” which I see all the time.

Mine was previously opened, gased, poor case quality on mold seams, chain brake and lever doesn’t move, and chain brake so tight around the clutch drum that removing and replacing clutch cover is impossible.

 

[cuinrearview]

A dealer may gas them, but they are shipped dry from Sweden. I reckon they probably have to be.

 

[Deleted member 117362]

I take it not a dealer purchased saw? A boxed used saw?

 

[CR888]

Is your chain brake 'off' when trying to remove clutch cover? Pics of poor quality?

 

[holeycow]

 

[Andyshine77]

Your chain break is on, the 395 is a big saw that requires a strong break, pull the break back harder. The 395 is now being made in Brazil, quility has been just fine, every saw should have been ran at the factoy, but no fuel should be in the tank at all. Sounds like it may be a used saw. Post up some pics of the flaws in the case. The 395 is in incredibly good robust saw.

 

[Derf]

The 395 is in incredibly good robust saw.

That’s because it is really a 2-series saw.

 

[Paracelsus]

So there isn’t liquid petrol mix in it, but the vapors are there. Do you mean they don’t gas and run saws at factory? Or if they do, they use an auxiliary fuel tank plugged into carb during assembly that they test run with to keep the tank clean?

There is also small amount of bar oil still in oil tank.

You can see the chain brake is out of round and way too tight. The Brazil stamped lever does not move.

No wear on sprocket or drum, but that’s easy to replace before shipping...

The choke lever feels of poor quality and the action is loose/ rotates.

The serial is blue printed on, all my huskeys have stamped or laser etched plates on them. Black and silver. Whether Sweden on the pro saws or USA for the Poulan variant homeowner saws like the old 36.

Are any or all of these usual? I love huskies, but this saws build quality doesn’t match new stihl or old husky. (I love them both, not starting a brand war. In fact I hate stihls carb limited caps so much I couldn’t buy the 661R or 880 had to try the 395)


Thank you for the help/ input.

 

[Andyshine77]

The break is engaged, because it's off the saw it will be a little out of round and also very very hard to disengage with the cover off of the saw, you're going to have to hold it firmly and pull that lever back it will be difficult. You may be able to fit the cover on the bar studs so you can get some Leverage and pull the brake handle back. The tanks will always have some smell of fuel vapor, that is normal. The serial tag does look different, are you sure it's just not covered with some plastic, that's what it looks like to me. The choke lever could have popped off of the carburetor, I would check that before I try to use it, that is one slight weakness to the 395 the choke levers tend to pop off, a new one is very inexpensive. Everything else looks normal, except it looks like it has some grease on side of the filter cover in your pic, where did you buy the saw? If I may ask. Could have been a display model somewhere.

 

[Andyshine77]

I bet you had a hack of a time forcing the cover off with the break being engaged.[emoji6]

 

[Paracelsus]

Your chain break is on, the 395 is a big saw that requires a strong break, pull the break back harder. The 395 is now being made in Brazil, quility has been just fine, every saw should have been ran at the factoy, but no fuel should be in the tank at all. Sounds like it may be a used saw. Post up some pics of the flaws in the case. The 395 is in incredibly good robust saw.

Worked. Yeah, that was the thing, it wouldn’t budge, and the plastic was going to yield before the brake engaged. I didn’t know if there was a pin placed in to protect it during shipping that the dealer usually removes once it arrives.. I’ve learned not to force things. Not shiny new things at least. I think tumbling around in a box may have done on a number on the chain brake or maybe it’s just stiff from factory. I gave it hell and thought the plastic was going to break right when it broke free. Sounded like **** (thought sure the spring steel snapped off inside) real stiff for first couple goes, but it’s working now. Haha. Thank you!


So those case seams on the bottom doesn’t seem careless to any of you in a China way? Like they should have been cut and filed before assembly?

The chain brake was the big thing, as well as not being made in Sweden when my stihls would be made in Germany. At $1200...

Are there still new Swede 395s available?

 

[Paracelsus]

I bet you had a hack of a time forcing the cover off with the break being engaged.[emoji6]

Just tossed the scrench blade against the inside lip, and used the case as a fulcrum. It was getting it on that was gonna be impossible. I knew that going on but I wanted to see if it was full of bottle caps. Lol.

I'm not a small guy, but without it attached to the saw, holding the clutch cover in one hand and brake in the other, keeping the force vector parallel unlocking that sucker for the first time: felt like I was gonna break my wrist if the plastic didn't give first. Sure, I could have put it in a vice, but I like to get after it.

Feel a little dumb, but I appreciate the help. Guess I should see how she runs and eats.

Thanks again.

 

[Paracelsus]

The break is engaged, because it's off the saw it will be a little out of round and also very very hard to disengage with the cover off of the saw, you're going to have to hold it firmly and pull that lever back it will be difficult. You may be able to fit the cover on the bar studs so you can get some Leverage and pull the brake handle back. The tanks will always have some smell of fuel vapor, that is normal. The serial tag does look different, are you sure it's just not covered with some plastic, that's what it looks like to me. The choke lever could have popped off of the carburetor, I would check that before I try to use it, that is one slight weakness to the 395 the choke levers tend to pop off, a new one is very inexpensive. Everything else looks normal, except it looks like it has some grease on side of the filter cover in your pic, where did you buy the saw? If I may ask. Could have been a display model somewhere.

When you don't see any idiots around you, that's when it hits you. I must be dumb as hell today. you mean like this blue poly film?

It's still printed/ screened on not laser etched. Though I don't see the problem as, China for example, surely has lasers capable of engraving.

But yes, that's why I shared that photo, to cover the layer of oil and film over it: again, what I'd expect from China factories. Not from a brand like Husqvarna or Stihl


I could always call husqy and run the number by them. You can ask, and I'll tell you in pm. It's one of the 2 dealers google will find. I don't wan't to post it in this thread as, while I definitely don't think this saw is straight from the factory, (because of things like oil all over cover.) I knew there was a possibility and in fact I was wrong about a number of concerns. Else it destroys a companies reputation when future readers might skim through.

 

[Andyshine77]

That is the bottom of the fuel tank handle assembly, the plastic halves are sonic welded together, the mushrooming you see is the result of them welding together properly, again normal. With the single post chain brake levers I always try to pull them back near the post not the end, they engage much easier than they disengage, the lever not going to break. The 395xp is probably most robust durable chainsaw made today. I believe the 395 is only made in Brazil now, none are being made in Sweden as far as I know, the model is at the end of its production life.

 

[Andyshine77]

When you don't see any idiots around you, that's when it hits you. I must be dumb as hell today. you mean like this blue poly film?

It's still printed/ screened on not laser etched. Though I don't see the problem as, China for example, surely has lasers capable of engraving.

But yes, that's why I shared that photo, to cover the layer of oil and film over it: again, what I'd expect from China factories. Not from a brand like Husqvarna or Stihl


I could always call husqy and run the number by them. You can ask, and I'll tell you in pm. It's one of the 2 dealers google will find. I don't wan't to post it in this thread as, while I definitely View attachment 760822 don't think this saw is straight from the factory, (because of things like oil all over cover.) I knew there was a possibility and in fact I was wrong about a number of concerns. Else it destroys a companies reputation when future readers might skim through.

I'm betting it was a floor model that was boxed up, or the dealer inspected the saw before it was shipped to you. The choke lever looking as it does leads me to believe it was sitting on the shelf in people played with it a lot. Nevertheless the saw does look new and I probably wouldn't worry about it a whole lot.[emoji111]

 

[Paracelsus]

Thank you, Sir! I know my other huskies all have smooth edges around the seams and that there are a lot of Chinese counterfeits as well as hutzl and farmertech kits being put together with some oem parts, and recased holzformas.

I thought they were ending it that's why I had to pick one up now. Bought one of the last ms461s to avoid mtronic bs and that was it's own headache: dealer informed me they don't have them because no one uses the wrap handle bar. I could buy it sesperate. That was only difference. Could have sworn the USFS saws years ago were different and way better, but I accepted that.

Hundreds of dollars later I was finding out that the functionaly necessary improvement of west coast dogs come stock on 461r as well as the extended clutch cover to protect hands with wrap handle hand placement, chain roller and the $140 oiler that is the only one that isn't too anemic to run the actual bar lengths advertised.

Made me a lot more skeptical of saw purchases!


I'm sure I will love this saw once I gas her. Which is now. Cheers.

 

[holeycow]

I bet you had a hack of a time forcing the cover off with the break being engaged.[emoji6]

Takes once to know one...

 

[Andyshine77]

The tank is designed a little different the seam is recessed, so it doesn't need to be perfect and smooth like some of the newer models.

You're going to love the saw! it's simple and has gobs of torque. Like all my saws I would open up the exhaust a bit though, the stock outlet is smaller than I like.[emoji6]

 

[Andyshine77]

Takes once to know one...

Freudian slip, or maybe just autocorrect.[emoji23][emoji23]

 

[Paracelsus]

I'm betting it was a floor model that was boxed up, or the dealer inspected the saw before it was shipped to you. The choke lever looking as it does leads me to believe it was sitting on the shelf in people played with it a lot. Nevertheless the saw does look new and I probably wouldn't worry about it a whole lot.[emoji111]

That was funny, whoever said "I'm betting there will be more posts after this"

You jinxed it! I also thought that if genuine it at least looks like a demo saw, which is not close to play with me. I break in saws methodically and seat those rings. I want good compression and a good film on everything before I open her up. Demo saws are bounced off the top end under no load. I'm furious right now.

Looked through spark plug hole with phone and it looked a bit bronze, definitely not new. So I peak in with a Boro scope and behold!! It was just the light, not brown at all. Scrubbed clean with what looks like 80 grit!! Deep Scoring on cylinder walls.


Looks like a customer burnt up a saw and they went through and, not even rebuild, but scrubbed it out to hide it and pass it off on me.
The oil all over it was not from a Chinese factory assembly line, but from the hands of the unscrupulous dealer "mechanic" trying to make **** look new. Funny, if it weren't for the case seams and oil and Brazil tag and locked chain brake, I would have probably never checked.

After looking inside I pick up the plu to replace it and it's brown... All that work to gild a pos and they forgot to use a new plug and wipe the case down!!

They're damn lucky to be in another state, airfare is cheap enough but by time I get there I might be a little more civil.


Obviously they relaced the sprocket and clutch drum, and probably the handle and brake, I wonder if that wasnt done and seated right either that it was froze and sounded broken.

Guess I'm not that dumb after all. Something was definitely off and if I didn't stop it would have been down the road sometime before I caught on to what they'd done, probably.