Husqvarna 50 Rancher white top serial number question

[Ken12]

I recently acquired a Husqvarna 50 Rancher white top. She seems to be in really good shape for its age. My question is what year would this have been manufactured? I'm adding a few pics like a proud new papa lol. Thanks for answering in advance.

 

[grizz55chev]

I recently acquired a Husqvarna 50 Rancher white top. She seems to be in really good shape for its age. My question is what year would this have been manufactured? I'm adding a few pics like a proud new papa lol. Thanks for answering in advance.

One word, GOOGLE!

 

[flyinfinn]

One word, GOOGLE!

That was helpful.

A Serial number beginning in zero is usually 1990, but @SawTroll could confirm.

 

[cus_deluxe]

I know that works on newer black tag saws, but im not sure it works that way with silver tag saw (pre-1987).

 

[grizz55chev]

That was helpful.

A Serial number beginning in zero is usually 1990, but @SawTroll could confirm.

Thanks, I actually did google, took less time than answering this .

 

[Deleted member 117362]

I believe those silver tags are before 1984. Think sawtroll said, need to look at crank lobes for dates, maybe wrong.

 

[cus_deluxe]

As far as i know (not very far...) first black tags were from 87-96, in those the first digit is the last number of the year made. 1997 to 2005 i think they went to 2 digit year. After that theyve started using 4 digit year. Again im 99% sure none of this applies to silver tag saws.

 

[grizz55chev]

As far as i know (not very far...) first black tags were from 87-96, in those the first digit is the last number of the year made. 1997 to 2005 i think they went to 2 digit year. After that theyve started using 4 digit year. Again im 99% sure none of this applies to silver tag saws.

From an old post:

Roanoker494Addicted to ArboristSite
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There was a slight difference in the brake handle up to about 1985, you can not use the older style handle on a newer style cover but the entire unit can be swapped with no issue. You can actually use the brake assembly from any model 50, 51 or 55. By the way your saw would have been built in 1988 and it is not a "rancher", I will explain below.

The black tag was first used in 1987 or 88 and the first digit indicates the year of manufacture. 8=1988 and so on up until 1996 or 97. After 96 or 97 there have been a couple different layouts used including a two digit year separated by a dash from the serial number (98-serial #) and a four digit year above the serial number.

Prior to 1987 or 88 there was a silver tag used and it reads the same way as the black tag, though I have seen one model 61 from 1983 that used a four digit year layout.

The original model 50 was labeled as a Rancher, it had a white top, the older style brake assembly, some the the earliest ones had a 44mm closed port top end and was built until around 1985. After that the Rancher name was dropped, the brake assembly was update, the top cover could have been black or grey, all had a 44mm open port top end and they were built until mid 1989. The next model was the 50 Special which was only built in 89-90, had a black top with the model 50 type slide choke and a 45mm open port top end like the later model 51. In 1991 the 50 Special became the model 51 and had a black top with the updated pull choke. In 1992 the model 51 got new Allen head hardware (previous models had the 8mm socket head hardware) and a orange top cover. The model 55 came around the the early 90's and it was the same as the 51 but had a 46mm open port top end, the Rancher name was brought back and "air injection" was introduced on the model 51 and 55. There was a short run of model 55's from 1998-2000 that had a 45mm closed port top end, they made a little more power and held better RPMs through the cut.

Not saying this is a exact timeline of the model but it hits most, if not all, of the "high spots".


EDIT:
By the way. Your saw should been able to accept the larger 51/55 top end without any modification, though there is a not enough of a power boost to justify the swap unless you need to replace the parts anyway.

Last edited: Jun 12, 2012
Roanoker494, Jun 12, 2012ReportBookmark

 

[cus_deluxe]

Some good info, fits most of what i thought, though a lot more detailed info about the 50/51/55 family i have no idea of haha.

 

[jchipps]

From an old post:

Roanoker494Addicted to ArboristSite
Joined:
Sep 9, 2010
Messages:
5,170
Likes Received:
510
Location:
Narrows, Va 24124
There was a slight difference in the brake handle up to about 1985, you can not use the older style handle on a newer style cover but the entire unit can be swapped with no issue. You can actually use the brake assembly from any model 50, 51 or 55. By the way your saw would have been built in 1988 and it is not a "rancher", I will explain below.

The black tag was first used in 1987 or 88 and the first digit indicates the year of manufacture. 8=1988 and so on up until 1996 or 97. After 96 or 97 there have been a couple different layouts used including a two digit year separated by a dash from the serial number (98-serial #) and a four digit year above the serial number.

Prior to 1987 or 88 there was a silver tag used and it reads the same way as the black tag, though I have seen one model 61 from 1983 that used a four digit year layout.

The original model 50 was labeled as a Rancher, it had a white top, the older style brake assembly, some the the earliest ones had a 44mm closed port top end and was built until around 1985. After that the Rancher name was dropped, the brake assembly was update, the top cover could have been black or grey, all had a 44mm open port top end and they were built until mid 1989. The next model was the 50 Special which was only built in 89-90, had a black top with the model 50 type slide choke and a 45mm open port top end like the later model 51. In 1991 the 50 Special became the model 51 and had a black top with the updated pull choke. In 1992 the model 51 got new Allen head hardware (previous models had the 8mm socket head hardware) and a orange top cover. The model 55 came around the the early 90's and it was the same as the 51 but had a 46mm open port top end, the Rancher name was brought back and "air injection" was introduced on the model 51 and 55. There was a short run of model 55's from 1998-2000 that had a 45mm closed port top end, they made a little more power and held better RPMs through the cut.

Not saying this is a exact timeline of the model but it hits most, if not all, of the "high spots".


EDIT:
By the way. Your saw should been able to accept the larger 51/55 top end without any modification, though there is a not enough of a power boost to justify the swap unless you need to replace the parts anyway.

Last edited: Jun 12, 2012
Roanoker494, Jun 12, 2012ReportBookmark

I know nothing about the model 50 .... but that's some interesting info on the entire family of saws. Thanks for digging up that old post Grizz55

A quick search says the model 50 was introduced in 1983?

Only thing I can add - my 1997 model 55, does NOT have the 'Rancher' name attached to it, and the 1st 4 digits of serial is the year - 1997 xxxxxxx

Until reading this post, I wasn't even aware the 'Rancher' name was used back in the 1980's .... Didn't think it came about until release of the series 45o, 455, etc.

No Husky dealers near me prior to the early 1990's so I was a Stihl man.......yeah I know, but didn't take me long to realize the error of my ways hehee

 

[SawTroll]

That was helpful.

A Serial number beginning in zero is usually 1990, but @SawTroll could confirm.

Often that is the case - but that's about 7 digit numbers on a black tag with a very different layout, not with the tag involved here. Also, this version of the Husky 50 wasn't made that late.

This saw can't be dated accurately, as the system that is decodable to the year and week started some time in 1984, and this one is older. All I can say based on the number tag (and numbers) is that it was made some time from 1981 to 1984.

 

[Sepia]

Looking at the tag... it says: Type 50 ASS 2234/81 Can we take from this info that it is a 1981 type 50 saw?

 

[Sepia]

And did a Husky saw that was manufactured in the early 80's actually come with a plastic chain brake flag? All I have ever seen is metal flags on the early chain brake saws.

 

[KASH]

On my gray top Husky rancher 50 there is a circle with the date of 88 inside the circle.
I bought the saw in 1988 maybe this will help I realize this is probably the casting date ie when the cover was made but it should be close.
Kash
The circle is on the inside of the cover

 

[SawTroll]

On my gray top Husky rancher 50 there is a circle with the date of 88 inside the circle.
I bought the saw in 1988 maybe this will help I realize this is probably the casting date ie when the cover was made but it should be close.
Kash
The circle is on the inside of the cover

Some parts are marked with when they were made, but on an old saw you often don't know which parts are original and which are replacements. Also, some parts may have been made before the SAW as such was built.

The most reliable place to look for production dates of parts likely is the "lobes" of the crank.

 

[SawTroll]

Looking at the tag... it says: Type 50 ASS 2234/81 Can we take from this info that it is a 1981 type 50 saw?

As I understand it, the "ASS" number is some kind of batch number/"item" number - the same one could be used for years (on a specific model and version) from some time in the 1970s, up to the early 1980s. All that number tells me (by itself) is that the saw wasn't made before 1981.

I don't know for sure when they started using a different kind of tag/number system on the model 50 though - on some models they started doing it already some time in 1982, but maybe not on all. This new system was not the same system that they started using on all Swedish made saws from some time in 1984 though, it was sort of an "intermediate/transision" one that had the full year on the tag (all four digits).

 

[SawTroll]

And did a Husky saw that was manufactured in the early 80's actually come with a plastic chain brake flag? All I have ever seen is metal flags on the early chain brake saws.

I suspect that the brake flag etc. is a replacement.

 

[grizz55chev]

Thanks for chiming in, ST, you are THE go to source for accurate data on these classic old Hooskies!

 

[SawTroll]

Thanks for chiming in, ST, you are THE go to source for accurate data on these classic old Hooskies!

Thanks - but as my posts should indicate I don't know everything about it, and the accuracy may vary.

 

[grizz55chev]

QUOTE="SawTroll, post: 6742209, member: 5399"]Thanks - but as my posts should indicate I don't know everything about it, and the accuracy may vary.[/QUOTE]
You know more than most, that’s good enough for me.