just want some info on the new 455 rancher

[boxhead]

hi there new to this site ,found it due to google search looking for info on the new 455,cant find bugger all so was just wondering if any of u lot have purchased it and given it a good work out and what u think of it or better yet compared to other huskys of similar cc rating,ie the 357 xp.the 455 does not arrive here in new zealand for another 3 weeks at a whopping $1100 as an introductory price,and also have read a couple of posts that mention fixed jets?is this true(y would they do that,could ruin what could be a really good saw,)and is the x-torq engine as good as the dealer thats trying to sell me the saw says it is?coz the catalog says the 455 is 2.6/3.5kW/hp for 55.5cc and the 357xp is 3.2/4.4kW/hp for 56.5 cc.seems a bit of a drop for only being 1 cc less?
any feed bac would be a great help as ive seen as much bad posts as there r good posts and none being very informative

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

I'm not a Husky guy, but just by looking at the specs, the 357 is a 12 lb saw with 4.4 hp, and the 455 is a 13 lb saw with 3.5 hp. That there should be the deciding factor. I have run the 55 Rancher, which is the predecessor to the 455, and they're homeowner saws, albeit good saws. (Much the same as Stihl's 290/310/390 series, they're very good in their intended role.) That should be your second deciding factor, depending on how you're going to use the saw.

Jeff

 

[Bob Wright]

Its listed in their website...Bob http://www.usa.husqvarna.com/

 

[Lobo]

I would not attempt to compare the 455 against the 357. The 357 is more money and more saw. Ye old 55 was a good saw be it a bit on the heavier side. The new 455 I believe is even heavier making its power to weight ratio less interesting than before.

Only time will tell on its durability on longevity.

 

[boxhead]

Its listed in their website...Bob http://www.usa.husqvarna.com/

been there and seen that they are trying to sell it not stop people from buying it the seller dont tell you the bad side to the saw. thats were people that have already brought one come in as they are more honest and have nothing to gain from it
hay many thanks anyway :

 

[HiOctane]

The 455 is for the home owner,not pro.She comes with a plastic cr/case,a "two barrel " carb like the 575(thanks EPA ),open transfer.Its not comparable at all with a 357.Better get a 353 if still avalaible in nz.Lots better with metal crankcase and a regular carb.

 

[Blowdown1]

I'd be curious to know what the torque is like on the 455. On another site someone was going on about how it had so much more torque than a 359 because it has Husqvarna's Xtorq design but had nothing to back up his claims. Plus, power for the 455 is less than the 359 at the same RPM, so I couldn't see how it was putting out gobs more torque.

 

[boxhead]

well prob just for semi pro use as i do drop a lot of trees on farms and slice and dice bout 15 cord a year but will prob sit in the garage for the better part of a year
the 353 is no longer on the shelf and im not interested in getting a second hand saw, ie is the 455 a good saw compared to others of bout the same cc rating cause im after a saw the will slice reasonably quickly but with out the weight of 1 of the big boys,the dealer told me it will cut just as fast as the 359 due too the x-torq engine plus its $150 cheaper for the 455 but i trust him bout as far as i could kik him lol and the stihls in the same cc range ie ms 280 $1250,ms290 $1300,quite a bit dearer,psthe higher torque is from a wider power band,what diff that makes is beyond me

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

If you're looking at the 359 vs. the 455, again, I think the 455 is on the short side of the two. The 359 is the better saw. For 15 cord a year, I'd think that any of these saws would work. The MS 290 would fit the bill as well, though it comes in a bit heavier at around 13 lbs I think.

Jeff

 

[Lobo]

Jeez, the Stihl MS260 has 3.5 hp/2.6 Kw, 10.4 lbs/4.7kg, 50cc's.
a husky 346 is in the same neiborhood. More saw with less weight with more fun and pleasure.


http://www.stihl.ca/products_chainSaws_professional.asp

 

[andrethegiant70]

Do a search on this site for both the 455 and the 55 and you'll find that people favor the 55 quite a bit. The concensus has been that the 455 suffers a bit from EPA woes and the 55 is an extremely solid saw. It looks to me that if you poke around enough, you could still find a new 55. Seems like I've seen them NIB for between $250 and $300 on EBAY. Good luck!

 

[woodtick]

I have a Husky 55 and a Husky 357XP, there is no comparison between the two saws.
The 357XP far out performs the 55...dont know about the new 455...

The 55 will stall with slight pressure, you have to run with a real sharp chain to
get good performance, it also pulls really hard on a cold start...
However its been a very reliable saw...

I keep it with me on my tractor when I am loading logs to do small cutting jobs...
its good for that...

You can buy a 55 around here for about 475.00 NZ dollars...

If they designed the 455 around the 55 it should be a good light duty saw...gee your prices are out of sight...I can buy a new 372XP for around 1100 NZ dollars...in Canada.

 

[timistall]

Boxhead is from New Zealand...US EPA saws may not go to his country. The 455 may have alot of guts over there.

 

[Mange]

You are mixing up the classes of the saws, it makes it harder to get a fair clue in the Price/qualety.

Hobby saws is less than 100hrs runtime, farmer/semipro 200hrs and pro 2000.
This is info from HVA.

 

[boxhead]

Do a search on this site for both the 455 and the 55 and you'll find that people favor the 55 quite a bit. The concensus has been that the 455 suffers a bit from EPA woes and the 55 is an extremely solid saw. It looks to me that if you poke around enough, you could still find a new 55. Seems like I've seen them NIB for between $250 and $300 on EBAY. Good luck!

yeah i done a search thru this site and read all the forums containing info on the 455 but no 1 appears too say much about it,im hoping the epa crap u guys r having dont apply over here ,and the 55 is like $20 30 bucks cheaper but no1 round where i live stocks them anymore
i like to buy from local dealers as it helps the local econamy etc etc.thanks for ur input dude

 

[boxhead]

I have a Husky 55 and a Husky 357XP, there is no comparison between the two saws.
The 357XP far out performs the 55...dont know about the new 455...

The 55 will stall with slight pressure, you have to run with a real sharp chain to
get good performance, it also pulls really hard on a cold start...
However its been a very reliable saw...

I keep it with me on my tractor when I am loading logs to do small cutting jobs...
its good for that...

You can buy a 55 around here for about 475.00 NZ dollars...

If they designed the 455 around the 55 it should be a good light duty saw...gee your prices are out of sight...I can buy a new 372XP for around 1100 NZ dollars...in Canada.

yeah dude the prices are going thru the roof as the government seem to think money grows on trees,taxing every thing at least twice lol (???? thats cheap tho. i paid $650 for a 938 oleo mac 6 years ago(38 cc but excellent for hauling up inside a problem tree)

 

[Cut4fun]

yeah dude the prices are going thru the roof as the government seem to think money grows on trees,taxing every thing at least twice lol (???? thats cheap tho. i paid $650 for a 938 oleo mac 6 years ago(38 cc but excellent for hauling up inside a problem tree)

Cant you get saws from dealers online and bypass all that tax. The husky 55 is running $359 usd new.

 

[Lobo]

Boxhead, with all due respect I think it best if you take a bit more time and post a clear position or statement, as I for one and perhaps several other here are not 100% sure what you are saying.

 

[boxhead]

Boxhead, with all due respect I think it best if you take a bit more time and post a clear position or statement, as I for one and perhaps several other here are not 100% sure what you are saying.

i was just wanting to know if the 455 saw was any good(always a bit weary of new designs until they have been well tested)as i need a new saw for work and play but dont want to have to shell out for another five years down the track ,the sales dude seems to think it is ???? hot,but i dont trust him that much and dont want to be a test subject, ie does it cut as well as the old 55r or lose power half way thru a 30 inch ring of hard wood? or am i just better off shelling out an extra $150 for the 359.i know u cant answer the longevity Q? but was hoping for a bit positive /negative info from people that has bought 1 or know of some1 with 1.ps didnt mean for a comparison competition but that seems to happen a lot in forums lol tho i have learned a bit from what u guys have said and thru reading the other forums, and the only thing so far that is really negative for the 455 seems to be the weight /power ratio,which does not worry me as im used to using an o29 which is about the same specs
so im sorry for any confusion hope this is a bit easier to understand and thanks all for all input

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

Well if the question now is whether or not to spend the extra $150 for a 359, I'd have to say go for the 359. JMO.

Jeff