Life span os a MS200T

[jefflovstrom]

Ok guy's, seriously, seems to me they last just under 2 years. Some more, some less. What are your feeling's on this?
Jeff :msp_smile:

 

[logging22]

Tree guys around here go through them like crazy. Dont really know why.:msp_w00t:

 

[TimberJack_7]

Jeff - my 020T is still running strong after 10 years with regular maintenance and abuse. It has not been used every single day in the last 10 years, but over the course of the last 10 years it probably has at least 5 years of "full time" use and abuse.

 

[newsawtooth]

Yoda Jeffers- are we talking hourly use? You and your guys put more hours on them than I do. I break them before they wear out. Anybody have the hourly lifespan? A few thousand hours?

I was thinking about this the other day...what do you think the average return on investment (ROI) is on 200T? Other than a Silky handsaw the 200T has the best ROI for me. But I digress...I have one that is going on 5 years though not with the number of days that you are working them in that time.

 

[Rftreeman]

I've been using mine for 5 or 6 years but you know me, I'm a fat lazy guy that can't or won't ever climb so it never gets used....

 

[treeman82]

Mine seem to go for about 3 years +/- as a climbing saw.

 

[jonb101]

I have found that running an oil to gas ratio of 32:1 will lengthen the life of your saws.
I have 3 200t's and my oldest (3 yrs old) one runs stronger, with better compression than one bought new last month.

 

[TimberMcPherson]

Saws will have a tougher life dependant on the environment and company and individuals operating them and the servicing.

I contract climbed for a large company that ran 3 man teams, on the truck there were a 46 and 66 and each guy had an ms200. So the MS200's would be used for a heck of alot of work before you went to a bigger saw. Having a 346xp or ms260 would have dropped the hours the MS200's were used by about 40% I think.
I remember one day we had to clear dead branches up to head height in a stand of pine forest. I think 3 of us pruned several hundred trees in a day, little ms200's just screaming the whole time.

If you do alot of gum trees in Aussie your saw is probably going to live a shorter life than one in NZ that does mostly pines and NZ native trees. (cooler operating temps, easier cutting wood, less powdery chips).

Having the same guy run the same saw can make a difference to, most mechanical things like consistancy.

I get 3 years before I put mine aside as spare saws if they are still pretty good or parts saws if they arent. At $600 us dollars for a piston and barrel, they are worth keeping for bits!

 

[imagineero]

Couple thousand hours if you're lucky. I'd guess a lot don't even make it halfway to that.

Most of the crews I work with seem to get about 2 years of full time daily use out of one. I think that's pretty good for a tool that's so heavily abused. There's no other engine driven tool I know of that you can leave in the back of a truck, drag up a tree, smash into things, start up from cold and redline then run at redline all day long 5 days a week with little or no maintenance beyond a cleaning every now and then, and still get excellent performance from for so long.

They are actually pretty cheap considering what you make out of one. ROI is enormous, hard to think of many other tools that you can make so much money from.

RE: 30:1, give it about 15~20 tanks. Running too much oil just slows these saws down. We just got another couple of new 200t's in and they aren't as grunty as our old ones... but they do get better with a few tanks run through them.

Shaun

 

[the Aerialist]

Stihl treesaws run 'til they drop ..

I just bought a new MS200T to replace my current one which I have abused for 4 years. I recently dropped it out of a tree from about 40' and it landed on the turf, still running. The old 200 was undamaged from the fall, but since it's back-up (a 192T) didn't do as well from a similar drop by landing on a concrete sidewalk it was time to put a new one in service.

From my experience a Sthil tree saw will last until you drop it from height onto something hard. I don't wear them out, I just break them.

 

[lxt]

Have an 020 I bought in 98 still going strong!!!! ive dropped it, swung from lead to lead banging it through more tree canopies than can be counted & all ive done is replace the spark plug & other wearable items!!

oh yeah.....the oil cap just got replaced!! some rigging here n there but that saw is like a pair of broken in shoes, comfy, reliable & gets the job done !!!


LXT..............

 

[treeclimber101]

I buy 2 a year, one for myself and one for the other climber ... But we run our saws hard I mean they are all torn up after a long season ... Maybe I could take better care of them but I think a new year deserves a new saw , I replace the bigger saws about once every 2 or so years ...

 

[TreeAce]

I do know this...an ms200 will last ALOT longer if it is kept out of the hands of groundies (most of them). I have an ms260 for the ground and am thinking about buying a ms280.

 

[jefflovstrom]

Replaced a MS200T today. My local dealer charged $535.00 plus tax came to 584.00.
Less than 2 years on the one I replaced and the crank bearings were shot. I can't get a 020 anymore, but they seem to last longer and had better carbs.
Jeff

 

[Macclay]

12-24 months, they get flogged. I love 'em

 

[sgreanbeans]

I bought one at Fallbrook Tractor when they first switched from 020, still have it. It will not idle at all! But will scream at full throttle! It sits around most of the time. Supposed to get 2 new ones in this VA grant deal, if it ever happens.

 

[tree md]

I bought the one I have now in Dec. of 08. It's been through 2 storms and I dropped it from about 50' last weekend. Second time it has been dropped. It still runs well. No one but me ever touches that saw. I do intend to buy another one this year though and use my current one for a backup.

One of my best running saws is an 044 which is around 15 years old.

 

[jefflovstrom]

I bought the one I have now in Dec. of 08. It's been through 2 storms and I dropped it from about 50' last weekend. Second time it has been dropped. It still runs well. No one but me ever touches that saw. I do intend to buy another one this year though and use my current one for a backup.

One of my best running saws is an 044 which is around 15 years old.

That is what I'm saying. If it starts with an '0', they are kicking.
Jeff

 

[tree md]

I bought the one I have now in Dec. of 08. It's been through 2 storms and I dropped it from about 50' last weekend. Second time it has been dropped. It still runs well. No one but me ever touches that saw. I do intend to buy another one this year though and use my current one for a backup.

One of my best running saws is an 044 which is around 15 years old.

Correction: Dec. of 07. My 200 is 3 1/2 years old.

I agree, the saws with the zeros in front were the best.

 

[TreeAce]

I have an 046 mag that is soooo sweet. When I use it I often think to myself what a great saw it is. its gotta be atleast 15 years old. Its seen alot of use in the last 3 years but before that it only saw limited use. But its a cutter for sure, I love that saw.