Most reliable Stihl chainsaw of all time?

[billyboy]

I ran a series 1 028 over 15 years, maybe changed the spark plug . Had a series 2 for a y ear or so when I ran into a Super 028. Never paid over $200 for any of them. When I got the super I sold my ms290, what a boat anchor dog. The 028 are about as bullet proof as a saw can be. I also run a Makita 520i, 18” 3/8 low pro, and it too is a fine piece . A bit lighter than the 028, adjustable oiler, better air filter and very dependable.

 

[Brushwacker]

I also vote for the 028 Super for all the reasons PioneerGuy said in post #8. I have no idea why this saw was discontinued. It was a big brother to the 026 and the Super even had more grunt than the 026 Pro, and was quite capable of pulling a 20" bar. I bought four of these saws at one time or another and sold three to very satisfied owners who still use them today. They all specified an 18" bar.

It could be that Stihl pushed the cheaper 290 because the 028 was a professional saw, not a residential or commercial. Back when the 028 was being sold new, $130 more than the 290 was a lot of money. So, the 028 was discontinued and only diehards like PioneerGuy and I still appreciate the quality that went into it. Mine runs today and will almost stay even with my 361. Both weigh about the same, but there is something about running that 028 ... well, you know what I mean.

I don't think the 028 production and sales overlapped 029-ms290 but a very brief period, possibly with sales . 1992 i believe was the beginning for 029 and 1990 the end of production for 028 series. I was working for a Stihl dealer a couple years 89 and 90 i think it was possibly into 1991. I remember selling 028 supers and I think was the 028 wood or farm boss still in the line up also. It competed with the 024-26 on 1 end, the 034 the other at that time. Before the 034 would of competed with the 032. Acres site appears to have some inaccuracies on a couple or more production dates and it led me to find this Stihl history read with production dates. Stihl even made a 2 stroke diesel tractor.
http://www.chainsawcollectors.se/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?t=33620

 

[Brushwacker]

Link doesn't seem to want to copy. I will try again.

Chainsaw Collectors.se​

Google site, click on Stihl and it comes up in the 1st topic History of Stihl ...

 

[Woodslasher]

I've gotta say, when I hear "reliable tank of a Stihl" the 090 comes to mind. All the chit those things take in 3rd world countries and yet they keep chugging along. Domestically I'd go for 028, but nationally I'd say 090. I can just picture a cigarette smoking 45 year old Indonesian guy freehand milling beams with an 090 that's missing the filter and filter cover, wearing a 28" Duromatic bar, and has a chain that's hanging 2" off the rails.

 

[Brushwacker]

Back to the 028. I was discussing saws with an old Stihl dealer a few years back and I mentioned how reliable the 034 supers had been and he quickly brought up the 028's had been very much in that category also during his career selling them.
I had a few or so used 028's after my first 034 purchase. I used a super about a year before i upgraded to a bit newer and larger fleet of saws. Probably as bullet proof as the 034's , the 034 was a better power to weight and easier to service the air cleaner. Most the 028's I remember had 2 screws to remove the air filter cover. The 034 it was a lot easier and quicker to access the filter and relieve it of excess peiorodicly during the day. Preferred the 026's for that reason and lighter weight also . Over the years I become very fond of 025's when it comes to light weight though. Never had reliability issue's with any those models. I used mostly Homelites before my 1st 034. XL 12's were another bulletproof models. Had a couple bid c series that never died for me also.

 

[gggGary]

Picked up an old 028WB filthy from sitting in a shed for years cleaned it up added a chain brake and have been running it for 5 years, my limbing and smaller tree goto, it's a tank but fuel settings are a bit fussy, runs great for a day, put it away and next time gotta fiddle with the screws 'specially the idle mix.
a 044-440 is another, run forever? saw. My bought well used 440 has spent quite a few days WFO with the bar buried since I've owned it, mebby ten years now.
Hard to beat for a northern hardwood heat guy.

 

[jltrent]

Those 036 s and 044 s were also reliable.

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[forestryfun]

Thanks for all of the input, wonderful discussion! Is the general consensus the 028 was their most reliable? And which model of 028? The 028 super? Didn't the early 028s have metal tanks which is better?

 

[Brushwacker]

The early 028's never had a chain brake. I don't recollect seeing 1on a metal tank version. I don't think brake parts will interchange to convert them either. Side chain adjuster came later also I believe. I would prefer the latest in a super, however the early version may be as useful with a shorter bar cutting smaller diameter wood . I have used both. Cutting limbs to firewood lengths on a downed oak with much limbwood up in the air a 16Inch bar either feels nice to a point. Nice to have a few saws along and use each where it works best unless you have to carry them all by foot. I mostly work near my pickup and it's my fuel center making it easy to rotate saws. An 028 usually can fit well into the rotation but i prefer an 034 or 036 which is near the same weight and takes about the same space as an 028.
For me it's more then a hobby as I sell a fair amount of fire wood and occasionally hire out cutting trees for farmers and homeowners . I buy and sell a few or more saws a year, usually needing maintnence and rotate them in the line up before I sell them. Usually find it pleasurable trying different saws. Been a few old big dog's I'd as soon stay home and an occasional problematic ones.

 

[Hman1024]

The early 028s were on metal tanks, I have one that has standard screws instead of the later torx type. My earlier vote for the 039 was just my personal longest owned Stihl saw, agree 100% that the 028 is built like a tank and pleasurable to work on too.

 

[pioneerguy600]

This past spring I had the first module to ever go out on an 028, it was on a 028 that had seen very little use that had been mailed to me by another member on here back around 2010, near mint condition. I had run it occasionally but like the 50 other saws it did not get used enough to warrant it staying here. My neighbor on the lake in cottage country was struggling with clearing a building lot running a Poulan Shark that was constantly breaking down mostly from neglect but not the best saw for the job at hand. I got tired of replacing fuel related lines fixing oiling issues and trying to keep the carb dialed in on it, was an every weekend nuisance. So I gave him the 028, he felt he had won the lottery and went at cutting with a vengeance. After several weeks he brought the saw back as it was acting up, I took a look at it and determined it was losing spark, I did not have a spare module up at the cottage so brought it back home with me and after searching out a module from a 029 and changing out the high tension lead the saw returned to duty and hasn`t missed a beat since. Now that neighbor is not the best at maintaining machines so i will be interesting to see how long it will run under his ownership, I did convince him to run canned fuel, the pre mixed kind so at least it should not get straight gassed.

 

[billyboy]

I got to thinking about my 028 post above a day or two later. My coil took a dive and I put two little modules on it from a Stihl dealer and they both died. Pioneer600 or Harley pointed me towards an 029 coil. Worked great.

Would also agree with the 036 pro post above. Bought one at auction for $175. Put a Hyway/Meteor P&C on it. Changed the impulse line and a carb kit. Running at 175 psi. Good runner. I’m a bit older with some health issues and I could never start it without the decompression valve. This is after it’s sat for a number of days. Once it’s going, it starts with one quick firm pull. About same weight as the 028S.
Heck of a good bigger wood bucker. I try to avoid over 20” because I can’t lift them and I cut 20” length. Ripping is a bit slow but I do it some.

 

[capetrees]

260/261
have had mine for years, different ages, all over 5 years old, oldest about 15 years and I've never put a moment of maintenance into them other than blow out the air filters and change a pull cord once in a blue moon. Other than that, fix them when they break and have never had a problem starting and running.

 

[Mad Professor]

028S or 038M. I think built to last longer than the 026/044 that replaced them.

 

[gggGary]

The early 028's never had a chain brake. I don't recollect seeing 1on a metal tank version. I don't think brake parts will interchange to convert them either. Side chain adjuster came later also I believe.

Minor point, I have an early 028WB and was able to find and install a used complete chain brake from a later 028WB, I think they came either way for a couple years. It's a bit simple, may not be as powerful as later brakes but it has worked reliably for me for years.
I think the 028AV has a different chain brake that doesn't fit the WB.

 

[Brushwacker]

I tried putting a brake off an later 028 onto, I believe it was an early metal tank version several years ago. The early metal model ( I think it was) didn't have do dad's to attach inner chain brake components. May of been only 1 or 2 things but it was to complicated for me to proceed.

 

[Wehr]

Picked up an old 028WB filthy from sitting in a shed for years cleaned it up added a chain brake and have been running it for 5 years, my limbing and smaller tree goto, it's a tank but fuel settings are a bit fussy, runs great for a day, put it away and next time gotta fiddle with the screws 'specially the idle mix.
a 044-440 is another, run forever? saw. My bought well used 440 has spent quite a few days WFO with the bar buried since I've owned it, mebby ten years now.
Hard to beat for a northern hardwood heat guy.

Curious as to where you found a chain brake for the 028WB? Part number would be great. I have one without the chain brake. Previous owner though the chain brake was broken but a local Small Engine shop said the year I have didn't come with the chain brake. He also discovered the chain oiler was broken (Worm Gear). I think I may have that solved. Thanks.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I sold this Stihl 028WB five years ago, and the new owner said he preferred it over the newer models that have a chain brake.

He loves this saw and uses it today with an 18" bar/chain. Truly a classic, I added the outside bumper spike.

 

[gggGary]

Curious as to where you found a chain brake for the 028WB? Part number would be great. I have one without the chain brake. Previous owner though the chain brake was broken but a local Small Engine shop said the year I have didn't come with the chain brake. He also discovered the chain oiler was broken (Worm Gear). I think I may have that solved. Thanks.

Found a "back in the hills" chain saw guy that got all the dead saws from a big retailer. He had all the parts from a donor saw.
The 028WB (Not the later 028 AV) came without a chainbrake or it was an option then later got one of the first? chainbrakes. It's a kind of simple thing but worked well during my ownship, had it trip a time or two during use. While it wouldn't have been an injury it was nice to KNOW it was on duty.
* The chainbrake from an 028AV will not fit an 028WB *
The manual with part numbers conveniently found here; https://www.arboristsite.com/threads/stihl-illustrated-parts-lists-ipl.317358/
028_IPL.pdf is the file you want, the chain brake is down a ways.




Install was not difficult. Note you need the hand guard #26 also, it's different from the non brake part.

 

[Wehr]

I sold this Stihl 028WB five years ago, and the new owner said he preferred it over the newer models that have a chain brake.
View attachment 1171117
He loves this saw and uses it today with an 18" bar/chain. Truly a classic, I added the outside bumper spike.

That's awesome. Trying to refurbish worn/near end of life parts with OEM. Spur gear, work gear. Not super worried about the chain brake. I rarely use it. Pay attention the task at hand. Enjoying working on this saw.