Opinions please - Husky 1xx series (137 etc)

[KLAL003]

Just a little something from the E-Lux website:

"As of 12 June 2006, the former Outdoor Products operations of Electrolux has been divested as a separate company, Husqvarna AB. Husqvarna AB is the parent company in the Husqvarna Group, covering outdoor brands such as Husqvarna, Jonsered, McCulloch, Partner, Poulan and WeedEater, as well as construction equipment brands like Diamant Boart and Partner Industrial. To access information about the Husqvarna Group and its range of brands, please go to www.husqvarna.com."

Also, I emailed the technical support guys at Husqvarna asking about whether or not the current 1XX (137,142) series is actually a Poulan. Sorry to paraphrase but I can't get the orginal email on this computer. Their response was that Poulan did in fact assemble the units, but that the parts used in that assembly were Swedish with the exection of the housings. The housings are Poulan manufactured. They also stated to get a true Swedish saw you'd have to purchase the 340 series and up.

 

[peter399]

It's the brand that should represent the quality, not the country of origin.
Made by Husqvarna should be enough. Same with Stihl, they have a huge plant in China. A "made in china" Stihl saw but the germans guarantee the quality. IKEA has done this for years, "design and quality IKEA of Sweden, made in china/bangladesh/vietnam.. "

So, a 1XX series Husky should have Husky quality IMO.

 

[SawTroll]

Just a little something from the E-Lux website:

"As of 12 June 2006, the former Outdoor Products operations of Electrolux has been divested as a separate company, Husqvarna AB. Husqvarna AB is the parent company in the Husqvarna Group, covering outdoor brands such as Husqvarna, Jonsered, McCulloch, Partner, Poulan and WeedEater, as well as construction equipment brands like Diamant Boart and Partner Industrial. To access information about the Husqvarna Group and its range of brands, please go to www.husqvarna.com."

Also, I emailed the technical support guys at Husqvarna asking about whether or not the current 1XX (137,142) series is actually a Poulan. Sorry to paraphrase but I can't get the orginal email on this computer. Their response was that Poulan did in fact assemble the units, but that the parts used in that assembly were Swedish with the exection of the housings. The housings are Poulan manufactured. They also stated to get a true Swedish saw you'd have to purchase the 340 series and up.

I have seen those statements before, and I believe they are true - those saws are not by any means rebadged Poulans....

Also; I believe they are on their way out, the new 240 is replacing at least one of them.

 

[romeo]

It just wont die..........

I am not a Poulan fan by any means. But I did buy a reman 42cc Poulan from Northern tool a few years ago for $89. I bought it to take out a bunch of elm saplings between a house and a brick wall at my brothers, the space in between the house and the wall was about 18" so I figured I would get this cheapy and beat the crap out of it then throw it in the trash when it broke. I use it all of the time for cutting firewood and I have never so much as changed (or even removed) the spark plug. I did do a quick muffler mod and I pulled the weird adjuster screws and cut slots in them so I could adjust them with a screwdriver. I do clean the airfilter often and keep the chain sharp but thats it. I would bet I have cut 6 cords of oak with it, ($14.83 per cord equipment cost). Its also has been loaned out a few times and probably well abused (I don't loan out the nice saws). I also used it in a deck demolition. It has never made it into the shed and usually just rolls around the bed of the pickup, it spends the winter buried in snow. The entire idea of this saw was to keep the hours off of my good saws.
Any way, this red headed step child is still running strong, maybe I just accidentally got a good one or something, when it breaks I will toss it in the trash and I might buy another one.
In my brothers shop he gets 10 of these things come in the door a week not running, most every time they are dead from no maintenance or running last years gas. I wonder if the bad wrap they receive is just because the type of people who buy them.

 

[huskydave]

For such a crappy saw seems like a lot of people have em. My father bought a wildthing and it cuts pretty good. I don't blame the saw I blame the opertator for poor performance. If the person only cuts wood once in a blue moon why would they spend a killing on a chainsaw?

 

[parrisw]

I wonder if the bad wrap they receive is just because the type of people who buy them.

I believe you hit the nail on the head with that statement!!

I work on cars for a living, and I see it all the time, people giving certain cars a bad REP, and I simply see that they have just severly mistreated the car, THATS ALL!! So many cheaper products can last with the big boys, treated correctly. I still have a Crafstman saw, its old, its a 2.3 I think, and it still runs very strong, its my dads old saw, he treated it right, and now I do as well, maybe it cuts so good cause it has a Husqvarna bar on it!!

 

[troutfisher]

I have a 136 Husky. I've cut firewood with it, I use it for carving, It's been a test saw for a few muffler mods (mufflers are cheap), It still runs great. I also have a Craftsman 42cc. The 136 is faster, starts better, more power, and uses the same bar and chain.

 

[SawTroll]

The cheapest "Poulan made" Huskys have chromed cylinders, the small Poulans have not - should mean something for life expectansy....

 

[troutfisher]

The cheapest "Poulan made" Huskys have chromed cylinders, the small Poulans have not - should mean something for life expectansy....

I have used mine a lot. Carving is near abuse- high RPMs, very little load on the engine. I can't say anything bad about the little 136.

 

[BIG JAKE]

Pullon won't die

I am not a Poulan fan by any means. But I did buy a reman 42cc Poulan from Northern tool a few years ago for $89. I bought it to take out a bunch of elm saplings between a house and a brick wall at my brothers, the space in between the house and the wall was about 18" so I figured I would get this cheapy and beat the crap out of it then throw it in the trash when it broke. I use it all of the time for cutting firewood and I have never so much as changed (or even removed) the spark plug. I did do a quick muffler mod and I pulled the weird adjuster screws and cut slots in them so I could adjust them with a screwdriver. I do clean the airfilter often and keep the chain sharp but thats it. I would bet I have cut 6 cords of oak with it, ($14.83 per cord equipment cost). Its also has been loaned out a few times and probably well abused (I don't loan out the nice saws). I also used it in a deck demolition. It has never made it into the shed and usually just rolls around the bed of the pickup, it spends the winter buried in snow. The entire idea of this saw was to keep the hours off of my good saws.
Any way, this red headed step child is still running strong, maybe I just accidentally got a good one or something, when it breaks I will toss it in the trash and I might buy another one.
In my brothers shop he gets 10 of these things come in the door a week not running, most every time they are dead from no maintenance or running last years gas. I wonder if the bad wrap they receive is just because the type of people who buy them.

I have one of those. Bought it in the early 90's. I call it "The Red Saw". Cut quite a few cords with it. Keep it sharp, filter clean, and tune it with altitude changes depending on where I'm cutting. Just keeps going. Maybe I got a 'good one' as well. Run to fail and throw it away. If I was to loan a saw though, that'd be the one.

 

[Cam501]

Just a little something from the E-Lux website:

"As of 12 June 2006, the former Outdoor Products operations of Electrolux has been divested as a separate company, Husqvarna AB. Husqvarna AB is the parent company in the Husqvarna Group, covering outdoor brands such as Husqvarna, Jonsered, McCulloch, Partner, Poulan and WeedEater, as well as construction equipment brands like Diamant Boart and Partner Industrial. To access information about the Husqvarna Group and its range of brands, please go to www.husqvarna.com."

Also, I emailed the technical support guys at Husqvarna asking about whether or not the current 1XX (137,142) series is actually a Poulan. Sorry to paraphrase but I can't get the orginal email on this computer. Their response was that Poulan did in fact assemble the units, but that the parts used in that assembly were Swedish with the exection of the housings. The housings are Poulan manufactured. They also stated to get a true Swedish saw you'd have to purchase the 340 series and up.

That's pretty much what our Husky sales rep told us also and what husky tech told me too. That the internal parts come from Sweeden and the saws are assembled by Poulan. I would imagine that while they are probably not as good as the rest of the line, they should be somewhat better than the poulans. We haven't had many in the shop. Even the lame ass consumer magazines say they feel more substantial than the comparable Pull-On.

 

[Cam501]

I have seen those statements before, and I believe they are true - those saws are not by any means rebadged Poulans....

Also; I believe they are on their way out, the new 240 is replacing at least one of them.

I've already had customers asking me about the 240, and I can't order them yet. It's replacing the 142 i think.

 

[SawTroll]

I've already had customers asking me about the 240, and I can't order them yet. It's replacing the 142 i think.

I have been told so, but it really should have replaced the 137, as it is only 38cc and 2.2hp.....

 

[zzrjohn]

Originally Posted by Cam501
I've already had customers asking me about the 240, and I can't order them yet. It's replacing the 142 i think.



So does this mean that my Husky 42 with a grey top cover is a true Husky or another rebadged make?

 

[IndyIan]

I split on a 141 with my father in law(his ancient pioneer finally died). It cuts well and is light but there is alot of compression which makes it hard for my father in law to start it. Even the safety chain seems to cut well, in softwood anyways. The main reason we got it is that it has a real husky warranty, 2 years, and a real husky dealer to fix it if necessary.
Its obviously not a pro saw but when you look under the hood it doesn't look much different than the 372.
I have to admit I wish I got him to split on a 346xp but he's a cheap ol' bastard

 

[SawTroll]

So does this mean that my Husky 42 with a grey top cover is a true Husky or another rebadged make?

That is a true Swedish one, "simplified" 242xp with slightly less power and rpms - the 41 was "Poulan made", and later became the 141, and at last the 142.

 

[zzrjohn]

That is a true Swedish one, "simplified" 242xp with slightly less power and rpms - the 41 was "Poulan made", and later became the 141, and at last the 142.

SawTroll, I always wondered if the 42 was more a pro than a home type saw, I've had it from new (16 + years) and never any trouble.......

 

[SawTroll]

SawTroll, I always wondered if the 42 was more a pro than a home type saw, I've had it from new (16 + years) and never any trouble.......

I would call it a "rancher"/"semi-pro" type, based on a pro design.....

 

[zzrjohn]

I would call it a "rancher"/"semi-pro" type, based on a pro design.....

Sounds about right to me....a nice little saw......

 

[Cam501]

I have been told so, but it really should have replaced the 137, as it is only 38cc and 2.2hp.....

it maybe 2 cc smaller than the 142, but at least in the US it's rated power is the same as the 142 and price will be the same. I don't know about where you're at but in the US the 137 is 2.0hp, and the 142 is 2.2hp