Why would someone NEED to go to a local dealer to ask questions (especially on a saw that was originally sold in a box store)? Certainly there are folks on here who can cover this stuff. And if he can do the job himself he can save big money ordering the parts online.[/QUOTE
LOCAL conditions vary and he's asking about a local area. Idaho is not flat. Wel maybe the south, potatoey part is flat.
Let me clarify. I am in no way a saw person. I bought what the locals recommended and when the nearby dealer ran specials. I live in the midst of timber country and worked amongst the loggers as a contract inspector type. I am an expert tree painter. My neighbor, who is now semi-retired and in the local speak "is a hell of a faller" said this when seeing a guy using a 440 for falling second growth conifers with an average diameter in the 16" range. He said that a 440 is OK as long as all is going well, but it would get you killed if you suddenly needed a burst of power--which happens. So he and his son used at least a 460 in the woods.
I cannot imagine falling with a small saw, but that's my problem. I'm definitely not a faller, just a firewood hack. One thing that surprised some "coasties" was how hard the Rocky Mtn. subspecies of Doug-fir is. Trees grow slower to the east of us and have denser wood so it is not as soft as the coastal DF. We've had Idahoians come out here and cut timber and they ran the same set up as the locals.
So, check locally. Maybe you are going to drop trees on pasture like ground. Maybe it will all be fine, I don't know.
