Which should I buy and why? Stihl FS310, Husky 336FR or Stihl FS250

[chrisoppie]

I worked on the 336 big brother the 345 what an animal. I have run the older stihl 330 or 340 not as comfortable as the Husqvarna. Not sure about this, but I don't think the stihl's come with the harness. I bought the Honda hht35ukat (handle bars) nice for what I get in to but it's no true clearing saw.

 

[rdtreewalker]

250 is the only way to go

 

[7sleeper]

Run the semi pro trimmers for a longer time and you will feel it! Anti vibration and comfortable harness besides power are the definitive killer arguments for me.

7

 

[dancan]

Thanks for the in input so far folks. Keep your feedback coming.

Target will be poplar, ash, balsam and alders from 1/2" to 3". Once shooting lanes and perimeter are in check, I should be able to keep the
edges and lanes clear with something less than a chisel tooth or beaver blade.

If you're going to be cutting up to 3" get a FS360 or FS460 with the harness and don't look back , you'll be able to cut all day with little effort and then put the tri-point blade on it and go mow your neighbors field after supper .

 

[IEL]

The only one I have ran was my uncles fs550. What a beast! It would slice through 3 inch pines as easily as grass.... No slowdown at all.

 

[airframefixer]

I asked the same question last year.

The 250 has a flawless track record, I bought it based on that fact over the 336FR. Don't let the 336FR's plastic cover between the clutch housing and the handle bars fool you into thinking its a true 4 point AV system, its not. Look at the IPL, it's just a plastic cover, although smaller husky trimmer are popular with the lawn guys for their "1 point" AV. The 535RXT has a two rubber buffers, one at the clutch and one under the handle bars.

If your budget dictates, I would opt for the FS310, Ive never run a 4 mix, but solely on the 4 point AV, better gear box and drive tube. If you want a 2 stroke, Save up for the FS360. I run my 250 without the guard and .105 line and and the vibes are no fun at all. I cant emphasize enough the AV.

On the note of the gear box, I have broken two gear box's now with my 250, not catastrophic failures from over powering (the FR480 powers the same gear box), but the "weed-winding skirt" is not meant for axial loading (down movement with the blade) and can crack around the edge. If you catch it in time, you can grind of the balance of the skirt and the crack wont spread to the gear housing. The first time I did this was with a three point brush knife, the second time with a shredder blade. Hit a rock or a larger stump, the blade bends upwards and game over.

The FS310 and upwards have a larger drive tube, more rigidity and doesn't "wallow' when you have the blade buried.

So I have 1.5 years on my FS250, my only gripes are the vibes and the breaking gearboxes. A true clearing saw solves these problems. My regret is that I could have bought a FS350 as they were being discontinued when I bought the 250. As of lately I have been buying FS350 parts to convert my machine to the one I should have bought in the first place.

All the best.

 

[7sleeper]

I asked the same question last year.

The 250 has a flawless track record, I bought it based on that fact over the 336FR. Don't let the 336FR's plastic cover between the clutch housing and the handle bars fool you into thinking its a true 4 point AV system, its not. Look at the IPL, it's just a plastic cover, although smaller husky trimmer are popular with the lawn guys for their "1 point" AV. The 535RXT has a two rubber buffers, one at the clutch and one under the handle bars.

If your budget dictates, I would opt for the FS310, Ive never run a 4 mix, but solely on the 4 point AV, better gear box and drive tube. If you want a 2 stroke, Save up for the FS360. I run my 250 without the guard and .105 line and and the vibes are no fun at all. I cant emphasize enough the AV.

On the note of the gear box, I have broken two gear box's now with my 250, not catastrophic failures from over powering (the FR480 powers the same gear box), but the "weed-winding skirt" is not meant for axial loading (down movement with the blade) and can crack around the edge. If you catch it in time, you can grind of the balance of the skirt and the crack wont spread to the gear housing. The first time I did this was with a three point brush knife, the second time with a shredder blade. Hit a rock or a larger stump, the blade bends upwards and game over.

The FS310 and upwards have a larger drive tube, more rigidity and doesn't "wallow' when you have the blade buried.

So I have 1.5 years on my FS250, my only gripes are the vibes and the breaking gearboxes. A true clearing saw solves these problems. My regret is that I could have bought a FS350 as they were being discontinued when I bought the 250. As of lately I have been buying FS350 parts to convert my machine to the one I should have bought in the first place.

All the best.

:msp_thumbup:

My new Hitachi CG 40 EY T = Tanaka TBC 4200 DLV has a 30mm shaft and a 7mm driveshaft, besides the very nice 4 point antivib. I got it on sale for 360€ down from 599€!
I have no idea what the Stihl have as diameter for the driveshaft, but my Hitachi is clearly supperior to my Stihl FS 120.

7

 

[Franny K]

I asked the same question last year.

snip I bought it based on that fact over the 336FR. Don't let the 336FR's plastic cover between the clutch housing and the handle bars fool you into thinking its a true 4 point AV system, its not. Look at the IPL, it's just a plastic cover,

snip

All the best.

I couldn't find the ipl however the front piece in the picture on the husky website looks just like my 235 (2000 approx model year) which has another two rubber mounts near the power head. There is a cylindrical rubber mount at four places on mine the ends of the welding rods. If some of the fasteners get loose things can shift and they have escaped but a tightly coiled (needs slit) piece of hose, air or oxy acetylene not sure which can be used rather than travel and order or purchase.

I see the vibration is getting a rather lot of attention in this thread. Does anyone find these devices aggravate the location of a tetnus shot thirty or more years ago and I think it is the motion not the vibration.

Fran

 

[opinion]

FS 250/R's are discontinued now. Get `em while they last! I think it's being replaced by something called FS 240. MS 261 and 362 mtronic should be out by the end of the year.

 

[jus2fat]

Screw the FS-360

Dude above mentioned... "If you want a 2 stroke, Save up for the FS360"

I thought he was 'nuts' - - and that all the brush clearing saws were "4-Mix" engines....WRONG..!!

(crow again for the fat rooster for dinner)..at least this time I checked 2 dealers...and they ARE 2-strokes)

Friend of mine...Stihl (Stihl silver certified) ran the parts list on 360 and 460 and NO valves were found..!!..-

Reason I say screw the FS-360 is the FS-460 weighs the same ~19 lb - has 24% more hp - and ~ 20% more $$.

Just sayin'...if you got the coin for a $1000 trimmer/brushcutter...the FS-460 would be a better choice..IMHO

I think I have a bone in my leg...charity drive..??..LOL..!!

J2F

 

[opinion]

The fs 460c is mtronic 2 stroke. It's a beast! But it's over a grand as well. I think the fs 250 will take care of what he needs.

 

[dancan]

But there's no bragging rights included in the box with them little trimmers