Would you recommend new 353 or 550xp

[chipper1]

Thank you for all your replies. As mentioned saw is for limbing only as i use a 24" ported 262xp for most of my felling and yes i do all my own maintenance. Weight, price and repairs seem to be pointing towards 353.
I bought a new 440 last week but it seems like a toy and im not expecting it to last. Chain guard got ripped out on second use so probably going to get a 353 while i can still get hold of one.
I chose the 440 over 550 on reccomendation and without too much research. Deciding factor being weight and didnt realize it was a clamshell. 550 seemed too close to 262xp in weight.

Im in New Zealand and here warranty is 2yeard extended to 5y if you buy 1l 2stroke and 5l chail oil with your saw.

Sounds like the 353 would make a nice companion to the ported 262. I think you would probably enjoy putting a 346 P&C on it as that makes them a good bit zippier.
If the 440 you have there is on the same chassis as the 440/445/450 we have here, they are great saws and it sounds as though you were misusing it. The 450 is also a clamshell as you said about the 440, but it has the same specs as a 353, and they are my favorite stock plastic case saw. The bummer about the 440, is it's has much smaller displacement than the 450 and it weighs the same . If it doesn't last, that's on you, they are great saws and last a long time.
Yes, the new 550mk2 is a bit on the chunky side, but they do run very well. But for that very reason, I prefer a late model 550mk1, they had worked all the bugs out of them and they are a good bit lighter than the mk2, and they handle like a dream for limbing. I just ran my 2018 550mk1 today, it has a muffler mod, and it ran great.

 

[chipper1]

Let me think a minute....View attachment 973123

Very nice.
Can we do something about the mismatched caps .
Just joking

 

[grizz55chev]

Very nice.
Can we do something about the mismatched caps .
Just joking

Looks factree to me.

 

[Peacehbu]

Sounds like the 353 would make a nice companion to the ported 262. I think you would probably enjoy putting a 346 P&C on it as that makes them a good bit zippier.
If the 440 you have there is on the same chassis as the 440/445/450 we have here, they are great saws and it sounds as though you were misusing it. The 450 is also a clamshell as you said about the 440, but it has the same specs as a 353, and they are my favorite stock plastic case saw. The bummer about the 440, is it's has much smaller displacement than the 450 and it weighs the same . If it doesn't last, that's on you, they are great saws and last a long time.
Yes, the new 550mk2 is a bit on the chunky side, but they do run very well. But for that very reason, I prefer a late model 550mk1, they had worked all the bugs out of them and they are a good bit lighter than the mk2, and they handle like a dream for limbing. I just ran my 2018 550mk1 today, it has a muffler mod, and it ran great.

440 is same weight as 435 at 9.7lbs(4.4kg) and 450 is same as 445 and 550 at 11.25lbs(5.1kg)

Perhaps your chain guards are a bit thicker there. On Mk2 it is slightly thicker then a beer can. On older huskies you have a proper steel guard.
Possible that i got unlucky with a small branch being pulled through and it was one off.
Is 353 as plasticky as 440?

 

[Husky Man]

The 353 is a magnesium case, and very similar to the older XP saws

I believe that the 350’s were a plastic case saw, but from what I have read, they were popular, and can take a 346XP p&c as well.

Doug

 

[chipper1]

440 is same weight as 435 at 9.7lbs(4.4kg) and 450 is same as 445 and 550 at 11.25lbs(5.1kg)

Perhaps your chain guards are a bit thicker there. On Mk2 it is slightly thicker then a beer can. On older huskies you have a proper steel guard.
Possible that i got unlucky with a small branch being pulled through and it was one off.
Is 353 as plasticky as 440?

You're correct.
I thought the 440 was on the same chassis as the 445/450. Maybe the 440 is a bit cheaper made as it's quite a bit lighter(sorry). I've owned the 450's and they have been great, and know guys who've done a lot of cutting with the 445 and have had very little problems.
As Doug said, the 353 has a magnesium case, it's basically the same saw as a 346 other than the P&C.
They are very good saws for sure.

 

[chipper1]

Looks factree to me.

I know you like your 353.
What all has been done to it.

 

[Husky Man]

The Wife wanted “Her OWN Saw”, so for Christmas 2017, she got a 445. I felt that it was a Good balance point of Weight/Power/Price, for the cutting I expected her to use it for. It has been a reliable saw so far, low hours on it yet.

Hers is the later 50.2cc version, Nope it isn’t a 346XP, 353 or 550XP, but honestly, I have been impressed with what it is, for a saw that I got for $309 NIB from a dealer, it has been a better saw than I expected for the price point it meets

Doug

 

[grizz55chev]

I know you like your 353.
What all has been done to it.

Nothing

 

[a. palmer jr.]

Very nice.
Can we do something about the mismatched caps .
Just joking

I kinda like them that way.. Since I bought the saw years ago that's what was on it...

 

[grizz55chev]

The 353 is a magnesium case, and very similar to the older XP saws

I believe that the 350’s were a plastic case saw, but from what I have read, they were popular, and can take a 346XP p&c as well.

Doug

Yep, cheap, lightweight, plentiful, easy to work on after some practice, my go to firewood saw with the 346 top end swap.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

I have a 346XP also and they run very similar. I think I like the 353 the best because it has a compression release, the XP does not..

 

[medic5050]

Looks factree to me.

Along with the sparkalators, lightning hoses, and go fast maker?

 

[grizz55chev]

Along with the sparkalators, lightning hoses, and go fast maker?

VGG! The bigger fuel make it happener too!

 

[medic5050]

VGG! The bigger fuel make it happener too!

"Well, I'll be dipped..."

 

[FordF550]

I have a 550 mark2 and a 353. The 550 has more power. The 353 is still a very nice saw. Both run .325 and 18 bar. Just buy Both.

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

I know new 353 18" b&c shipped in is 650. 150 of that is shipping from overseas where still made. So if you can get a new 353 40% cheaper then a 550. I would all day. Just because of the regular carb etc. If your into doing your own tuning etc.

Pro built saw just a different P+C then 346xp

 

[Wood Doctor]

I took these pics of my 353 five years ago. I used the saw yesterday to cut a truckload of hardwood rounds -- oak, ash, locust, and hard maple. It performed flawlessly.

I do not recall doing any repair work for this saw -- just ordinary maintenance. I bought backup 350's for it, but I seldom use them. It is still my go-to saw for most of my firewood processing.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

I took these pics of my 353 five years ago. I used the saw yesterday to cut a truckload of hardwood rounds -- oak, ash, locust, and hard maple. It performed flawlessly.
View attachment 973365
I do not recall doing any repair work for this saw -- just ordinary maintenance. I bought backup 350's for it, but I seldom use them. It is still my go-to saw for most of my firewood processing.

Someone remarked about my 353 having mismatched oil and fuel caps, I see yours has the same ones as mine, reckon that's what came on them when new?

 

[a. palmer jr.]

I noticed my 353 today was kinda hard to pull starting it, even with the comp. release pushed in. Guess it's getting kinda carboned up? It was almost like not having it pushed in. I ran my 359 also and it was much easier to pull..Both saws have great compression..