Husqvarna Tools #965030298 455 Rancher 20"Chainsaw
- Husqvarna Tools #965030298 455 Rancher 20"Chainsaw
- HUSQVARNA FOREST & GARDEN
Product Description
Husqvarna, 455 Rancher, 20" Gas-Powered Chainsaw, 3.4CUIN (56CC), 2 Cycle Engine, Dual Action Chain Brake & LowVib Features For Added Safety & Comfort, Air Injection System, SmartStart Provides Easy Starting, Lightweight At Only 12 LB, Pro/Commercial Grade Quality, 2 Year Warranty Consumer Use, 90 Day Warranty Pro/Commercial Use.
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Husqvarna Tools #965030298 455 Rancher 20"Chainsaw
- Misc.: 0 pages
- Publisher: HUSQVARNA FOREST & GARDEN
- Label: HUSQVARNA FOREST & GARDEN
- Studio: HUSQVARNA FOREST & GARDEN
- Average Customer Review:
 based on 13 reviews
- Sales Rank in Tools: #24179
Avg. Customer Review:
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Very disappointed, should have bought a Stihl 2008-11-19
Comment: I used to have a landscaping business years ago and I actually still have one of the old 48 inch commercial mowers and an Echo trimmer. My partner took the rest of the stuff including the Stihl chainsaws. We always used either Stihl or Echo for our handheld power tools. We never had a problem. I bought the Husqvarna because a friend recommended it, Consumer Reports rate the Husqvarna brand well, and the dealer is closer to me than the Stihl or Echo dealer. I bought this chain saw less than 5 months ago and have had it in the shop twice eventhough I only used it to cut down and cut up 3 trees. I had used it once and it was working great but then I couldn't get it to start again. It would start and stall right out. They did fix it under warranty. The second time I had to bring it in was because the chain brake locked up on the drive wheel. Not covered under the warranty. So $80 later, I am kicking myself for not buying a Stihl or even an Echo and wondering if it will work the next time I go to use it. May be you just have to be lucky with it. I am thinking that they are selling these things all over the place now (Sears, Lowes, Tractor Supply) maybe they have lost their quality control.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating:
Summary: Very Poor Reliability 2008-10-13
Comment: I bought this saw two years ago on recommendation from my local Stihl/Husq dealer. I was tired of my old Craftsman/Sears breaking all the time, wanted a tough reliable chainsaw. At first, the saw seemed very nice--smooth, started, good power. But, within 8-10 operating hours I was stretching and tossing chains (went through 5), which then destroyed the plastic/tin cheap motor case area next to the gear. Realizing I was getting not enough oil to the chain, took it to the dealer who found out an internal oil gear stripped--nothing covered on warranty according to him, $180 bill to repair the damage caused by the lack of automatic oiling. Lately, I've had to constantly monitor the oiling, it stops at times. Basically, this thing's good for cutting your XMAS tree end, but not much else. My advice, but a "professional" saw for any of your needs. I've already spent the extra money that I would have w/ all the repairs, plus massive frustration.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating: 
Summary: A serious saw, but not a pro saw. 2008-10-06
Comment: This is my second full season with my 455 Rancher. We have been having a huge issue here in Colorado with pine beetle infestations of lodgepole pine trees. I have been felling and bucking pine for firewood. I've been putting in about 15 hours per week with my Husky saw. It has performed well. The cutting I have been doing has been at 9000 feet elevation and even at this altitude the saw has adequate power for what I've been cutting. Most of the trees I've been dropping are 12" to 24" in diameter. The only negative issues I have encountered can be traced immediately back to the operator of the saw (me!). The biggest problem I've had is that I filed way too much off of the chain rakers. At that point the saw was no longer cutting, but tearing through the wood. I filed the teeth heavily and that problem was solved. The carburetor adjustment takes some learning, but is pretty simple once you get the procedure ironed out (learned) in your head. At 9000 feet I can get it to run sufficiently rich so as to prevent engine damage, but still not smoke much if at all during operation. The last tree I fell was 22" DBH and around 110 feet tall. I felled the tree and bucked it into 18" lengths for firewood in about 1.5 hours. I cut every part of the tree down to 2" in diameter for heating wood. Not bad at all. I would buy this saw again for sure. I had a chance during the late summer to cut about a cord of hard maple into firewood with this saw as well. This was at an elevation of 2000 feet. With a carburetor adjustment the saw was off and running. It did seem to be a bit on the lean side at that elevation, but it never overheated or lost power. This maple was 14" in diameter and the saw had absolutely no problem with the heavy, dense wood.
The biggest limiting factor with any chainsaw is the maintenance and adjustment. Take your time and learn the procedures. No one is born knowing how to properly set-up and use a chainsaw. Proper procedures make ALL the difference. People want instant gratification from anything they buy. A chainsaw is not one of those things.
Conclusion: If you are a serious land-owner user I wouldn't hesitate to buy this saw. It can, when properly set up, mow through some serious lumber in a respectable amount of time. If you are a professional timber faller you aren't even reading this review.
P.S. Some of the other reviewers mentioned the "flimsy" choke and kill switch actuators. I actually consider their flexible nature to be an asset. They bend without breaking. A more rigid tab would break rather than flexing and then snapping back into place. The woods can be a pretty brutal environment when woodcutting is going on. I would prefer to not have a broken piece of plastic be the reason I had to go back 20 miles to town in the middle of the day.
Hope this review is helpful. Cheers!
N.W. Colorado
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating:
Summary: It's been a good saw for me. 2007-03-31
Comment: Sorry to hear about weird dealer and warranty issues of others, but I thought I'd add my two cents.
Living in the cali foothills with lots of black and live oak, we don't get much snow. I bought this saw about a year ago after a big snow that caused some major damage to our oaks. I have cleaned up an acre of trees with this saw and it has always performed. Most limbs from 12-20 inches and approximately 3 or 4 chords worth. Not that much in hindsight, but for "non-pro" / "commercial" applications, I find it performs much better than struggling with a cheapie. I would rather spend a little more for quality than purchase a throw-away that doesn't cut it.
At first, after it warmed up, it was punk to restart, but like others have stated, choke it, pull once to a stutter, turn choke off, and it fires right up. The choke lever does feel a little flimsy, so I'm careful with it.
I haven't had problems with chain slack like others - seems to stay tight. So much comes down to the chain - sharp chain - no problems. Like most equipment, make sure you use fresh or treated gas. Old gas will kill a trimmer or chainsaw and you'll be toast as you dismantle the whole thing cuz you have to get it outta there (blowing a little WD40 in the cylinder will help fire it up until you can cycle the old gas out).
Also, it comes with a case and spark plug wrench so I'm not sure why others were having problems removing the plug. I had another wrench that just "worked", I think it was one for my car so it can't be that un-standard.
I actually like the manual. Lots of good techniques and maintenance information. There's quite a bit you need to be aware of to keep it in good running (and safe) order. Not unlike a motorcycle.
Saw is kind of a beast (heavy), which might be a good thing by dissuading people (like me) from using it over their heads, on a ladder, while climbing, etc.
Again, I don't use it every day but for a weekend warrior (over the last 1+ years), it's been reliable. I might check out the carb settings, it does seem a little lean.
I've used Poulan, McCullogh, Homelite, and Craftsman (probably a relabeled something or other). Haven't had an opportunity to use a good Stihl, but I could see this as being comparable. I've helped others that were using stihls and both seemed to cut clean and fast. If this one ends up dying (hopefully years from now) - maybe I'll give another company a go, but so far this saw has performed and I haven't needed a heavy duty "logger's" saw. I think this saw is priced well for my type of user and abuse it would see from a "rancher". If it breaks in well after this season, I'll come back and update to 5 stars.
13 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating:
Summary: Do NOT buy Husqvarna Products 2007-02-16
Comment: Neither Husqvarna or their dealers will honor the warranty. I purchased a Husqvarna 455 Rancher from a dealer. Used it one day. The plastic handle snapped. When I took it to the dealer, they informed me that part was not covered under their 30 day warranty. I needed the saw back so I paid the bill ($120) and chalked my experience up to another course in the school of hard knocks. When I pay close to $400 for a chainsaw, I expect it to last !!!!!!!! Do yourself a favor....if you insist on a Husqvarna, buy it from Lowes and make sure you use it right away. That way, when it breaks, you can simply return it because the Husqvarna warranty isn't worth the paper it's printed on.
Oh...and by the way...the chain oil valve kept clogging up every 15 minutes.
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Husqvarna Tools #965030298 455 Rancher 20"Chainsaw
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