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.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1866 in Home Improvement
• Brand: Husqvarna
• Model: 455
• Dimensions: 12.00" h x 12.00" w x 38.00" l, 21.00 pounds

Features

• The X-Torq engine technology reduces fuel consumption up to 20-Percent and emissions up to 60-Percent.
• Facilitates cleaning and replacement of the air filter
• Allows for easier starting and reduces the risk of engine flooding
• Centrifugal air cleaning system removes larger dust and debris particles before reaching the air filter. This results in reduced air filter cleanings and improved engine life
• Easier access to chain tensioning device

From the Manufacturer
The 455 Rancher is an ideal saw for landowners and part-time users who require a high powered, heavy-duty and responsive workmate for all cutting conditions. It combines the best characteristics of its predecessor with new, facilitating technology and ergonomics.

Customer Reviews

Great Saw
I just picked up a 455 Rancher about a month ago (today is 4 May, 2006). This is a great saw. I had been using for more than 20 years, and still use to some degree a Stihl 028; another excellent saw.

There are some pros and cons to this saw as with all things.

Here's what I like. It's easy to operate and maintain. Accessibility of the under-cowel components such as the air filter, spark plug, and clutch housing is a no-brainer. It starts easy. In fact, you really don't need the pressure valve. It "pops" after a few short and fast pulls. Remember, once the saw "pops" with the choke, un-choke it and pull it again. You do not need to warm a two stroke with the choke on like you would a 4 stroke engine. Attempting to warm with the choke is the biggest cause of two stroke engine flooding.

Here's what I do not like. The low/hi mixture settings are limited by EPA regulations; a complete and total joke. If you remove the controls to optimize your settings, the warranty is void. But, I think it's better to do that than cook engine from lean settings. There aren't enough chainsaws running in any given period of the day to justify this regulation. So if you are a casual user, really pay attention to the break in procedures. Since the saws run lean, you need to make sure to break them in with extra care. If you use them much more frequently, remove the EPA limiters and richen out the hi/low mix, otherwise you will cook your engine.

Overall this is a great saw. The chisel chains do well for heavier applications. Be careful of kickback with these style chains. You can get low-kick back chains from any dealer. It's all a matter of personal preference.

I have outfitted my saw with an Oregon 20" Bar, chain, and rim sprocket. Once again this is a personal preference issue. The power head of the 455 is plenty and the applications many. If you are a causal user of this saw, talk with the folks at the saw shops for tips and ideas. They are a repository of knowledge and can help you make informed decisions about your saw.

-Washington State

Saw works great after 2 months of medium use.
Living in Alaska heating oil costs can get astronomical. I made a decision this year instead of paying the local lumber yard $125 a cord for split spruce; I would take care of it myself. After the 1st half cord of wood my old McCullough just wouldn't cut it anymore. The local saw shop didn't want to work on it and so I started looking around for a decent saw.

I first purchased a Poulan 18" that was completely worthless. Gas and Oil leaked from the poor cap design while in operation and at rest in it's case. The poulan wouldn't stay running despite all my efforts to get it to behave.

I quickly returned the Poulan and purchased the Husqy 455. I've been very happy with it's performance to date. It chews through White and Black spruce at insane speeds. I've cut 3 cords with it already and the only problem I've had to date is after about 45 minutes of cutting the saw will shut off at idle. I'm assuming this is a possible heating issue. If you let the saw rest for 2 minutes it fires right back up like it never had a problem. The choke handle is indeed very cheap plastic and I'm taking good care to handle it gently.

The saw has already paid for itself and I expect to get many good years of service out of it. All in all it's the best saw I've used to date; but that's comparing it to Poulan and McCullough.

Fine Saw
Ask anyone who has never run the 455 Rancher, or couldn't identify one by sight if their lives depended on it, and they'll likely tell you how terrible the 455 Rancher is... or that it's a saw that's been on the market for a few years. On paper it's about .7lbs heavier than it's 50-something cc neighbors in the Husqvarna line. On that basis, the experienced professional is likely going to go with the 359 every time. Not only because of the weight factor, but because the 359 is a true professional saw, whereas the 455 Rancher was always intended to fill a gap between the upper end homeowner saws and pro saws.

This isn't a professional saw, but it's a fine saw that's a good choice for serious firewood cutting or whatever you want to throw at it. With an 18" bar, and a good chain, this thing blows through wood like butter and is just as impressive as any of the Husqvarna saws. The wings on the limiter screws for the carb do scream to be saw off with a Dremel, but other than that, it's a good choice for a homeowner who does a fair amount of cutting.

I think that the reputation of this saw may improve significantly in the next year or two as more and more people have the opportunity to actually run one.