Husky 346XP vs 353

KY CUTTER · October 27, 2007, 12:22:01 PM

I am looking to buy a new chainsaw. Money is not an issue between the two saws. I am not a pro, just need a good saw that will last for MANY years to come on the farm. I need to clear some ditch banks, clean up some thickets, and cut a small amount of firewood for camping. I have heard that the 346XP is blazing fast if you keep it running at max RPM. I was wondering if the 353 is more torquie with the larger motor. Again mostly the saw will be used cutting small trees at ground level, probably at lower RPM than max. I just want the best saw, if the 346XP is superior in every way to the 353 then that is the saw I want. Can you guys help me choose?

Kevin · October 27, 2007, 06:03:06 PM

I'm partial to the XP saws but the 346 is small for my needs.

jackpine · October 27, 2007, 08:24:39 PM

No experience with the 346xp but I do have a 353 and think it will do all you want and then some. I orignally bought it just for limbing as my 372xp gets really heavy holding it up to limb. Now I find myself using the 353 for almost everything except felling and bucking trees over 20"dia. I didn't want to spend the extra money for the 346xp and don't regret it. My Husky dealer felt that for primarily a firewood saw the 353 was as good, or better, than the 346xp. Where the 346xp shines is cutting pine pulp but very few hand cut pulp anymore.

Bill

ehp · October 27, 2007, 08:41:06 PM

now you can buy a 50cc -346 from Bailey's if they have any left, alot more torque than the older 346 and would be a better saw

johncinquo · October 27, 2007, 09:12:24 PM

You want to run your saw at full rpm all the time when your cutting. Theres no "half speed" when using one. You can let off for stops and starts, but you want to keep it running, not bogging.

sawguy21 · October 27, 2007, 10:32:49 PM

I agree. Cutting at part throttle is harder on the saw and increases the risk of kick back. You might be happier with the 353 for your application, it has a wider power band.

Brian_Rhoad · October 27, 2007, 10:51:16 PM

I bought my dad a 353 a few years ago and he likes it alot for firewood and small trees. It is a well balanced saw and has plenty of power for its size.

WDH · October 27, 2007, 11:24:27 PM

Welcome to the Forum, KY Cutter. The others have forgot their manners

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KY CUTTER · October 28, 2007, 03:13:06 AM

Great comments guys. Thanks also for the welcome. I am an information junkie when i comes to buying things. Its funny the dealers around here really dont know the technical differences between their saws. Mostly I hear that all their saws will do me a good job and last many years. I just want the best quality saw for my needs. Thanks for the info on the 50cc 346. I guess what I meant with lower rpm than max was that the saw would be used to cut alot of very small trees from time to time. Like 1 to 2 inch in dia. most of the time they go so fast that the saw doesnt come to full speed. Anytime the saw is going to run more than a few seconds I run at max RPM. I have just read a few things about the 346 having a narrow powerband and the 353 being wider. I assume that means the ability to choke down the saw under load. Can you guys think of any qualities that the 353 has over the 346XP?

ladylake · October 28, 2007, 08:15:56 AM

Looks like the new 50cc 346xp would be the way to go. Should be built better than the 353. It's rated at the same HP as the old 346, but I'd think it will have a wider power range, more user friendly. Unless it gained some wieght that Husky isn't claiming. If it did it shouldn't be much. Steve

KY CUTTER · October 28, 2007, 06:39:57 PM

Gonna call Bailey's, Alamia, and NPECO tomorrow and see if I can get one on the way. Thanks for all the help guys. I will let you know how it turns out.

SawTroll · October 29, 2007, 03:27:15 PM

Quote from: ehp on October 27, 2007, 08:41:06 PM
now you can buy a 50cc -346 from Bailey's if they have any left, alot more torque than the older 346 and would be a better saw

The 50cc New Edition 346xp just smokes the 353 when both are stock, even though my 346 isn't run in yet.

That one is an all-round saw for smaller wood, not a specialized limbing saw like the old 45cc one.

KY CUTTER · October 29, 2007, 08:01:27 PM

Glad to hear that from you SawTroll, I saw that you have both saws. I ordered it today from NPECO. Should be here Friday I hope. Comes with 2 free chains, shirt, and hat. I also ordered a bar protector for it. $439 to my door. Cant wait to see how it cuts.

ehp · October 30, 2007, 07:30:23 PM

did you make sure its the 50cc -346 , not the 45cc one

KY CUTTER · October 30, 2007, 08:58:11 PM

Well I called NPECO and ordered it. I specificly asked the salesman if they had the new 50CC 346XP, he put me on hold and then came back and told me they have some in stock. I told him to send it my way. So we will see Friday.

KY CUTTER · November 02, 2007, 04:05:20 PM

8) WOOHOO Saw came in today. It is the 50CC silver side cover new edition that I asked for. The new edition has the decompression botton. I dont think the 45CC version had that. After assembling the bar and chain, filled with gas and oil, she started right up. Runs like an ape. Man is it a fast cutting saw. Alot more power than I am used to. I am 100% completely satisfied. Thank everyone here that replyed to my post. You guys helped me make an excellent decision. Cant wait to get her broke in good. Again thanks to everyone for their help.

ehp · November 02, 2007, 06:53:03 PM

Now a couple things before you get carried away with your new hotrod , The best thing you can do for that saw is phone someone and get a non etech muffler for it cause they run very hot with that etech muffler on it and I mean hot . The saw has a 14100 rpm limiter in the coil which is fine cause you donot need to run any higher than that. I found I set the stock motor at around 13500 to 13700 rpms and it worked fine

Max sawdust · November 02, 2007, 07:27:39 PM

I got an old model 346xp, love it. Good saw ;D It gets used daily.. and not for play.
Fully addicted to the 14,500 on the 346xp. Keep the bar at 16" and the rakers filed back and lay into it ;D
max

SawTroll · November 03, 2007, 01:06:01 PM

Quote from: ehp on November 02, 2007, 06:53:03 PM
Now a couple things before you get carried away with your new hotrod , The best thing you can do for that saw is phone someone and get a non etech muffler for it cause they run very hot with that etech muffler on it and I mean hot . The saw has a 14100 rpm limiter in the coil which is fine cause you donot need to run any higher than that. I found I set the stock motor at around 13500 to 13700 rpms and it worked fine

Mine is at about 13400 now, for run-in - the torque is amasing for a 50cc saw, I think it will end up with 3/8" on it, or .325x8 - we will see.
It is a bit behind the 5100S with 3/8" at 14280 so far in smaller wood, but it is at least as fast in larger wood, with less hours on it (none of them are run in, due to our mishaps this summer).....

KY CUTTER · November 03, 2007, 01:26:13 PM

:P I have read before about getting rid of the etech muffler. SawTroll are you still running the stock muffler? My main concern here is not so much on a performance stand point, although, everyone loves a screamer. I just want the saw to last forever. I want whats best for the saw. I also dont want to do anything the jeperdize the warranty. So I am all ears guys. Let me know what is best for the saw and how to get a hold of the right stuff.

ehp · November 03, 2007, 01:30:34 PM

getting rid of the etech muffler had nothing to do with power, it has to do with getting more heat out of the motor, with the etech muffler on it it runs very hot cause the muffler is made to to be very hot . I found it made the motor run to hot for my likings and the non etech made it run alot cooler or open up the etech muffler .

sawguy21 · November 03, 2007, 11:29:56 PM

What is the scoop on this new 346XP ??? The websites, at least the ones I can read, do not show it.

ehp · November 04, 2007, 01:13:22 AM

they are in the states , I havenot seen one in Canada yet. The 50cc -346 is a totally different saw than the older 45cc 346. The 50cc saw is alot more user friendly and is not a high pitched screamer like the older 346 but does have alot more torque so more cutting speed

Cut4fun · November 04, 2007, 08:38:16 AM

Quote from: KY CUTTER on November 03, 2007, 01:26:13 PM
:P I have read before about getting rid of the etech muffler. SawTroll are you still running the stock muffler? My main concern here is not so much on a performance stand point, although, everyone loves a screamer. I just want the saw to last forever. I want whats best for the saw. I also dont want to do anything the jeperdize the warranty. So I am all ears guys. Let me know what is best for the saw and how to get a hold of the right stuff.

ST is from Norway and his saw didnt come with E-tech muffler.
Ed has ran the new one stock and modded and knows the heat issues first hand.

SawTroll · November 05, 2007, 07:31:05 AM

Quote from: KY CUTTER on November 03, 2007, 01:26:13 PM
:P I have read before about getting rid of the etech muffler. SawTroll are you still running the stock muffler? My main concern here is not so much on a performance stand point, although, everyone loves a screamer. I just want the saw to last forever. I want whats best for the saw. I also dont want to do anything the jeperdize the warranty. So I am all ears guys. Let me know what is best for the saw and how to get a hold of the right stuff.

My 50cc 346xpg is not an E-tech.