Where are Huskys made these days?

[Brandon1986]

   My family logging operation has been running Husqvarna saws for years, well before I was born in 86'.  We have run old Rancher 55's 288's 272's mostly 371's and 372xp's.  It seems like in the past....... 5 years maybe much of the quality of these saws have gone out of them.  Pop's has burned down a couple 372's in as many years, always going back to the old standby 12 year old trusty 372xp.. I know in the mid 2000's Poulan began building the home depot Huskys and then a few years later Partner took over the 3120.  The tag always says "Made in Sweden" all the parts feel a bit lighter duty and cheaper than the old ones do.  I am wondering if it should say "Made in Sweden (with parts from China)"  Having taken a couple winters off logging and excavating and working at a Stihl dealer 10 years ago, I jumped ship on Huskys and went to Stihl about 2 years back, largely because I still have connections at the dealer down the road.  I have dad nearly talked into trying an ms441, but Uncle and business partner stubbornly refuses to leave his brand loyalties to go to the Sthil.  I guess I don't really blame him in some ways, while being mechanically inferior they are still balanced WAY better than the Stihl and at the end of the day that means less fatigue and more productivity.  Any idea's on why those saws which used to be the best bar none are now clunkers or if anybody could tell me about similar experiances that would be appreciated

~Brandon

[starmac]

Most pro loggers here are still using them, 372 being the most popular. They changed the 372's a little a few years ago, but most if not all saws had to change to meet EPA specs, that might be the difference you are seeing.

[CR888]

China I think makes the consumer huskies nowadays but the pro models I think are still made in  Sweden. But like Stihl they get away with putting Chinese made components in Sweden made saws. The other thing is to get these two strokes to pass epa emissions regs the birth of the strato was born. The design is very clever and has kept the two stroke on the shelves but an inherent design factor OS that less oil ends up in the bottom end. This leads to increased failures with bearings etc. Running a heavier oil mix may well extend service life. Strato tech has some massive plusses for increased fuel efficiency and better air quality surrounding the OPE user. The fit and finish of the Stihl pro saws is much better than the Huskies but like you state the Husky is usually lighter and smaller for its displacement which counts for a lot. The Jap saws also suffer from poor fit and finish but are much cheaper and very reliable. What is best is very dependant on what the end users needs are IMO.

[Logger RK]

I had heard that Husky & Johnsred were bought by Electorluxe (or however it's spelled). The vacuum cleaner Company. Does anyone know if that's fact,or just my Stihl dealers talk?

[rburg]

Electrolux bought several saw companies back in the late 70's and early 80's.

[Brandon1986]

Thanks for all the input guys, I had some idea about the emisssion changing. Thats why you have to pull on them for a solid minute before they will start, not true 15 years ago. I guess I didn't put 2&2 together there.. I will try richening up the mixture just a tad, kind of a pain in the posterior because all the oils are pre measured, but worth it to save the $900 saw I suppose.

[woodsdog2015]

I thought Stihl's were all made in the US now.  I guess I have a huge problem with Stihl saws made in China if that's the case.  I don't have as much of a problem with Jap made saws because their Quality Management is impeccable.. can we say Honda, Toyota etc.?  But Chinese? I'm not happy about that if its true.  I wouldn't have a problem with it if they were priced like Chinese made products but they are priced like German or US made products so they better be made there. 

[Jiles]

Many years ago, I loved Stihl and Husqvarna. With all the emissions  and manufacturing changes, I have different opinion.
Many parts on virtually every chainsaw are made in China. All Stihl come with China (Zama) carburetors as does a lot of others.
Stihl has priced me out of the love affair and Husqvarna rebadged Poulan chainsaws have done the same.
Greatest reason I dislike Stihl is because of what the did when changing the 200t and making the 201t replacement with defective parts that Stihl would not address. Look up "problems with Stihl MS201 Chainsaw".
Today, I buy and sell a lot of 2 stroke tools and don't sell  without muffler and carb modifications.
Stihl and Husky are probably the best sellers but are the hardest for me to work on.
I find Makita/Dolmar and Echo to be my best choice.

[Brandon1986]

I would consider dabbling in other brands, but in my area the dealers are only Stihl and Husky... and Husky only has just 1 dealer in the area... I guess thats what I am stuck with.. Gotta ride where the parts are

[jdonovan]

+1

a tool you plan to use, you've got to have support for. If every time it need a part it takes you 1/2 a day to get something. You've either got to stock all your repair parts, or keep a complete spare unit.

Learned this the harder way with machines... a 2 hour one way trip for parts just about kills my whole day... and far to much seems to be brand specific anymore.

[Jiles]

I can certainly understand dealer availability.
I would probably feel the same if I were making a living with these tools.
I just buy, repair and sell as a hobby.
I buy all my parts on eBay and haven't been to a dealer, for parts, in about 10 years.

[jdonovan]

even as a hobby it matters. When the dealer is open 8-5  m-f that means I need to take a vacation day or at least a 1/2 day, to get to the shop. If I've got to leave it there, and pick it up another day... then its another chunk of time  burned. A local dealer I can get out an hour early and see him before the shop closes.

[Brandon1986]

 We have quite a stock pile of "bone saws" that have been retired and used to pull parts off of over the years, that much is nice.  We are finding that lately a lot of the parts dont transfer over either, which is really a bummer.  This latest saw issue wouldn't be much of a problem if the wrist pin wasn't a half in lower than all the other models.  I'm pretty sure is has something to do with the xtorq and the 2 barrel carb.  Dad is considering buying one of those cheapo Chinese knock off bottom ends for like $250 and running it just one more time then trash canning the whole thing.  The other down side for us on the Husky is the one dealer we have is new and from what I have heard from them (again I go with Stihl) they are a bit sub par.  All this adds up to almost having to go Stihl

[sandsawmill14]

the big mill im sawing for swapped to sthil last fall after 1 385 and 2 395 husky saws burned the top end in less than 2 months they fixed one of the 395s the other the ruled as normal wear and tear at 6 weeks old ??? >:( so the boss made him put it back together as it was and bought a 461 and a small saw for trimming lumber stacks ( i dont remember the #) on the way back to the mill both saws are less than 6 months old but good power and no problems yet

[starmac]

Brandon, the 372's at some point went from somethink like 71 cc to 75, probably the difference in your boneyard saws and the newer one. I have read where you can do some swapping and changeing between the two, do some reaserch on them.

[weimedog]

Wow. Not certain I want to jump in. A few things to straighten out thought.
In the 1980's Electrolux bought several brands and attempted to blend them. Included are the famous Scandinavian Brands Partner, Jonsered, and Husqvarna. Electrolux eventually spun off the Chainsaw business along with others bits and pieces. Husqvarna/Jonsered/Poulan/Redmax are the Brand names at the heart at the new company. While there are differences though out the model line, essentially Jonsereds and Husqvarna saws are all derived from the same basic designs.

Chinese input. All companies will buy components from sub contractors. Things like carburetors, bearings, even the casting of cylinders is done outside the brand. Pretty typical. Basically the OEM defines the specifications and companies in the business of building parts attempt to be a part of the programs by supplying parts within OEM specs for the lowest cost. Zama carburetors for example manufacture in China and have been OEM compliant for many companies. SO as regulations, taxes, and other business expenses increase  in the Western world, companies from the far east will have an increasingly easier time competing to be the supplier of components. Just that simple. Regardless of the source of the parts, the OEM owns the decision therefore the success and failure of those decisions. No idea what specific parts are from the different parts of the world...not certain I want to know! Just want to have the saw run... for a long time.

372's, the 371/372 first generations were typically 70cc plus a bit in displacement. A option named "XPW" was offered and was approx. 75cc's. When the X-Torq was introduced, the displacement was back to approx. 70cc's on the 372xp's.

The 365/372/2166/2172's, and 555,562xp,2258.2260's I've seen are still assembled in Sweden. Things like pistons and cylinders from elsewhere and I suspect carburetors too.

[Brandon1986]

I did know about the 371-372 transition.. It happened somewhere around the turn of the millenium. Most of our bone saws are 372's. The xtorq is the reason parts don't interchange.. Thanks for the intel on the OEM spec stuff, I guess I am bemoaning the fact that OEM across the board is beginning to fail these days...

[woodsdog2015]

Well I don't think it should be accepted whether they can manufacture an OEM compliant part or not, marketing materials at least from Stihl lead one to believe German or Scandinavian designed or manufactured and now built in the USA.  I would prefer everything built in the USA but its just like buying a gun, and I'm not trying to be arrogant whatsoever, I'm talking about honesty and integrity.  If Stihl, or Jonsered or Husky are going to market themselves as German designed, USA built, or USA built and German Made, or China designed and USA built then all of that information should be disclosed IN ALL OF THEIR Literature, sales and marketing materials, owners manuals etc., Its (admin edit) and just plain wrong if they do not.  I'm sure all companies do it but its misleading and extremely disappointing.  Perhaps the parts do meet all OEM specs and the saws run like banshee's and last for 40 years... that's great... but it isn't honest.  And I guess I'd like to think they I'm paying more for good equipment and honesty and integrity.  Its worth it to me to pay a little more for that. 

[starmac]

It has always been my understanding that only the cheaper homeowner line of stihls are built in the US, the more expensive pro saws are not. I could be wrong, but that is what I have understood.

[Andyshine77]

It has always been my understanding that only the cheaper homeowner line of stihls are built in the US, the more expensive pro saws are not. I could be wrong, but that is what I have understood.

Well you are in fact incorrect. Every saw sold in the U.S. from the 362 down is assembled here. The key word is assembled, as the parts are made in many different places. The 441 and up are assembled in Germany. However this all varies depending on the region, as Stihl has manufacturing in many different countries around the world. This is how manufacturing is, and will be for the foreseeable future.   

[logeeland]

The 372 is still 71cc. All the saws being trasitioned to EPA regs have gone through successes and failures. The 372 is still a rock of a saw. The 562XP had issues and the 2015 and 2016 seem to be great.

It all depends on the saw model and what people expect out of them.

[XP_Slinger]

You can greatly improve cold starts on the 372 X-torq by richening it up a touch and not using the decompressor.  Before I deleted my base gasket my 72 absolutely refused to start using the decomp and would flood out everytime.  Now it starts as it should with the decomp, 3 pulls for first fire, then 1 pull with the choke off and it's alive.
    The strato design does not rob the crank case of oil on the 372.  It pulls air through the carb but dividers prevent it from picking up any fuel mix.  This fresh air charge then goes through its own port window to the piston ports then this fresh air is dumped in the transfers before they open.  The theory is the fresh air enters the cylinder first and clears the majority of exhaust before the new fuel mix and thereby keeps the fuel in the cylinder, not going out the muffler.  If there is a concern regarding crank bearing lubrication the easy fix for that is running more oil in your gas.  I am now running 32:1 and my last tear down showed a very nice slather of oil in the bottom end.
   Not having experience with the older saws I can't comment on the "then and now" quality conversation.  But it wouldn't surprise me if it were true.  That's the way the world runs now days. More with less from manufacturers but we get to pay the same price if not more.
   That being said, I am not dissatisfied with any of my newer XP saws.  My 346 is an 08', 357 is an 06' and my 372 is a 14'.  They all perform great in my opinion and I thinK you'd be hard pressed to find a truly non quality aspect of any of them.  That goes for other brand pro saws as well.  Just because I don't have a stihl doesn't mean I don't respect the quality and reputation.  Truth be Know I was going to buy a 441 or a 372, got the 72 because I couldn't justify another $150 just because it had some white on it.

[woodsdog2015]

It has always been my understanding that only the cheaper homeowner line of stihls are built in the US, the more expensive pro saws are not. I could be wrong, but that is what I have understood.

Well you are in fact incorrect. Every saw sold in the U.S. from the 362 down is assembled here. The key word is assembled, as the parts are made in many different places. The 441 and up are assembled in Germany. However this all varies depending on the region, as Stihl has manufacturing in many different countries around the world. This is how manufacturing is, and will be for the foreseeable future.

Unfortunately I believe you are correct Andyshine77.  I guess its done that way but I don't have to agree with it.  That being said, I do enjoy my two Stihl saws.  Where are Echo's are made or assembled now or whatever?