I bought my MS250c brand new 3years ago and cut maybe 15 cords of wood since. And 2 be clear,i didnt buy it from the dealer in town,and i think this might have something to do with it.The saw is like new,and has a bad crankshaft bearing. He(dealer) tore carb and clutch of and handed it back 2 me in a box,charged me half hr labor and said its not worth the fix. I paid $380. for the saw,and i have also now torn the saw down and sure enuf it has a bad bearing.Not from miss use,but from the JUNK bearings they use for these "home owner"saws.There is no damage 2 the cylinder or piston,just the bearing. So anyone have any info on what one of these,or a pair of bearings cost for this saw? Nice lightly used 250s go for $200. I just am at a loss. I run a MS280 as my main saw(firewood) and would appreciate any info and opinions on my like new MS250. Fix or not worth the fix? Anyone else run into these "sensitive dealers "? This guy even ran the # and the 1st question he asked me thru the door was,,"i see this didnt cum from my store,where u get it"? And from then on, i could feel he had no interest in repairing my saw or helping me do so. Didnt think it mattered where it came from,still says Stihl on the side!
**Ok,now a update and clarification on my above comment on the bearings**
I had 2 go back to the same dealer to get my new missing air filter the dealer had left behind when i picked it up in a box,,anyway, while i was there i showed him the crankshaft/,piston,rod and bearings still together as it came out of the saw,(intent was 2 really let him see i was gonna fix this saw)and i asked him 2 price the bearings and seals for me..and heres the part that backs up my feeling on these bearings being,well not good strong bearings. He says after staring at his screen for 5 minutes dead silent,,"Hmmm,thats weird. looks like Stihl had a "change in the production" of these bearings half way thru the run and changed them slightly so there are 2 listed for this saw" I thought right away,and was waiting to hear the word "recall",,but he stop short of actually using that magic word,and he said it didnt give him details of the problem,just that there was. So YES the bearings in MS250 saws have a problem on saws made 3 years ago up to all most present . Anyway, i wanted to update everyone and thank you all very much for ur help and comments. Oh, the price per bearing, $13.85 each,and seals $20.00, and Dirkco sealer 14.00... Same thing as a $4. tube of permatex red.
I cant believe all the GREAT advise and opinions i received here! I LOVE this forum! I have learned so much in the brief time of being a member of this forum about the little "tricks and tips" on,,,,,,well everything! I see there are many guys on here with great wisdom and experience,and i plan to soak up as much as me little brain can handle..lol So a BIG THANK YOU 2 U ALL :)
Sin,Rick(tcrew)
I have always run Stihl. We have a dealer here that acts the same way. I now have a Husky in the mix and try to purchase commercial grade saws.
I have not heard of a anyone having problems with the bearings on a MS250. What makes you think they use junk bearings on those saws? BTW now that you have the saw broke down why not get the bearings and do it yourself.
tcrew,I feel bad for you,as you have found a crappy dealer. how on earth these people stay in business is beyond me,treating a customer like that is suicide. As for junk bearings,who knows!! take bill m advise and change it out yourself and find another dealer who treats you well. Tim
I sold a like brand new 025 for $150. NEW 250 is $299. I say they are worth $200 not $300 JMO.
Quote from: Cut4fun on January 23, 2012, 08:03:47 PM
I sold a like brand new 025 for $150. NEW 250 is $299. I say they are worth $200 not $300 JMO.
My receipt was 389.00 before tax and a 18 inch bar,chain,oil case, files. And the value i went by was just what i see them for sale 4. Thank u very much 4 ur comment.
Quote from: Buck on January 23, 2012, 05:48:54 PM
I have always run Stihl. We have a dealer here that acts the same way. I now have a Husky in the mix and try to purchase commercial grade saws.
I ran a Husky 270 for 6 years and was happy with it,all be a bit big for what im cutting,so i went 2 my local(15miles) husky dealer and picked up a small husky,a 139. Ran the 139 for a hole year before the darn hole rear handle just fell off,or broke is more like it,so i wasnt very happy..I take very good care of my equipment 2. So i went back to stihl.And now have this problem with the new 250. Funny how every saw i ever bought new broke years before the used saws i bought. Thank u for ur input.
Quote from: bill m on January 23, 2012, 05:51:54 PM
I have not heard of a anyone having problems with the bearings on a MS250. What makes you think they use junk bearings on those saws? BTW now that you have the saw broke down why not get the bearings and do it yourself.
im sorry if my comment about "jusnk" bearings upset anyone,but this is coming from the dealer him self saying that.He said the 250 is for a home owner to prune a tree once in a while. Now thats the same dealer who has no interest in fixing it,but the dealer i bought the saw from(35 miles away) said this saw would be great for doing firewood. Im no indust logger,just own some property and heat with wood. So this is why im asking all u. Since i get 2 different stories from the Dealers. And YES, i will be buying the bearings and fix it myself, i just want opinions from experienced users. And so every one knows, i told the local dealer the same when he asked me where it came from, i said i got a good deal on it when i bought my Kubota tractor,and he said he understood, but clearly i could see his attitude get cold and he made his mind up that i am not worthy of his service! Thank u for ur info and input on this,, as it will help push me to just fix it myself.
Quote from: bill m on January 23, 2012, 05:51:54 PM
I have not heard of a anyone having problems with the bearings on a MS250. What makes you think they use junk bearings on those saws? BTW now that you have the saw broke down why not get the bearings and do it yourself.
I actually found a 5 part video on youtube on the tear down and repair of the exact same 250 with the same bad bearing. No blue hot marks,just the bearing feel apart on both his and my 250. And after only 3 years of very light use, and it beaks. This is why i tend to believe they are not the best bearings. I loved this saw and cleaned it after every use and so on. Just thought i should mention that. The 250 is the saw in my pic on the bottom,and its of it as it sat with bad bearing before i took it to the dealer, so u can see how nice, like new it is. Thank s again for all ur help. I love this forum and allready in my brief time here have found the people to be GREAT and VERY knowledgeable.
Well I dont have alot of knowlege of the 250. but i bought a 290 a couple years back. Only reason was because my dealer steered me toward that instead of the 250 for cutting bigger logs. Anyways I dont think you will find a better saw than the sihl.. I love my saw, after 4 pulls its running and hard to bog down.. so if could be get a 250 for a couple hundo id buy it in a heart beat.. I too think you have a really sh@ty dealer, and it were me, id deffinetly look else where!
Since my 250 went down, i picked up a ms280 for $200 and threw a 20 in bar/RSC chain and LOVE this saw! Freakin screamer. Pretty light also. Only a pound over the 250. Glad ur liking ur Farm Boss 290. My mate has one of them. and he likes it to, it is a bit heavier than my 280,but a great saw. It just burns my bucket to have the 250 torn apart and looking all sad. I was hoping to hear" fix it" thats a good saw. And looks like some of u think its worth the fix,but at my own hand. So can some one give me a idea on what crank shaft bearings cost for this 45 cc MS250? Just need a idea. Thank s to u all!!!
Someone else can probably give you an actual cost and the part numbers that you need, but I'm guessing less than $50 for the parts? It's that labour that would quickly get the price up, and with a saw that's only worth $200 I can believe the dealer is correct about "cost to repair vs value"
BUT, if it's our Sunday afternoon of labour, that your were only going to waste watching TV anyway, then bust out the tools and go for it.
Other option is to dismantle it and sell it for parts. Might get your $$ back selling it in bits to people with a burnt up piston, smashed covers. cantankerous carb etc.
Ian
Thank u Ian, i got her torn down,did it earlier. So i will be most likely fixing the saw my self, i just didnt want to find out the parts are over the value of the saw. To me, its not. Since i shelled out the cash on it new. Im chalking this buy up as a notch on the learning post... and maybe by the end, ill be a Stihl tech! lol The dealer does hammer on the labor,,,he charged me 30 min to take of the carb and clutch. I tore the hole saw down,the right way in 10 minutes! so i will take my time and fix it. And $50 bucks for such a small bearing is almost as nuts as our gas prices! lol but again,since i bought this new, and ran only 15 tanks thru it, its worth the fix. Thank u for ur input ..
meant to say off, not of. sry. and this dealer i could see the half smile/grin on his face when he handed me my saw back in a box. Anyway,, thanks again. Have a nice night.
Oh, i didnt mention this,but after he tore it apart,he offered me the $24 to buy the saw that he charged me to diagnose it.. I get home to find my brand new air filter missing from it. I just bought it from him a week prior, and i asked him is all my parts in there? oh yes he said. I called him and told him it was missing,and he said, oh sorry,, i have allot of saws im working on. But the day b4 when i dropped it off,his wife was at the counter and i asked her how long until he could take a look, and her words "we dont have any saws back there now,so it will be soon". Funny how a day changes things. Thats SHADY at best and now im glad i didnt buy a saw from him,and never will. And the saw had a brand new 18 inch RSC chain on it also,,so $24 for everything?? lol What a guy! Im learning from every one on here that they have had similar experiences with their dealers also, and i need 2 find a good one and stick with him. Prob is, we only have one in town,,(Crook Dealer) and the next is 35 miles over the mountains.
Seals $15 for set. Bearings $25 for set.
He must have charged you retail for case. They usually give that stuff away when buying.
Stihl MS 250 Chainsaw
Amick's Price: $299.95 The Stihl MS250 comes standard with an 18" bar.
Stihl MS 290 Chainsaw
Amick's Price: $369.95 The Stihl MS290 comes standard with an 18" bar.
Well here ya go .You're going to shell out between 50 and 60 bucks an hour for repairs in a shop and pay full price for the parts .In addition the repairs may be figured using a "flat rate " book which is always in favor of the dealer regarding the price charged .
They're going to charge you whatever than book says .You get to adding it up it might be for example have a hundred dollars to rebuild a carb you could do yourself for under 20 and about a half hour of your time .
Now that's just the way many do business .So you either learn how to do the repairs or you pony up the money or buy a new saw .You're ran out of options .
I guess I just don't get it .I've seen countless amounts of people buy these 025's ,029's and other consumer grade saws brand new and pay in my opinion outragious prices for them .Then 2-3 years late complain they go on the fritz .
They could have taken half the money bought a good used pro grade firewood sized older saw like an 026,028 even an 038 and with proper care it would last a life time unless it were abused if only used for casual firewood cutting .
Then again without any malice intended I am rather opinionated about this stuff ,do as you choose . ;)
Quote from: tcrew on January 23, 2012, 10:44:58 PM
I said i got a good deal on it when i bought my Kubota tractor,and he said he understood, but clearly i could see his attitude get cold and he made his mind up that i am not worthy of his service!
That just don't make sense. It would suggest that the dealer believes he would be working for free or something. Whether you bought it from him or someone else would not matter when the repair bill was rung through the cash register. ;)
Quote from: tcrew on January 23, 2012, 11:07:37 PM
It just burns my bucket to have the 250 torn apart and looking all sad. I was hoping to hear" fix it" thats a good saw.
I don't have the same experience and different type of saw, a brush saw. I have a lot of miles on a 2007 FS550. It threw a crank bearing after a couple hundred acres of brush cut (that's every square inch of an acre) and I replaced the bearing and at the time put a new muffler on it and dropped a new piston and rings in to. Now a dealer would only offer about $300 for this saw, in tact and working. The parts alone outside of the power unit would be worth $300 as used spare parts. New it is $1500 with taxes. So, darn right I fixed it, and by myself. Since the rebuild I have cut another 160 acres on it in two years. I intend to put the old girl into service this spring for another season. It's real easy on gas to, I can go for 1-1/2 hours in light cutting. Less of course in real thick stuff because you have to keep the rpm's up. 8) The first spring after the build I cut 2.5 acre strips of aspen with just 4 tanks of gas, low rpm's. Love it. :)
Quote from: Al_Smith on January 24, 2012, 07:55:13 AM
Well here ya go .You're going to shell out between 50 and 60 bucks an hour for repairs in a shop and pay full price for the parts .In addition the repairs may be figured using a "flat rate " book which is always in favor of the dealer regarding the price charged .
They're going to charge you whatever than book says .You get to adding it up it might be for example have a hundred dollars to rebuild a carb you could do yourself for under 20 and about a half hour of your time .
Now that's just the way many do business .So you either learn how to do the repairs or you pony up the money or buy a new saw .You're ran out of options .
Not in this industry Al. Any flat rate charts are totally in favor of the OEM for stingy warranty payments.
But a repair like the OP is considering really only makes sense as a DIY project. And that's certainly the case for most homeowner saws. The math just doesn't work if you have to pay full retail and shop time to have a dealer do major work to it.
The dealer in question should have taken the time to give the OP some actual numbers on what the cost would be. And judging by what he charged the guy for looking at the saw, it would have been a costly repair for sure at that place.
I had a guy come in yesterday with a toasted 350. I pulled the rope and could tell right away. Figured I;d do a quick look right in front of the customer. Pulled the top cover and first thing we notice is NO air filter in there. Pulled the plug, looked inside with an inspection light, and she's a mess. Told the customer a rebuild would be almost $300 and I don't recommend it. Took less than 5 minutes, and I didn't charge the guy. No need in a case like that to take it in the back and tear the whole thing down and have to charge the guy.
Most of the time when you do that you only create a problem. The customer doesn't want to come back and pay $25 for a disassembled saw in a box that he's never going to fix. So, to avoid that, he may not come in at all. (sometimes that's a good thing) But seriously, with some of these homeowner saws, it's best for everyone to get a quick decision on what to do with it.
Quote from: Al_Smith on January 24, 2012, 08:03:25 AM
I guess I just don't get it .I've seen countless amounts of people buy these 025's ,029's and other consumer grade saws brand new and pay in my opinion outragious prices for them .Then 2-3 years late complain they go on the fritz .
They could have taken half the money bought a good used pro grade firewood sized older saw like an 026,028 even an 038 and with proper care it would last a life time unless it were abused if only used for casual firewood cutting .
Al, I agree that that can be done. However, an awful lot of chainsaw owners (especially those who are in the market for a consumer-priced saw) don't know what to look at in a used saw. There is some fear of just buying someone else's problems.
My first two saws were bought new. I just didn't know enough about chainsaws to take a gamble on buying used, and figured having a warranty couldn't hurt. It also helped that there are several dealers with very good reputations in the area (and I'd figured out who were the ones to avoid).
I finally learned enough that I took a gamble on a used Husky 357XP. It's turned out to be a good buy, despite a couple of minor "surprises". If I'd had a knowledgeable friend who could look at a saw and advise me (i.e. if I'd known an Al Smith down the road from me), I probably would have considered used earlier on in my chainsaw purchases.
John hit the nail on the head.
When I had a crew brush cutting, I saw guys even buy used from a dealer. Dealer didn't know the true history of the saw, other than it was used by a thinner. Anyway the guy could buy it for $350 and have it die in a couple weeks or last all season. Personally, I would never give more than $250 and that's just for the replaceable parts, not part of the engine. I always figure the engine has, most times, about had it 7 times out of 10. Some guys can trash a saw in one season. These are $1500 saws. The dealer isn't going to spend a lot of time on a professional used brush saw. They only warrant them for 90 days to begin with and no warranty on used most of the time unless it's on a part being replaced. And I've never seen them make good on that either. Some fellas will beat it up against trees like it's a darn machete or axe with dull blades, bend the tubes, take the front end out or nearly and trash the clutch because of dull blades and big over sized stems and so on. I know some cutters that I would never buy their saw from and I would never lend a saw. ;D
The one on the 250 is a 6202 bearing. The one that comes on the flywheel side of a 460 also is a 6202 bearing but a much more sturdier one.
I usually rebuild 230, or 250 saws with the 460 bearings.
They last and last on smaller saws.
BTW.6202 bearings also come on 1/2 - 1hp electric motors.But they are not the C3 types as those that come on saws.
Joe
Quote from: Spike60 on January 24, 2012, 08:26:46 AM
Not in this industry Al. Any flat rate charts are totally in favor of the OEM for stingy warranty payments.
.
Well you'd obviously know more about it than I do being a dealer .I do have some of the flat rate charts for Stihl and some for McCulloch but they're older .From what few I've looked at it appears they gave ample time for the repairs .
Again though from a dealers stand point but not knowing the exact situation why put a couple hundred in a saw worth half that .Fact I've told people the same and I'm not a dealer .Told many at home as well as on the net for the price of just a few parts you could land the entire saw in used good running condition .
Let me add a little more here .Often times the dealers get the saws because they don't charge for trouble shooting the problems especially due to the fact the owners usually buy a new saws .Plus the fact the owners have no use for the parts .
Then along comes dumpster divers like me and pick them up for song and make runners from them .Some of my best deals have came from dealers .It's getting just about time again to make the rounds . 8)
Quote from: Al_Smith on January 24, 2012, 03:33:55 PM
Let me add a little more here .Often times the dealers get the saws because they don't charge for trouble shooting the problems especially due to the fact the owners usually buy a new saws .Plus the fact the owners have no use for the parts .
Then along comes dumpster divers like me and pick them up for song and make runners from them .Some of my best deals have came from dealers .It's getting just about time again to make the rounds . 8)
I hear ya. The main dumpster diver at my own store is yours truly. :D
There's been a few times when I'm thinking, "Boy, I hope this guy doesn't want to fix this thing."
The Stihl dealer I deal with gets a hoot out of me .If he has a rebuilder he knows as sure as God made little green apples if I get it I'm going to add some soup to it .
Fact they've been looking for either an 026,346 Huskey or 5000 Partner so I can build a 3 cube cookie cutter .Which I need about as much as another nose . :D
Quote from: tcrew on January 23, 2012, 04:41:38 PM
I bought my MS250c brand new 3years ago and cut maybe 15 cords of wood since. And 2 be clear,i didnt buy it from the dealer in town,and i think this might have something to do with it.The saw is like new,and has a bad crankshaft bearing. He(dealer) tore carb and clutch of and handed it back 2 me in a box,charged me half hr labor and said its not worth the fix. I paid $400.
Just curious...what two stroke oil did you use and at what ratio? Was your chain sharp & cutting well? Kind of interested in having those two components commented on by those who have had issues..see if over a year or so any trends show up. :P
Quote from: Al_Smith on January 25, 2012, 09:51:59 AM
The Stihl dealer I deal with gets a hoot out of me .If he has a rebuilder he knows as sure as God made little green apples if I get it I'm going to add some soup to it .
We have three local dealers, One Echo / Dolmar, One Husqvarna / Stihl, and one Stihl...lol The "little" guy loves what i do and has been a good source of project saws..the big guy avoids me..even though I have bought trimmers & tools there. :D The one line Stihl dealer/farm store doesn't care either way. They are pretty cool though and I buy a lot of farm related stuff there. Chainsaws aren't that important to them. The "Big" guy hates them too...:) (U have to understand this town..)
One fella last year needed a new saw. Was in the market for a new FS550. The dealer (John Deere farm tractor dealer) had one on the wall, but they called it a demonstrator. They wouldn't sell that one and send the guy on his way back to work. Instead they wanted to order one. The guy left with no saw, and went up the road to the Husky dealer who stocks brush saws, bought one and went to work. No hassles. Some outfits you can't figure out. ;)
I can't say as I've ever seen a brush saw myself .One exception being my wifes cousin in Alabama who had a multi tool of some sort made by Stihl that had a little blade trimmer deal with it .
Just for curiosity I'm going to go to Stihl on line and see if anybody even stocks one locally .
Al, they are probably special order in different regions that don't do pre-commercial thinning. They wouldn't hardly sell any otherwise. Ours come out of Germany.
http://www.stihlusa.com/trimmers/brush-clear.html
Quote from: SwampDonkey on January 25, 2012, 06:36:44 PM
Al, they are probably special order in different regions that don't do pre-commercial thinning. They wouldn't hardly sell any otherwise. Ours come out of Germany.
Yeah found that out plus they cost a kings ransome for that large one .I think that thing has the same sized engine as my back pack blower BR 400 which by the way does pretty good on snow too .
I checked the prices for Maine dealers and they are no cheaper than here in NB.
Yeah to buy one, you've gotta want to thin. Unless you have loose change to toss around. :D But anyway, we just dock the price and parts off our income taxes for work. So not too bad.
I put a set of bearings, seals and rings in my 025 and it ran good for another year. Looking back it wasn't worth the money or time. Then I got a 026 for $200 and my son used it all summer long. I'd put the $ into another saw.
My MS310 got crushed under a half hollow maple early last year. Took it to the shop and the guy looked up parts prices for me. Judging from what was obviously broken, nothing in-depth. YIKES! Parts alone were more than the saw! I was (wisely) counseled by some on here to check the E. I found a guy in Texas that sold me all the parts I needed, all new stuff, still in plastic wrappers. The beauty of it was I got all that stuff for not much more than what the dealer price was for just the gas/oil piece. Now, I'm not saying ANYthing bad about this guy or his shop. He's above board on all he does. Very helpful. He took the time to get me book prices. And he does it in a way so that the customer can see his cost. He never brought up labor. I would buy from this guy in a heartbeat. The whole point I'm long-windedly making is that there are ways of getting parts in a less expensive way.... I saved the labor by doing it (sort-of) myself. I got great help from FF, as usual. The 310 has since built more than 50 cords.
Quote from: Cut4fun on January 24, 2012, 07:03:25 AM
Seals $15 for set. Bearings $25 for set.
He must have charged you retail for case. They usually give that stuff away when buying.
Stihl MS 250 Chainsaw
Amick's Price: $299.95 The Stihl MS250 comes standard with an 18" bar.
Stihl MS 290 Chainsaw
Amick's Price: $369.95 The Stihl MS290 comes standard with an 18" bar.
Thanks for the info.. And My MS250 new on the shelf had a 16 inch bar. I made it a point to get the 18 swapped out on it. And sorry it took so long to get back on here, dsl has been down. Oh, and i better mention that my saw is the MS250 C B E model, yeah, that one with the annoying ez start system and it has the tool free chain adjuster on it. So they are a bit more than just a MS250. Think the receipt says he got me for 14.00 for the case,witch he said usually sells for 20+. He said i missed the "Free case" promotion by a week or so. Thank u again for the info.
Quote from: weimedog on January 25, 2012, 11:11:48 AM
Quote from: tcrew on January 23, 2012, 04:41:38 PM
I bought my MS250c brand new 3years ago and cut maybe 15 cords of wood since. And 2 be clear,i didnt buy it from the dealer in town,and i think this might have something to do with it.The saw is like new,and has a bad crankshaft bearing. He(dealer) tore carb and clutch of and handed it back 2 me in a box,charged me half hr labor and said its not worth the fix. I paid $400.
Just curious...what two stroke oil did you use and at what ratio? Was your chain sharp & cutting well? Kind of interested in having those two components commented on by those who have had issues..see if over a year or so any trends show up. :P
I never used anything but Stihl oil at 50:1 And when i said it cut 15 cords its hole life,thats being very,very generous. And i have never ran a dry chain on it, always very sharp chains(2 its hole life) hand sharpened by my. And the saw never has left my property either,its just cut firewood a little each year. Darn saw looks almost new. Even the dealer said he doesnt get it,or know why. But said the bearings in these grade saws arent as tuff as the pro saws. The jug looks good,and i still can read the numbers and letters on the top of the piston.And after every use i would slack the chain off a bit to allow for chain shrinking a bit on cool down. So i took very good care of the saw,still like a new one yet,except that bad bearing...And that will be fixed as soon as i can get to it.
I just would like to thank every one for their input and help with this. My darn internet provider has been down,so sorry it took a bit to get on here. Im defiantly gonna fix the saw,now i know the parts arent to much money.And from the looks of all these replies and opinions, im betting if i have a problem,there,s more than enuf good people on here to help. Again,Thank you very much. Love this site!
Quote from: Spike60 on January 24, 2012, 08:26:46 AM
Quote from: Al_Smith on January 24, 2012, 07:55:13 AM
Well here ya go .You're going to shell out between 50 and 60 bucks an hour for repairs in a shop and pay full price for the parts .In addition the repairs may be figured using a "flat rate " book which is always in favor of the dealer regarding the price charged .
They're going to charge you whatever than book says .You get to adding it up it might be for example have a hundred dollars to rebuild a carb you could do yourself for under 20 and about a half hour of your time .
Now that's just the way many do business .So you either learn how to do the repairs or you pony up the money or buy a new saw .You're ran out of options .
Not in this industry Al. Any flat rate charts are totally in favor of the OEM for stingy warranty payments.
But a repair like the OP is considering really only makes sense as a DIY project. And that's certainly the case for most homeowner saws. The math just doesn't work if you have to pay full retail and shop time to have a dealer do major work to it.
The dealer in question should have taken the time to give the OP some actual numbers on what the cost would be. And judging by what he charged the guy for looking at the saw, it would have been a costly repair for sure at that place.
I had a guy come in yesterday with a toasted 350. I pulled the rope and could tell right away. Figured I;d do a quick look right in front of the customer. Pulled the top cover and first thing we notice is NO air filter in there. Pulled the plug, looked inside with an inspection light, and she's a mess. Told the customer a rebuild would be almost $300 and I don't recommend it. Took less than 5 minutes, and I didn't charge the guy. No need in a case like that to take it in the back and tear the whole thing down and have to charge the guy.
Most of the time when you do that you only create a problem. The customer doesn't want to come back and pay $25 for a disassembled saw in a box that he's never going to fix. So, to avoid that, he may not come in at all. (sometimes that's a good thing) But seriously, with some of these homeowner saws, it's best for everyone to get a quick decision on what to do with it.
Yes Spike60, i agree with u on if the dealer would of took the time to actually talk to me a bit more and showed some interest in helping me,I would have a completely different take on the situation. But he did the opposite. And as it says on the print out from his wife when i dropped it off,"recoil only" written across the paper in her hand,i never authorized him to tear apart my saw,and charge me to boot.And then insult me by offering me the $24 to buy the saw. Thats like rubbing salt in the wound. I did make a effort even after all that to ask him,well how much would the parts cost,and he didnt look at any book or computer,he just said its not worth it again. Maybe to u or that dealer its not,but to me it is. And im the customer. Why treat a customer like that.I live in the same town and buy feed and stuff from that store, or now i will say i USED to... Im a fair person and like to be treated the same. Anyway, i do appreciate ur opinion and thank u for it.
And just 1 other thing that stung a bit was i bought a new 18 inch RMC chain from his store a week prior,and i have the receipt for it, it was $25.00. and it never touched wood,but was on the bar of my 250 when i brought it in to him, and i wanted to purchase a 20 inch RSC chain for my MS280, i had the box and receipt with me,and he would only give me $10 towards the 20 inch chain because it had been on my bar. And the darn 18 inch RMC chain was $4 more than the 20 inch RSC. He showed me on the screen. Anyway, i did end up buying the 20 from him,i needed it for the 280. It was just another little bit that added to the bad taste left in my mouth. But im learning and will use this and all the opinions from u and everyone else on here to make better choices in the future. Thanks again.
Quote from: Al_Smith on January 24, 2012, 07:55:13 AM
Well here ya go .You're going to shell out between 50 and 60 bucks an hour for repairs in a shop and pay full price for the parts .In addition the repairs may be figured using a "flat rate " book which is always in favor of the dealer regarding the price charged .
They're going to charge you whatever than book says .You get to adding it up it might be for example have a hundred dollars to rebuild a carb you could do yourself for under 20 and about a half hour of your time .
Now that's just the way many do business .So you either learn how to do the repairs or you pony up the money or buy a new saw .You're ran out of options .
,,,
@ Al_Smith, no i wont...lol I will be doing this repair myself for sure. After finding out the prices for the bearings,$25, its well worth the fix. And from most of u, its the majority feeling here as well. Thank you for ur comment:) I like getting opinions from both sides. Both in the repair buiss,and just users like me.
Quote from: Al_Smith on January 24, 2012, 08:03:25 AM
I guess I just don't get it .I've seen countless amounts of people buy these 025's ,029's and other consumer grade saws brand new and pay in my opinion outragious prices for them .Then 2-3 years late complain they go on the fritz .
They could have taken half the money bought a good used pro grade firewood sized older saw like an 026,028 even an 038 and with proper care it would last a life time unless it were abused if only used for casual firewood cutting .
Then again without any malice intended I am rather opinionated about this stuff ,do as you choose . ;)
,,,,@Al, i dont think u get that this saw is like new. I take VERY good care of my stuff. So whether its a $380. saw or a $15,000.00 Tractor, i expect it to work and last as its advertised to do. Im not a Pro,or in the wood buiss, and only cut a couple cords a year with the saw.Ran 50:1 Premium gas ,Stihl oil and Bar oil, no junk. The saw was babied and it breaking had nothing to do with me,so im not complaining,but i have every right to do so since it broke prematurely. Anyway, thanks for ur comment. Saw safe out there! :)
Quote from: Al_Smith on January 24, 2012, 08:03:25 AM
I guess I just don't get it .I've seen countless amounts of people buy these 025's ,029's and other consumer grade saws brand new and pay in my opinion outragious prices for them .Then 2-3 years late complain they go on the fritz .
They could have taken half the money bought a good used pro grade firewood sized older saw like an 026,028 even an 038 and with proper care it would last a life time unless it were abused if only used for casual firewood cutting .
Then again without any malice intended I am rather opinionated about this stuff ,do as you choose . ;)
Al_,, i do own a older 038,but its a bit on the heavy side for just bucking firewood. I dont get much logs over 16 inches so why run a bigger saw if i dont need to? The 250 was good at bucking firewood,but now this MS280 i got is even better! 20 inch bar with RSC and wow it cuts good,and actually doesnt make my hands go numb.Good av on it. Did i mention i love the 280?... Thanks again for ur input..
tcrew, you do have a right to feel the way you feel about this dealer. Treating a cutomer like you treat your best friend in my opion is at the top of the list when it comes to doing business. It sells yourself and your dealership or business. When a repairman has done a complete overview and a very detailed report he has done all that anybody could expect and I feel that is all you wanted to start with. He lied also about the air cleaner and that is a no no. Would never give him the time of day even again. He could have even offered a little advice and said if you would like to repair it youself I can provide the parts but I cant guarante the outcome.. What some people have forgot in life is that being respectfull and honest has more value than you can imagine. You can do the repair yourself and it will be some good over the long haul experience. Getrdone and let us know the results with some photos. bg
Quote from: Bill Gaiche on January 26, 2012, 03:03:34 PM
tcrew, you do have a right to feel the way you feel about this dealer. Treating a cutomer like you treat your best friend in my opion is at the top of the list when it comes to doing business. It sells yourself and your dealership or business. When a repairman has done a complete overview and a very detailed report he has done all that anybody could expect and I feel that is all you wanted to start with. He lied also about the air cleaner and that is a no no. Would never give him the time of day even again. He could have even offered a little advice and said if you would like to repair it youself I can provide the parts but I cant guarante the outcome.. What some people have forgot in life is that being respectfull and honest has more value than you can imagine. You can do the repair yourself and it will be some good over the long haul experience. Getrdone and let us know the results with some photos. bg
Bill, u sound like a very wise and experienced guy. And yes, thats all i wanted from the start was to be treated fair,and when he showed no interest in fixing it, i specifically asked for the price of the parts and i said my boy and me will make a project out of it.. Why not like u said, just price and get me the parts so i can do it my self? But now its day late for that dealer with me,not the brand,just that dealer. Ill buy my parts from some where else and get er throwing chips again. Thank u for ur input Bill, i appreciate it.
Sin,Rick
Use some Yamabond when you put the new seals in.
The bigest problem with Stihl is that in most cases you can't get parts except at the dealer. Then the part costs so much it is not worth the repair. Back in the 1970's I had a 031AV and the muffler broke off from its mounting shaft. I took it to the dealer and said I wanted a muffler for it. He said it would be $44 (that was alot in the 70's.) I told him I just wanted to buy a muffler and not a new chainsaw. I told him he could keep his muffler and I would just braze it back together which is what I did. I now have poulan pro 330's with 24" pro bars and they cut as fast as a stihl. I cut logs and firewood with them about every week and have been for over 5 years. I can also get any part that I need for them at a reasonable price on the internet and can fix them myself. By the way, the most I ever paid for one of them was $125.
A dealer no matter what brand of saw it is will charge you the standard price for parts with few exceptions .None will be inexpensive .
One very fine alternative could be people ,venders or sellers of used parts such as Scott from Chainsawr who is a sponser of this site . Good used parts work as good as shiny new ones in most cases for only a fraction of the cost .
Then too is the alternative of donor saws to acquire the needed parts .Really robbing Peter to pay Paul in a way but often working well taking maybe two or three junkers to get one good runner .Myself and others do it all the time .
You have to have a dumpster diver mind set at times on some of this stuff .
Just depends on what you want to do I guess .
Quote from: AdkStihl on January 27, 2012, 04:36:30 PM
Use some Yamabond when you put the new seals in.
Thanks AdkStihl for the tip! sure will:)
Quote from: Al_Smith on January 28, 2012, 07:48:17 AM
A dealer no matter what brand of saw it is will charge you the standard price for parts with few exceptions .None will be inexpensive .
One very fine alternative could be people ,venders or sellers of used parts such as Scott from Chainsawr who is a sponser of this site . Good used parts work as good as shiny new ones in most cases for only a fraction of the cost .
Then too is the alternative of donor saws to acquire the needed parts .Really robbing Peter to pay Paul in a way but often working well taking maybe two or three junkers to get one good runner .Myself and others do it all the time .
You have to have a dumpster diver mind set at times on some of this stuff .
Just depends on what you want to do I guess .
Thanks Al_, i agree on sum parts, but when it comes down to seals and bearings, id rather not take a gamble and go new. Their $14 each and 20 for the seals. After how this saw threw a bearing so young in its life makes me just want to shell out the cash for new parts.
Thanks again Al :)
Well there's got to be a reason why it flung a bearing in the first place .
In defense of Stihl even on a lower priced saw such as is the subject in question they don't use sub standard parts .
The reasons could be many .Running the chain too tight.Dust injestion ,worn sprocket or rim allowing the chain to climb .Faulty clutch bearing causing the clutch drum to run excentric .
Considering low hours run time those probabley wouldn't apply .Maybe just bad luck for want of a reasonable explaination . ???
Quote from: Al_Smith on January 28, 2012, 08:22:11 AM
Well there's got to be a reason why it flung a bearing in the first place .
In defense of Stihl even on a lower priced saw such as is the subject in question they don't use sub standard parts .
The reasons could be many .Running the chain too tight.Dust injestion ,worn sprocket or rim allowing the chain to climb .Faulty clutch bearing causing the clutch drum to run excentric .
Considering low hours run time those probabley wouldn't apply .Maybe just bad luck for want of a reasonable explaination . ???
lol,,,yeah Al_ thats exactly what that dealer said to me, "just bad luck"..but that was the first time,,my last visit he went to price the bearings and found that stihl DID have a problem with them,and even changed production of the bearings half way thru the run from saws(ms250) 3 years back to almost present. And he said it doesnt say why,just some kind of problem. And he doesnt know why they still are showing up on his parts list,but now there are 2 bearings available.. The old ones that they changed,and the new ones. $13.85 each. Either way, bad luck or bad bearing, hurts the same on a like new saw. And all the possible causes u listed, none apply here. This saw has only had 2 chains ran on it. Its the saw in my photo on the bottom. That was taken just b4 i took it to the dealer.. Thank u for ur input Al :)
I had heard a report of the plastic cages coming apart on certain bearings but I don't recall the exact situation nor the model or company involved .
Unfortunately premature failure of parts can happen to any manufacturer no matter if it's chain saws ,automobiles or kitchen appliances . Service buttetons might be send out or recalls for replacements which again depending might be ignored or have time limit stipulations placed upon them as to warentee .
It's just something that no matter if it's Stihl ,General Motors ,Ford or some makers of kitchen ranges or the allmighty Honda and Toyota in fact .Things happen,too bad but such is the way the cookie crumbles .
Quote from: Al_Smith on January 28, 2012, 09:46:40 AM
I had heard a report of the plastic cages coming apart on certain bearings but I don't recall the exact situation nor the model or company involved .
Unfortunately premature failure of parts can happen to any manufacturer no matter if it's chain saws ,automobiles or kitchen appliances . Service buttetons might be send out or recalls for replacements which again depending might be ignored or have time limit stipulations placed upon them as to warentee .
It's just something that no matter if it's Stihl ,General Motors ,Ford or some makers of kitchen ranges or the allmighty Honda and Toyota in fact .Things happen,too bad but such is the way the cookie crumbles .
Thats exactly what happened to this bearing, the plastic ring just broke apart,and the saw still ran,but only for few seconds and the piece plastic would get wedged under the crank and just stop the saw dead! And yeah, i understand these things happen. Im a stihl man! Just because i got a bad cookie,doesnt put me off of the brand,,,just gave me the wisdom to buy a better Grade Stihl saw! lol Thanks again :)
And the bearing wasnt blue at all. Never got hot. Just that plastic gave up the ghost!
Judging by the price for replacement then evidently this was not one of the special OEM designed Stihl bearings .If it were the price would be around 35-40 bucks for replacement .
For others reading this, when the bearing cage goes, several of the balls will go together and leave a blank space. The bearing and crank gets off-center and hangs up
Quote from: w8ye on January 28, 2012, 10:25:49 PM
For others reading this, when the bearing cage goes, several of the balls will go together and leave a blank space. The bearing and crank gets off-center and hangs up
w8ye, ok , now that sounds right. I thought the 1/4 inch piece of the hard plastic cage was stopping it,but i now know u nailed it. Because there wasnt any damage to the crank, the saw would just stop. Thank u for the info :)
Quote from: Al_Smith on January 28, 2012, 05:16:44 PM
Judging by the price for replacement then evidently this was not one of the special OEM designed Stihl bearings .If it were the price would be around 35-40 bucks for replacement .
Al_, all i know is they were the original bearings that came in the saw from new. And the price i was given was $13.85 each, but id gladly pay more for a stronger bearing if they are available.. Thanks again Al_ :)
I don't happen to have a parts list for a 250 or in fact most of the newer saws like the170-190 etc .However if the bearings are a generic metric size and design they can be cross referenced .
On the pro grade of saws Stihl not to mention many German companys like to use specially designed components which are only available through their company .No matter which component or which company or what product those parts will be costly .It's just the way they do things and no amount of complaining will ever change that .
14-15 bucks like I said would about be in the ball park for a standard metric bearing which is not OEM .That said they are priced within reason to the market .
Now I'm only guessing but would speculate that if Stihl had a problem with that specific component they would have replaced it with a better quality item .I'm not privy to the service bullitons on that saw so I'm certain .
Quote from: Al_Smith on January 30, 2012, 02:59:57 PM
I don't happen to have a parts list for a 250 or in fact most of the newer saws like the170-190 etc .However if the bearings are a generic metric size and design they can be cross referenced .
On the pro grade of saws Stihl not to mention many German companys like to use specially designed components which are only available through their company .No matter which component or which company or what product those parts will be costly .It's just the way they do things and no amount of complaining will ever change that .
14-15 bucks like I said would about be in the ball park for a standard metric bearing which is not OEM .That said they are priced within reason to the market .
Now I'm only guessing but would speculate that if Stihl had a problem with that specific component they would have replaced it with a better quality item .I'm not privy to the service bullitons on that saw so I'm certain .
Al_, the bearings im referring to,are from the dealer. And Stihl did replace the problem bearings with a replacement bearing. And thats the $13.85 ones. So im not sure what or why they changed half way thru the run, but they did according to the stihl dealer.And he said the service bullitons didnt say why,just their was a change due to a problem. All i know is i sure dont want this happening again, but from urs,and every one elses opinions, i dont see that happening. Or at least i hope not..lol Thanks again for all ur help.
and the bearing # is 9503 003 0340 that the dealer gave me. Its the ones i will be buying and fixing the saw with.
The bearings are pretty easy to put in those saws compared to the pro models. I would recomend the Dirko sealer I don't think it is the same as permatex red. You need something that will really stand up to gas or you will have bigger problems than bad bearings if that saw starts sucking air. I think Dirko is more like Threebond,Yamabond or Hondabond motorcycle sealers. Dirko will only cost about $5-$10 more than permatex and is worth it. Just what I have learned.
IT'S SIMPLE, GO TO EBAY OR CREGIS LIST TO GET YOUR BEARING(S). THEY ARE GOING TO BE A LOT CHEAPER THAN ANY OTHER PLACE. PUT THEM ON AND BINGO. A LOT OF TIMES YOU CAN BUY A WHOLE SAW THATS BEING SOLD FOR PARTS FOR NEXT TO NOTHING.
AS FAR AS YOUR DEALER, I WOULD GET ON THE INTERNET, GO TO THE STIHL WEBSITE AND LOOK UP LOCAL DEALERS. THERE ARE 3 CLOSE TO ME BUT I CHOSE TO DRIVE AN EXTRA 12 MILES TO THE ONE I USE BECAUSE HE IS GOOD AND TREATS ME FAIR. SOMETIMES ONE HAS TO GO THE EXTRA DISTANCE FOR SERVICE, AFTER ALL, WHY PAY SOMEONE IF THEY'RE NOT DOING THEIR JOB.